Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-10-25

ingly at each other and subsidized into
a silent and curious inspection of their
son.
I The dumb endurance of the boy
showed a good deal of pluck: he
merely wriggled spasmolically from
time to time But he had come to the
EXTREMIST end Of his tether and was
on the point Of some outbreak. when
deliverance reached him in a low
swift sigh from his mother. and a
queer sudden movement on his
fathers part, who pushed back in his
chair, loosed his wife's hand with q
deprecating, "Pray, my lover and be-
way, fixing his gaze on no one in par
! ticular, to Dacre's infinite relief.
There are subjects that are usually
comprised in the education of young
children" said he. (which we. after
deep and anxious thought. have seen
fit to omit from the curriculum of our
son and daughter. We have taken
special pains to impress upon their
various instructors, as also upon the
persons appointed to their personal
service, that a certain part of their
minds should be kept free. entirely
clear and free from certain impress
sions, that they should remain, so to
speak, a blank as far as regards this
form Of knowledge. The form of
7 oil 70 ho \
his eye falling once more OH the luck
less Dacre who was drinking in his
words with open-eyed wonder, and,
finding the boy useful as a target. he
fixed him in6Xorably until the end of
the discourse. THE form Of knCwl-
edge [ allude to is that known as the
knowledge of religion. 1t is some
times called a sense, and has in a
manner become so by heredity, but l
doubt much whether it was innate in
the race in the beginning. This point
Of view has, of course, powerful ad-
vocateS, as we all know, at least" he
added coughing nervously, ''as Mr.. Eel
loves and his wife know. However,
this question though most interesting
Here his eve which had swerved for
a moment, again caught Dacres
1.-THE reasons why we have insisted
upon the denial Of this knowledge to
our children are many. Firstly, my
wife and | consider that it is hardly
fair to any human creature, with nor
NAL brain power in its young recep-
iN-n 70 in
power a distinct bias with regard to
the fundamental points of any science.
l speak Of it not in the common but
in the original application of the
word, which is merely empiric and
can certainly not pe looked upon as
proven in any part,-however great
its ethical value as a factor of culture
may be- he added with an apologize
glance at the rector. For the same
reason we have withheld geology and
the advanced parts of several of the
natural sciences, wherein is evolved
the doctrine of evolution. But of these
later.
1--WE have been more stringent in
our regulations with regard TO religion
known as Christian
it .nterS so largely into
all current questions, and entrenches.
or at least the arguments Of it's expo
nents do, Oh so many of our more eX-
act sciences. Another reason for
this knowledge was the
strange methods SO many of it's disci
pies have of experimenting and apply
ing it-even Of considering it's litera
ture. The process of exclusion by
which we have striven to our goal has,
I fear, seemed to our dear friends here
today an unwise one, but we have
taken deep thought concerning this
matter, and have taken no step lightly.
We have awaited a state of conscious
ness in our children capable Of receiv-
ing and judging the evidences of re-
especially of that form of
it known as Christianity-in an I'M
prejudiced and reasonable manner,
without bias, and with no early half
true!s nalf-faise impressions to confuse
and mislead.
To Be Coninued.