The San Francisco call., 1895-12-30
From a photograph.

| in the mind of man at the same time is
the best.
ut would seem that this union is de-
manded by the duties and responsibilities
that every true man and woman realizes
and strives to fulfill, and education to be
complete must comb bine the two. All the
nations that have been built up since
pagan times owe their growth to the
preaching of Christianity. All admit the
necessity of education; the trouble is in
the meaning of the word. Catholics be-
lieve in the union OF religion and educa-
ton, and in this belief we are not alone.
Through all the ages, through the history
OF paganism and in the great minds of the
present time we find that morality and
education have been advocated.
1.-The present trouble and conflict be-
tween the two most favorite systems is
caused by two circumstances. The first is
that there are so many men who regard
rell sioue truth as OF no consequence. The
second is, there is so much doubt as to
what constitutes true religion that many
regard one as being as good as the
other. This is not strange, for since the
time OF the Protestant reformation there
sects that people are in doubt as to which
is the true one and ignore the whole lot
Consequently it is maintained that all can
be done by what is known as secular edu-
cation. Yet every page of history denies
this assertion. The eloquence OF Greek
and Roman orators was mainly devoted to
a system brided on secuiar,principles, and
they failed. The building up of after ma
tions was due to what is called religious
education. | cannot see why it should be
considered right to teach the mind and to
ignore the heart. To the Catholic church
belongs the credit of being the very first
body to advocate and to put into practice
system for the education OF the poor.
Alter the third century the parochial
schools were opened ami the Council of
Lateran in 1179 decreed than all Christen-
dom should establish schools. Ali over
Europe until recently provision was made
for the support of schools of all denomina-
tions, and even to-day in Canada and
some other places the custom prevails.
Religious natures must be fed or the ma
tion will rapidly depreciate into nation
of sceptics and virtue will become for
gotten name. In introducing the religious
element with education we do not exclude
the other elements. Man is made for
eternity as well as time. He must time
have, and must also, while here, tit him.
self for hereafter. Exclude from his edu-
cation all religious tendencies and how is
he preparing for eternityp The soul was
created for purpose. All the fine powers
of the soul-love, alteration, affection,
nobility of purpose-aIe all dormant until
they are developed by the religious senti-
ment in what is called character. The
body grows apace; a boy soon becomes
man, girl a woman. Ii the mind remains
stunted our children grow up worse than
animals, because they have some intelli-
gence but it has not been sufficiently de-
veloped to enable them to govern their
passions and prevent them from becoming
demons.
Because of secularists and religionists a con-
test was at this time over the educational
question The church has done its part in the
past and is'doing II now III the face OF opposi-
ton and dscouragcment that would deter any
other body from keeping 1t up. She does 1t be-
cause she knows that her very existence de-
pends upon it. / cannot see how people can
expect to teach their children to overcome
their passions unless they are taught the elc-
ments of religion as well as what is termed
secular education. 1t is not O question of The
present alone, but of eternal salvation. Boys
and girls are keen judges, and the moment
you set no value on religion they do the same.
Children, of course, are looked after by their
parents till they go to school, but it is after
they go to school that they are most suscep-
tible.
their influence on society. Every observer OF
ordinary keenness knows its effects The pub
lie sense is no longer shocked by such and this
is the best proof OF how much it has been led
aside. People who are not Catholics cannot
see this For US there can be but one church,
his power throughout the ages, and we have
his promise that IL shall be eternal and that
the gates of hell shall not prevail against 1t 1t
is an everyday duty for Catholics to defend
their religion, and as they believe 1t is the
only true one, which it is, they will take pride
in doing So The daily papers are to my mind
a revelation. l could not q few years ago have
believed it possible that ten million men