The San Francisco call., 1895-12-29
RELIGION IN SCHOOLS.
Harold W. Fairbanks Speaks for an Absolute
Standard of Morality.

Harold W. Fairbanks Speaks for an Absolute
Standard of Morality.
The following communication to THE
CALL, suggested by The present contro-
yersy, will be read with interest:
To the Editor of the San Francisco Cal:
Several utterances recently made in the pull
pit, as we'll as some remarks in late number
of THE CALL, have impressed me deeply with
the conviction that the questions of religion
and morality as applied to the public schocls
are treated from superficial and entirely
wrong point of view. References are con
stantly being made to the goolessnesg o. the
State schools, to the lack of moral training, and
the dire consequences which must result from
the bsnishng of the Bible from he schools.
Does the question resolve itself into this, rs
DR.. Bovard has stated, either The restoration Of
the Bible or. the standard II the Catholic
Church. or that of natural perceptions?
would answer in part yes to the last OF these
alternatives, the reasons for which are as iol-
lows:
The religious convictions of people are deep-
seated and very slow to change. As long as
the Catholic church as such shall exist il
would seem that union with Protestants upcn
some common ground is impossible. Religious
quarrels are most bitter and demoralIzing and
SO long as bigotry shall exist in any branch Of
the church of Christ mutual forbearauce,
charity and brotherly kindness, which form
the real basis OF the religion OF the New Testa-
ment, are more or less obscured in the quar-
rels over dogmas. The result is that neither
branch of the church is willing that the here
sizes OF the other shall be taught its children,
while those persons who, perhaps without
reason also, believe that all religion is hum
bug, want the whole idea banished.
There has been to my mind no period of the
world in which these questions can be exam
ined with such nationality and broadminded-
ness as to-day. The light of reason can no
longer be subdued by DEGREES. The scientific
method of study applied to man in sll his re-
causing such an awakening among men of the
whole civilized world that superstition is
doomed. Education. know ledge OF the world
OF its peoples, OF its religions, has the sure ef-
feet of so broadening the mind that bigotry
and dogmatism in every department must
perish. The thirst for Knowledge, for the reason
of things, cannot be quenched; evolution is in
and we are in the midst of an awakening of
thought, of which condition large number of
us seem not to be aware.
BY the careful observation of phenomena,
generalization and deduction, there is arising
a mass of positive knowledge, the effect OF
which for good upon the coming generations
ii Is beyond our power to estimate. In the light
of the present, what have we to fear from ec-
clesiastical domination of any kind? Religion
will not pass away, but it will be purified;
those dogmas which cannot stand the search
light of Intelligence will be dropped while the
fundamentals will remain and assume a more
noble aspect, more worthy of the acceptance
OF reasoning beings.
1t is impossible for the thinking man to do
aught than deplore acrimonious religious con-
troversy; 1t can do no good, 1T will make no
converts II seems to me that in the latter
part of the nineteenth century and in the
United States the man who tries to arouse reli-