The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
DIR. BOVARD's OPINION.
He Discusses Catholicism, the Bible and the
Public Schools.

hs
He Discusses Catholicism, the Bible and the
Public Schools.
There are some fundamental differences be-
tween Catholicism and Professionalism, to which
attention can be called without unjust refec-
ton on either.
One of these differences relates to the Bible
as an authority in public morals.
The Catholics hold that by virtue of the super
natural power bestowed on the church in the
beginning, it has the right, through properly
constituted councils, to add to the doctrines
of the Bible. They hold further, that the DEGREES
and dogmas of the church are of equal author
ity with the Bible in all matters pertaining to
conscience To the Catholics the Bible is a sort
of record OF the early church, a compendium
of abstract truths inspired, but in no sense
super Tor TO the DEGREES of the church. Their
mode OF propag eating the Christian religion is
by the mechanical methods OF living church
organism. They not only quarry, stamp, coin
the truths of the Bible, impressing upon them
the image and superscription OF the church,
but they claim the right to issue moral cur
rency based upon the reserves of the church,
redeemed by rewards spiritual and eternal,
always at the command OF the church.
Protestants hold that the church in no ca
pacity can add to the doctrines OF the Bible;
that all theological progress is simply deeper
insight into the manifestations of God in the
Bible-a greater power to interpret and apply
the spiritual truths therein; that the Bible is
the medium which reveals God personally to
the reader and nearer. The Bible, according
to Professionalism, is the formative power of the
church and not the church the producing
power of truth. The whole contention relates
to proper standard OF morals. IS 1t the
church or is it the Bible? This is essentially
important to the whole fabric of society. If
the church can issue a moral currency, and If
| the Bible truth must bear her stamp before it
| viii pass, then she has a monopoly of vastly
more importance to society than all the gold
| in circulation.
This is the ground reason for the contention
over the Bible in the public schools. 1t is APP
parent to all that there must be some standard
of morals in the public schools The teacher
must have an adequate reason for moral ideas.
Protestants ask not that the Bible be taught in
the schools from sectarian standpoints, but
that it be acknowledged as the supreme
thority on morals. The denial by the Catho-
lies and naturalists of this concession to the
Bible has left the schools with general but
very indefinite moral standard, and not little
| apprehension is felt by many teachers in the
public schools as to their moral condition
The cry of sectarianism has prevailed. The
! people are more ready to hear destruction cry
than they are able 10 propose q remedy. The
| public schools are shut up TO one OF three
things for q moral standard. First, the Bible
may be restored; second, the Catholic church
may set the standard; or, third, the teacher
may rely upon natural perceptions, the basis
of paganism. One thing is sure, while chill
! dren have consciences there must be a moral
standard.
1t is unfortunate for the claim of the Catho-
| lie church that it cannot show by its history
| that i: is friendly to the system of free eduea-
| ton, even if it were granted that Catholic
morals are both superior 10 Bible and natural
morals. It is even more unfortunate that the
| leaders of that church cannot point TO any
people or civilization where they have long
ruled the morals of the people that has not de-
| terlorated. Again, it is unfortunate that the
Catholic church claims never to change its
methods or spirit. This in itself shows what
kind of civilization it would produce If the
| children of the public schools were turned over
| to it.
! Nor can the teacher in the public schools
! look with any degree of hope to natural per-
ceptions as a standard of morals. 1t is dim
and variable. The greatest natural moralist
| can show no reason why lie is not as good as
! the truth if the present purpose is served as
we'll This standard may answer for a time
upon the plane of ethics but teachers are con-
| stantly under the need of appealing to the
| SUPERNATURAL. The voice OF great men in the
| field of ethics has been exceedingly uncertain.
| Plato taught that lying under some circum
| stances was right. 1t is not fair to demand of
| the public school teacher moral results and at
| the same time deny him moral standard. 1t
| comes to this: natural perceptions will give us
the morals of paganism, Catholic standard will
give us Catholic morals, and the Bible STAN
| dard will give us Protestant or Bible morals.
Now, allowing that each shall reach its high
est level is there any palpable test as to which
is the most desirable? The test of Paganism
would be doubtless Greece in her golden age.
! The test OF Catholicism would be Italy, Spain
or Mexico. The test OF Pretes tantism would
be Germany, England and America. Now in
power of human life the greatest? Is there
any tsirer test than "By their fruits ye shall
| know them?
| I do not think there can be any doubt but
that the policy of Catholicism toward the pub
lie schools has during the past ten year
changed. Where there were ten Catholic stu
! dsnts in the Normal sc coils there are now
hundreds. Catholic teachers thickly
sprinkled over the State. The suddenness of
this change has started the inquiry as to its
| true meaning.
There are two theories outside the Catholic
church First, that it is piece OF cunning
Jesuitism, seeking to render the schools
harmless to Catholicism, and more espe-
cially to make them offensive to the Protest
ants This view is supported by the attempt
to introduce nuns as teachers in the public