St. Paul daily globe., 1896-03-30
THAT SHORT BIBLE
REV. s. G. SMITH INDORSES THE
book MADE BY CHICAGO
WOMEN
ST. PAUL COULD USE IT WELL.
AT LEAST WITH NO MORE HARM
THAN Is MADE BY yIRGIL'S
AENEID.
LORDS PRAYER NoN-sECTARIAN.
He Takes Issue With the Courts
That Have Ruled Otherwise,
Citing Authorities.

'"The Chicago Women's Abridged BIZ
BILE for Public Schools" as announced
as the topic for the prelude to DR.. S. g.
Smiths sermon last evening at the
Peoples church. But the congrega-
ton was perhaps surprised to learn
that the current title of the work dis
cussed is misleading. and that, in
stead Of an almost complete edition of
the Scriptures revised into prudish alb
surdity by eat-loving old maids and
senile deacons, the Woman's Bible, as
presented by DR.. Smith, was a mere
compilation of the most important
Scriptural lessons freed from sectarian
contention DR.. Smith said:
1T is with the greatest pleasure that
I call public attention to the little
volume which hold in my hand, called
Readings From the Bible, Selected
for Schools It is published under
the auspices Cf the Chicago Womans
Educational union, and If these noble
women had no other fruit of their or
ganiZation and labors. this book is
quite enough for a permanent monu-
ment to their usefulness. The task
was undertaken from a chance re-
mark made by Prof. Swing, of precious
memory, made five years ago, calling
attention to the need Of a book of
suitable selections. 1t is more than
ten years since I had the honor to
suggest in a public address that Cath
olicS and PrOtestantS would do well to
unite in the preparation Of such a
work for the public schools. The COM
mittee having editorial charge of the
book was w. ]. Onahan, Rev. DR.. Bar
rows and Hon. G. c. B9nney, but they
Were assisted III thse. labors by g.
large company of men and women Of
devotion and scholarship. The result
is book of a hundred and sixty
pages containing a hundred and fifty
selections from the Bible, covering a
wide range, but taken largely from
the gospels, the prophets and the
Psalms. The extracts are arranged
under suitable topics, they are printed
without the atrocious verse divisions,
and they cover quite fully the duties
and inspirations of life expressed in
the noblest language. I venture to
express the hope that this book may
be adopted for use in our public
schools without opposition and that
not only ST. Paul, but the schools Of
the entire state may be blessed and
uplifted by it's teachings.
Some persons will object to the fact
that it is a selection from the Bible
rather than the Bible itself that is
recommended, but it will be seen on a
moments thought that in any case
it is only selections that are ever read
in a school, and instead of having
these made carelessly by the unin-
structed judgment Of a single teacher
we have here the guidance of col
1ective wisdom which may be fairly
said to represent our public schools.
The book contains many of those pas
sages. such as the commandments,
the beatitudes and the most inspiring
Psalms, which have become the treas
ures Of all well-nstructed minds and
hearts. 1t inculcates the obligations Of
life, inspires conscience, reveals retri-
button and brings the soul near to God.
"On the other hand, why should any
one object to this book? 1t has avoid
ed the questions of mere criticism; it
has omitted the passages which have
furnished a narrow foundation for the
huge dogmatic structures Of medieval
thought, and has secured the unstinted
praise Of Catholic, Protestant and Jew.
Why should we legislate against the
Hebrew literature, the most spiritual
and uplifting possession of the race
We teach in our schools the Latin
poets and the Greek historians. We
permit the reading of VirgiPs Aeneid,
which, to say the least, presents many
curious situations. We give an intro
duction to the histories Of all times,
but we have put under ban the one
people whose genius has done more
than all others to make us great and
whose development of the moral sense
makes them the builders of the high
way of holiness for the nations
''The moral training in our schools is
most deficient I take issue wholly
with the theory that character can
best be promoted by methods of in
direction. Morals are in their very
nature concrete. They require the
definite inculcation of duties and OBJ
legations. The child must be taught
again and again, thou shalt and thou
shalt not. Where are the relations Of
child and parent, OF man to man, of
the citizen to the state, taught with
such clearness, and power as in the
Scriptures? Personal responsibility.
justice, mercy, truthfulness, law and
obedience must be taught with posi-
tive precepts and definite illustrations.
It may be said that all this can be
left to the home and to the church. In
like manner it may be urged that all
education should be left to the home
and to the church. There are no ar
guments that can be urged for public
education at all that may not be urged
with equal force in behalf Of moral ed
ucation by the state. But nearly half
our children are not reached at all
by the church, and many homes are
inadequate to cope with the moral
necessities Of the children in their