The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1898-07-19
The STATE AID QUESTION
THE NORTH CAROLINA PRESB1-
TERRAIN REPLIES TO THE BIB
IICAL RECORDER.
STATE AID NOT CONCERN OF CHURCH
It is Ecclesiastical Tyranny for the Church to
Seek 10 Influence the Votes OF
Their Members.
On. c. Presbyterian.)

The last number of the Biblical lie
corder is an Educational number, and
contains an editorial on the progress Of
the cause of Christian Education. With
u part of the editorial we are III hearty
accord. The Presbyterian church IN
North Carolina has witnessed Il great re
yivaI of interest in the cause of church
education in the last few years, and its
institutions under. Presbyterian control
are worthy in all respects of the gener-
Gus support they are receiving. But we
differ in toto with u contemporary III
its attitude towards our State institu-
tons. Says the Recorder:
There are hundreds of pastors in
our own churches inc thousands of
laymen. and also hundreds of
Methodist pastors and thousands OF
lavmen. and many Presbyterians and
others miSccllaneOuSly who now are
convinced that Christ must be first
in education. who perceive that the
cause of Christian education is not
the cause Of any one denomination
or any one college. but that it is the
cause Of Christ Himself. and being
the cause Of Christ. it is the cause
of the human race. These same peO-
pie are convinced, of course. that
the States policy is inimical not
only to the Christian institutions and
the Christian denominations. but to
the interests of the State herself,
since education which does not place
Christ first is false and dangerous.
us is the first point of progress"
There is no of course about the
second statement. We ave never heard
of the many Presbyterians" who are
convinced that the States policy is
inimical to Christian institutions and
Christian denominations. To maintain
that proposition is to maintain that ignor-
ance is better for Christianity than en-
l~ightenment. PresbyterianS will have to
re-write their history to accept that.
And when we recall that the University
and the Normal are under the control
of Christian men. who are deeply inter
ested in he religious welfare of their
pupils the proposition ecOmes not only
indefcnsihle but absurd. We have no
desire to question the sincerity of the
leaders of opinion of the opposite party.
But the Recorder refers to President
Taylor anon the Baptist and we know
the position of President Kilgo among
the MethOdiSts. 1t is unfortunate for
their cause that their positions should
preclude the universal acceptance of
their disinterestedness. And we shall
not be surprised to learn that the
Methodist and Baptist ministers do not
represent the people of their denomina-
tons, on this question.
There is no compulsory attendance
upon State institutions. Parents can
send their children where they please.
And if the State erects an educational
system and the people support it by
their patronage. it is the concern Of the
,,o,In nnI A.. sat- ,-1 80 - .--.
church or churches as such. Anything
else is ecclesiastical tyranny.
We nave tried in vain to reconcile the
attitude Of our Baptist brethren on this
question Of State aid to higher educa-
ton, which is purely Il political ques-
ton. with the historic attitude of their
denomination as to the separation Of
Church and State. The statement is
boldly made by the Recorder that 'the
followers of Christ will continue to try
to elect representatives who will repre-
sent them in the General Assembly,
that we shall continue to protest to the
General Assembly. etc" This is mixing
Church and State with Il vengeance.
and i'll the way most dangerous to our
free institutions. the effort to cOntrol
votes by Il religious denomination. Pres
byterilnS may not talk rs much as our
~ : tlttllltH ho dDOiIt lie separation
of Church and State. But a motion on
either side of this controversy introduced
in the Synod of North Carolina would
be tabled with a swiftness conducive ia
cerebral righteousness.
.ApropOS of the ''DrOgreSs'' that this
opposition to State aid is making. the
Recorder says:
1T is true hat State appropria-
tons have increased rather than de-
creased: that the enrolIments in
State institutions have also in
creased
That reminds us of a story: 4 and
+ were engaged in an eating match
After the contest had proceeded for some
time 4 hazarded the opinion that e
would win. When asked the reason for
his statement he said, "Recause A is
only two geese and n turkey ahead Of
him. We do not mean to intimate that
r stands for Baptists or A for Aid. or
X for Recorder.