Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-02-13
thanksgiving. prayer.
such as alteration, IL


praise and Offering
Reading the Lords prayer is certainly
manifesting that degree of reverence which
ing Of the Bible and repeating the Lords
prayer cannot be done by believers in Chris
tianity without feelings of deepest grati-
alteration and homage to the Supreme Be-
ing: which is the essence Of worship
This exercise. therefore. being form
of religious worship, and the same being
done as one of the rules and exercises Of
our public schools. 1t necessarily and logic
ically follows that a public school house
Is therefore made place of worship. Re
ferring now to that part of our constitu-
ton which provides that no person can
be compelled to erect, support or attend
any place of worship 1t must be borne in
mind that the tax paid by our citizens for
the erection and maintenance OF the public
schools is an involuntary tax, one which
they are by the provisions Of law COM
PEELED to pay. Thus he becomes COM
place of worship. If such religious worship
Is suffered in public school.
Some of the earlier constitutions hav-
ing similar clauses used the words build
place of worship We're advisedly used as
applicable to any place or structure where
worship Is steadily held, and where the
citizen Is compelled to attend. or the tax
The mere fact that only a small fraction
of the school hours is devoted to such wor-
snip IN no way justif1eS such use as against
an o6)ecting taxpayer. If the right be con-
ceded, then the length of time so devoted
becomes a matter of discretion. If such
right does not exist. then any length of
lime; I'm to,n however short. is forbidden. The
aaa realtors are taxpayers Of the district and
the school in question. and also to aid in
the support Of the school maintained there
IN. Being thus compelled to aid in such
erection and support. they have a legal
right to object to its being used as a place
of worship.
Worship In Schools Illegal.
Il am. therefore. of the opinion that re-
hgious worship can not be indulged in any
Of our public schools, and that repeating
the Lords Prayer, being, as suggested by
you. religious worship, may be excluded
therefrom. By this do not mean to in
Ter that those great principles contained
in the Bible. which teach the duty of one
10 another, and set the pace for true man.
nood and womanhood. are to be denied the
youth. or that the teacher is barred the
thus far would. to a certain extent, re-
pudiate the force and effect of Christianity
as the parent and protector of our govern
ment. ii This. however. can be done in an
iigious worship. or the teaching of sectar-
ianism.
III it is true the legislature has placed
charge Of a board of directors in each
district throughout the state, with author
ity TO make all necessary rules and reguIa-
tions for the government of the same. and
prescribe such rules, the teacher is clothed
with that authority. But such rules when
made must fall within the provisions of our
state constitution. or be such as are not
prohibited by it. Having answered your
first proposition in the negative, deem 1t
unnecessary to give attention to the sec
ond. In fact, the suggestion there made
admits the whole Of the argument, that re-
c;tng the Lords prayer is religious wor-
conscience to participate and observe any
such exercise Is vile perversion of the
constitution guaranteeing freedom of con-
science and religious worship.
Pupils Cannot He Coerced.
ION this point the Wisconsin court said:
When, as in this case. q small minority OF