The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-17
THE STATE AID QUESTION
THE NORTH CAROLINA PRESBY-
TERRAIN REPLIES TO THE BIB
LICAL RECORDER.
STATE AID NOT CONCERN OF CHURCH
II is Ecclesiastical Tyranny for the Church to
Seek 10 Influence the Votes of
Their Members.
On. G. Presbyterian

The last number of the Biblical Re
cordcr is an Educational number, and
contains an editorial on the progress Of
the cause of Christian Education. with
Il part of the editorial we are in hearty
accord. The Presbyterian church III
North Carolina has witnessed a great re-
vival 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 gencr-
Gus support they are receiving But we
differ in toto with our contemporary in
its attitude towards our State lnStltu-
TONS Says the Recorder:
'There are hundreds of pastors in
our own churches and thousands of
laymen, and also hundreds of
Methodist pastors and thousands of
Iaymcn, and many PresbyterianS and
others miscelaneously 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 pco-
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.
Anls is the first point of progress"
There is no ''of course about the
second statement. We have never heard
of the many Presbyterans" 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-
lightenment. 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 the religious welfare of their
pupils the proposition becomes not only
indcfenshle 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 among the Baptist and we know
the position of President NilgO among
the Methodists. 1t is unfortunate for
their cause that their positions should
preclude the universal acceptance of
their disinterestcdness. And we shall
not he surprised to learn that the
Methodist and Baptist ministers do not
represent the people of their denomna-
tons on this question.
There is no compulsory attendance
upon State institutions. Parents can
send their children where they please.
And if the State erccts an educational
system and the people support it by
their patronage, it is the concern of the
people and the State and not of any
church or churches as such. Anything
else is ecclesiastical tyranny.
We have tried in vain to reconcile the
attitude of our Baptist brethren on this
question of State aid to higher educa-
ton, which is purely a 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 1.-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 vengeance
and in the way most dangerous to our
free institutions, the effort to control
votes by a religious denomination. Pres
byterians may not talk as much as our
Baptist brethren do about the 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 Il swiftncss conducive TO
cprebraI yprtipiuOuSnoSS
Apropos of the progress" that this
opposition to State aid is making, the
Recorder says:
at is true that State appropfia
tions have increased rather than de-
creased; that the enrollments in
State institutions have also in
creased"
That reminds us of a story: A and
Is were engaged in an eating match.