The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-07-31
THE DUTY OF THE CHURCH
IT Is TO ELECT REPRESENTA-
TIVES WHO WILL REFLECT +
CHRISTIAN SENTIMENT.
OPPOSED TO ECCLESIASTICAL TYRANNY
IT is Not Mixing Church and State for Chris
tians to Vote Their Sentiments for
Christs Sake"

Christ's Sake"
A few days ago, at the request of
two Presbyterian subscribers, we copied
an editorial from the North Carolina
Presbyterian on the State Aid discussion.
Fellow we give reply that aplears in
this weeks Biblical Recorder:
/. ''The North Carolina Presbyterian
joins issue with us in regard to several
statements made in the leading editorial
Of our recent educational number, ana
the News and Observer reprints The
Presbyterian's remarks. giving what pur
ports TO be the gist of the Presbyterian
position in headlines as follows: "Churcl
and State. The Presbyterians advocate
complete separation. The State-aid Iues-
ton. State-aid not concern of
church. 1t is ecclesiastical tyranny fer
the Church to seek to influence the votes
of their MEMBERS
I'VE propose to briefly examine and an
swer the Presbyterian's points, and we
have reason to believe the News and
Observer will. reprint for fairness sake
what we have to say.
1.-THE first question raised by the Pres
byterian is a question of fact: I'VE have
never heard of the many Presbyterains'
who are convinced that the States polly
is inmical to Christian institutions and
Christian denominations it says In
answer it is only necessary to say that
we have not only heard of, but we have
seen, talked with and had letters from
many Presbyterians who endorse our
position in this matter unreservedly. The
activity of President Shearer before the
General Assembly few years ago wou'l
go to Indicate that at that time he was
not far from holding this position. And
we can name another Presbyterian edu-
cational leader of whom as much, if not
more. may be said. But when we wrote
the statement we had in mind the ind
Siduals in the Presbyterian churches
who have endorsed our position. For in
stance, we We're never more cordially en-
dOrsed than when we made speech in
elaboration Of this position ut Red
Springs, in the heart of the Presbyterian
country, to an audience in which there
were supposed to be five hundred Pres
byterians.
1.-THE Presbyterian further says that to
maintain that the States policy (of
course it is implied in respect of Higher
Education) is inimical to Christian instr
tutions and Christian denominations, is
to maintain that ignorance is better for
Christianity than enlightenment" This
is a simple declaration shot through with
sophistry and without foundation in rea-
son. The Presbyterian makes the fatal
mistake of confounding terms: "Higher
Education is not synonymous with ZEN
lightment." Indeed enlightment may.
and to a Christian ought always neces-
sarily to include Christian instruction,
without necessarily including Higher Ed
ucation. Ignorance is by no means the
alternative of Higher Education by the
State. Here is all that the Presbyterian
can fairly say: To maintain that Higher
Education by the State is inilrical to
Christian institutions and Christian de-
nominations is to maintain that no High
er Education by the State is better for
Christianity than for the State to main
tain Higher Education. And upon this
proposition we take our stand. And we
have pleasure in promising that while
the editor of the Presbyterian may find it
necessary to invent a new system of
Logic and re-write the history of educa-
ton in North Carolina to refute it, he
will not have to re-write the history
of the Presbyterian church in order to
accept it,
'The Presbyterian's suggestion that
Presidents Taylor and Nilgo are influ-
enced in their positions on this question
because of the offices they hold is un-
worthy Of our contemporary, and on his
account we regret it very much Netting
out the same measure might we not
say that the North Carolina Presby-
terrain is influenced in it's position by the
fact that President Alderman, President
McIver and President Holiday of the
State-aided institutions, are Presbyte-
rta GA Nsrrl,f xx-A
and remark that the North Carolina
Presbyterian has taken its position for
State-aid because it has some Northern
brethren in our Western counties who
are getting State-aid in their Presbyte-
rian schools? But we make no such
charge. If we must have a discussion.
let's have decent one
Here is the Presbyterian's next point:
There is no compulsory attend
ance upon State institutions Par
cnts 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 people and the
State, and not of any churen or
churches as such. Anything else is
ecclesiastical tyranny"
I'm answer to the foregoing: If no.
compulsory attendance, there is conipul-
sOry support, which is worse; and this
is the main fact. In the second place.
our contemporary presumes Il condition
which is false-namely that the people
Of North Carolina support by their pat
ronage' the States Higher Educational
system. Qfor this is a discussion Of
Higher Education: we will dis .uss the
relation OF Higher and Lower Education
with the Presbyterian, if it desires. The
fact is that hine-tenths of the people
OF North Carolina do not support by
their patronage the States Higher Edu-
catiOnal system. Furthermore the CON
Germ Of the people may be and ought
always to be the concern of the churches.
For example, Liberty is the concern Of
the people. Only the other day the