The San Francisco call., 1899-11-15
RELIGION IN SCHOOLS.

y MERICANS may naturally be astonished at
| ! the missionary protest against the prohibition
\ OF sectarian religious teaching in the public
schools OF Japan. Such teaching is allowed in our
public schools. Religion here is left as a matter OF
home instruction. The schools are for the imparting
OF purely secular learning The common Schools
when confined to their proper junction, are for the
instruction OF youth in the branches that may be
common to all In them the right reading, speaking
and writing OF the English language is to be taught
with arithmetic the foundation OF all mathematical
knowledge, and such history and geography as are
the key to the treasures OF knowledge in those
branches All this is secular and necessary to the
future physical welfare OF American citizens 1t is
for citizenship that the educates the young II
it begin teaching them religion it goes outside its
function and steps off secular ground
We are aware that much has been said about god
less Schools and that many religious bodies either
side OF the line OF faith and practice which divides the
Christian world have sought to introduce religious
instruction. But it is the business OF the state 10
teach the known, not the unknown 1t is strange,
therefore, that American missionaries should rage
because Japan pursues the same policy She has a
religion, in Buddhism, which is agreeable to the
genius OF her people 1t is a religion OF compassion
that does not give the human race a monopoly Of
pity, but embraces within its philosophy all living
without in any way compromising their own beliefs
II plan of salvation which lifts man alone in its
arms be good, philosophy that includes all that
shares with man the gift and mystery of life cannot
be stgrnatized as bad. If this religion of compass
sion with help and pity and protection for all life is
willing in a country that it has satisfied for centuries
to leave the schools free of its influence and occu-
pied only with secular instruction. Christianity should
not object to stand upon level with it in that re-
spect.
1t the devout belief Of Christian missionaries that
they carry revealed message from on high, and in
the presence OF that belief we all stand in awe But
armed with a commission bearing divine seal, why
should they invoke the feshly arm of human govern
ment? After reading the delivery of DR. Lyman
Abbott in favor OF blowing the missionary field with
the sword, enriChing it with human blood and sow
ing it with human bones and the marrow OF the in
nocent as a preparation for harvest of faith one
may not be accused of irreverence for saying that
Christian missionaries ought to be sent to the Chris
an missionaries to advise that they withdraw their
protest against secular schools and come home and
study Christianity.
1t is to be hoped that the demand for diplomatic
pressure by our Government on Japan in this matter
will be resisted and refused If our Government ap-
pear abroad the champion OF eccesiasticsm in the
public schools Of another nation we don't know why
it should refuse enforce the same rule at home II
that come to pass there will be an end of our honor
able policy of religious toleration. Such federation
in its best sense has never existed except where edu
cation is purely secular