Evening star., 1900-04-18
BIBLE INST RUCTION
n
Arguments Advanced Today in
Favor of the Object,
THOUGHTFUL, CONVINCING PAPERS
Prominent Churchmen Discuss the
Teaching Of Scriptures.
THEMES TOUCHED UPON

The necessity of larger and better use
of the Scriptures elimination to a GER
tain degree of the controversies regarding
the inspiration, authorship, authority and
errancy and the advancement of the Bible
as an educational factor, to be rightly
studied SO that It's potent influence may be
better extended over society are some Of
the objects which are being promoted and
furthered by the national biblical congress,
now in session at Foundry NJ. L. Church,
corner 14th and G streets northwest. Par
tcuiarly interesting this morning was the
session of the pastors conference, held in
the lecture room of the church and presided
over by Rev. Drs. j. c. Nicholson of Balti-
more and c. l.. Work of Cincinnati. The
program arranged for the meeting was not
closely followed, but the views presented
were none the less important on that
count.
Secular and Religious Instruction.
The most important paper presented was
that of Dr. Charles A. Young, editor of the
Christian Century of Chicago. who is now
engaged in securing the Introduction Of
Bible teaching as regular branch in uni
versities, and at present at the University
of Virginia in this behalf. His subject was
Bible Teaching at State Universities and
in part he said:
Thomas Jefferson. far as 1 know.
originated the idea of co-ordinatng secular
and religious instruction at the seats of
state universities. l first learned of Mr..
Jefferson's views from DR.. 8. 8. Laws.
while he was chancellor of the University
of Missouri. As our worthy United States
commissioner. DIR. w. T. Harris, once
marked to me, DR.. Laws has been extra
ordinary in the number of great Ideas he
has advocated DR.. Laws discovered Edi-
son, the wizard of electricity. He also dis
covered Jefferson's views in regard to the
Importance of religious instruction to CO.
IT,,
erature, science and art. While a pastor
in Ann Arbor, Mich. found very SYM
pathetic friend in DR.. James B. Angel to
encourage in my attempt to make the
and DR.. Laws had advocated real. Through
the assistance of a noble Christian woman
Mrs. o. A. Burgess of Indianapolis, and the
Christian woman's board of missions, of
which she is the honored president, 1 have
been enabled to introduce systematic Bible
study among the students of several of our
most important state universities.
The PI An of the Work.
Thoroughly committed to the American
principle of the separation of church and
state, we do nottask the state universities
to contribute of their funds to support the
Bible teaching. The funds to carry on this
work are contributed by individuals; the
teaching is done by evangelical scholars of
the various denominations. 1t is entirely
voluntary the study on the part of the
mendable fact, which speaks volumes for
the hold of the Book of books upon the
minds of our best educated young men,
that last year nearly 300 students in the
University of Michigan and about fifty STU
dents in the University of Virginia pursued
systematic Bible study without any credit
given them for such work toward their de-
greeS.
The Character of the Student.
''The underlying principle in this work
is very simple. The state has assumed the
function of public education, but the state
cannot teach religion. Now, the student in
the state university is a religious being,
just as well as the student in our denomi-
national college. The university student
needs athletics for his physical development
and Bible teaching for his spiritual deve-
opment as well as language and literature,
science and art for his intellectual develop
ment. Culture is not conversion. The train
ing of the Intellect without the conversion
of the heart has a tendency, at least, to
make SkepticS and agnosticS out of young
men,
Assistance of Christian Women.
Last year 10000 was contributed by Chris
tian women for the teaching of the Bible
to the students of the University of Mich
igan. Twenty-Five thousand dollars of this
money went into a permanent endowment
fund. This year, through the support of
Christian women chiefly, we are raising a
fund of s25,0OO to have the Bible taught,
devoid of all UNCONVENTIONAL bias. to the
students of the University Of Virginia. The
special lecturers to the students for this
year are DR.. A. Coke Smith of Norfolk,
Va, and DR.. W. w. Moore of Union The
illogical Seminary, Richmond. Va.
JeTerson's Plea for Bible Teaching.
Strange as it may seem to this audience,
who think of Mr.. Jefferson as Indifferent to
religion, 1 have the pleasure Of telling you
that If you will favor us with visit to the
University of Virginia we will show you
Thomas Jefferson's earnest plea in his own
handwriting for the teaching of the Bible
to the students of the University of Vir-
ginia. 1 am aware that skepticism, and even
agnnsticism l. preYalent in of