The Portland daily press., 1900-04-06
Ne Cllims That Religion Is Taught
In Schools.
And 1t Is Contrary To
The Constitution.
Quotes As Authority Sup RENE
COnrts of Several States.

Mr. y. II. Cummings oeuVereu an ~
dress In Asssmbly hall city building ssi
evening on religious Instruction In the
puhlio schools. Mr.. Cummings has been
ndeavoring to prohibits all reli xious Ia
struction OF every kind In the public
schools Of Portland One Of his children
went to . kindergarten In ward one and
was there taught By the teacher, 90 Mr..
Cummings claims, q prayer or graos
before lunch. Mr.. Cummings upon learn
ing Of this appeared before the school
oop,mittee and tried to get them to make
rome rule absolutely prohibiting the
teaching In the public schools OF prayers.
the reading OF the Bible or anything else
which might be construed as rsli 81 Gus
Instruction.
The attendance at Assembly hall last
evening when Mr.. Cummings spoke was
not large. In fact the audience he cd
dressed was very small. Mr.. Cummings
said In beginning that this was grave
question, fraught with dangers to the
stats. He said that religion In the public
schools 10 both In principle and In fact
union Of church and state-a union Of re-
ligion and Law. Mr.. Cummings claimed
that this was contrary TO the principles
OF the republic. He said that In claiming
this teaching Of religion In the public
schools was unconstitutional he could
quote such authorities as jefferson,
Madison, franklin and Grant and a
great many of the great ana noble men
OF this country rs well as the decisions OF
the Supreme courts OF several states.
Those psople who sneersd at him and
who regarded him as . mental curiosity
CT monstrosity were trampling under
foot the opinions of these great men. Ar.
Cummings went on to say that 1t was
not right shat any sort Of religious tsach-
inRs should be forced upon the pupils Of
all scots In the public schools whose
parents be thsy Protestants, Catholics,
Hebrews or believers In any religion OF
no religion are taxed to maintain the
schools.
Mr.. Cummings then referred to the de-
cision Of the Supreme court Of Maine Of
1853, drawn by Judge Shsplsy to which
Justices Tenney and Howard ooncurrsd
which had bsen quoted to hiIA as the law
CT this state. This decision proolaims
"that the use Of the Bible as q reading Ii
not prohibited by any express language
Of the Constitution" The court not only
decided that the Protestant Bible could
be read tut shat the teachers had q right
to compel the Roman Catholic children
to read 1t agsi ust their wills. MIR. Cum
mings said that this decision would net
now hold water among the people OF
Maine. He further quoted from Judge
Thomas McIntire Cooley, from the de-
cision Of the Wisconsin Supreme court,
and 9th er authorities to support his
claims.
"Shall religious instruction be given In
the public schools Of this cityf In 1t right
to give such instruction. Is It justf Is
it lawful was brought up to believe
that each one Of us was equal before the
law, that we have liberty Of conscience and
that no one has o shadow Of . right to
infrings In any way upon our rights or
impose upon another any form Of In.
struetion In violation of conscience. No
man has a right to depend upon law to
with right Of belief and no sub division
of government has the right to impart In
any way any form Of raligious instruo-
tion to q citizsn."
Mr.. Cummings said that ths people Of
this country should take warning that
they do not trample under foot the rights
OF any citizen, that there was complete
separation of church and state lest a.
some future time they should find them
selves oppressed by some religious power.
BE went on tosay that the clergy. he had
besn told, would favor religious instruc-
tion In the public schools. He said he
did not believe that they would.
In conclusion MIR. Cumming said thas
he wanted nothing at the hands Of his
hearers. but fair play and justice aud
their aid In stopping such instruction be-
ans xIv In mn hlia aNhonia