Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-02-09

IL
tanned for several afternoons In succession.
Afterward learned that the Hebrew chill
dren had been excepted In the use of the
hymnal. But what asstate such action
places us in. The a1ority OF the children
are of evangelical parentage undoubtedly.
and they are singing In the schools. while
the Hebrew children are dumb. The latter
are placed in the position OF being under
a ban. a class apart from the others. Such
distinctions should have no place in the
schools. Every man who has child has
equal rights, and should be protected by
the state from any effort at PROSECUTING or
the teaching of peculiar ideas of religion
In the schools
II have examined the Students Hymnar
and find its first song bald exposition of
the doctrine OF tho. trinity, couched in lam
guage meant to be entirely. more definite
than anything that could be found in Scrip
turai phraseoIogy. The book is pronounced
ly sectarian In character. No sectarian in
fiuence should be exercised, and the board
of education so declares in one of it's rules.
I am not opposed to religious exercises in
the schools that are unobjectionable in
how such a form can be devised under the
present system OF religious thought, which
is so divergent.
Mr.. Hefsse FavOrs Hymnal.
Rev J. Fred Heisse, pastor of Wesley
Chapel, Is a warm supporter of the use of
the hymnal in the schools. and when seen
for The Star referred to the letter which
he had written to the board Of education
and which was published in The Star
Thursday. The letter stated that at a
meeting of the legislative and executive
committee of the Washington preachers
meeting of the Methodist Episcopal Church
action was taken approving the course
of the board of education in retaining the
form of devotional exercises in use in the
public schools of the District under the old
system of educational government. The
action was unanimously approved by the
regular meeting of preachers.
Mr.. Heisse reiterated what he stated in
his letter, saying:
I'VE feel that we are speaking not only
for the thousands Of Methodists here, but
also for that larger communion holding
fast to the same principles of Protestant
Christianity. Therefore, when 81 per cent
of the children gladly and willingly enter
into the spirit of the devotional services
and but Ii per cent, as we are credibly in
formed, refrain from purchasing the books
used in these exercises, we find no justi-
fable reason why the will of the majority
should be subordinated to the wishes Of the
few
Rev. Luther B. Wilson. pastor of Foun-
dry NJ E. Church. and formerly presiding
elder of the Washington district, when
seen. said:
1--WE are Christian nation, so why
should we not have a Christian hymnal in
our schools? All our traditions are founded
on Christianity and our history has been
that Of a Christian people from the very
beginning. OF course, 1 would object to
anything like denominationalism being
practced in the schools, but nothing of
the kind has ever been contemplated, as
far as 1 can learn"
Mr.. Thomas w. Gilmer Is another Of
those interested in.the question of hymnal
in the schools, declaring that the use OF
sectarian hymnals or other religious books
in the public schools makes the schools re-
lgious institutions to that extent which,
he declares is a violation Of the spirit If
not the letter Of the law.
UphOIds the board.
Rev. A. W. Pitzer, pastor Of the Central
Presbyterian Church. upholds the board
of education in the use Of the hymnal in
the schools. He declares he has read the
Students Hymnar' carefully through,
and finds not the faintest tinge of secta-
rianism in the book The selections and
hymns, he says, are jew and Gentle, Prot
estant and Catholic. The hymns to which
exceptions have been taken are the COM
mon property of Christendom, DR.. Pitzer
declares, and sung by all classes and
conditions of people. Dr. Pitzer expresses
himself as unalterably opposed to a union
of church and state, but declares he Is
unable to see wherein such condition can
be asserted to exist or even be predicted
from the use of the hymnal in question
Regards 1t as Skirmish.
An observer of the controversy said to-
day, while considering the subject:
sit seems to be simply another skirmish
in the long and rather bitter struggle that
began over the original question Of putting
Cod in the Constitution"
And so the matter stands. with many
opinions and many voices on both sides of
the question. The upholders of the board
of education say that body will not heed
the protests of 1.-The few" while the object
ing parties declare they will take the mat
ter to the courts, II need be, claiming the
use Of the hymnal to be Illegal.