Evening star., 1901-02-13

classes of citizens in the District. Rev. DR..
Alexander Mackay-Smith, rector of St.
Johns Episcopal Church. when interviewed
this morning by Star reporter said:
mo prudent man expresses his judgment
in such matter without full acquaintance
with all the facts. This 1 do not yet,
possess. Therefore I can only say that, in
my opinion, if unchristian parents object to
the presence of their children at Chris
tian service their prejudices should be re-
spected and the children excused from at
tendance al that particular exercise.
"On the other hand, the same principle
should prevent the minority from objectinS
to an opening service of a Christian nature
being held for the benefit of those children
whose parents are either willing or desli-
of their presence.
1T would, of course, be inconsistent for
any such minority. or even majority, to
practically say, We will neither allow our
own children to attend such exercises nor
will even permit them to be held at
all
Such doctrine would be utterly un-
American and unjust. The Christians OF
Washington have clear right to request
that. SO far as their own children are con-
cerned, the school day shall open with re-
lgious exercises. No minority. on the plea
of freedom can deny that right. But the
minority, also. have right to justice. And
that would seem to demand that their chill
dren should not only be free not to buy
hymnals and not to use them, but also
should be released, on the written demand
of parents, from the necessity of being
present during the few minutes necessary
for the opening exercise
Since you ask me for my opinion l thus
give it. But. | repeat, | am not fully ac-
quainted with the facts, and thus express
it with reserve. / am disposed. however,
to think that in al such differences Of Cpln-
ion a little charity and self-restraint on
each side will result in some reasonable
arrangement being made. Let either party
try to look at the matter from the other s
standpoint before making a definite decl-
SION
Rev. Frank SewaII's Views.
Rev Frank Sewall pastor of the Church
OF the New Jerusalem, the Swedenborgian
congregation at 10th and Corcoran streets.
talked about the school hymnal question
with a Star reporter last night "a his resi-
dence, in Riggs place:
1T seems to me-" said Mr.. Sewall, that
the differences which exist regarding the
hymnal might be settled in a brotherly
spirit, and some amicable understanding
reached without resorting to radical meas
ures. 1t is unquestionably true that a very
large majority of the pupils of the public
schools are the children of Christian par
ents, and it is equally true that In this
country the minority has rights.
1T would be very much better for all
concerned, in my opinion, If both sides to
the controversy could arrange the matter
harmoniOusly without appeals to courts or
other agencies. The brotherly spirit, I as
sumo, pcrmea tes all creeds and all religions
that theistic, contradistnct from
Moha ammedanism, for instance, and its exer-
else could certainly settle this question,
believe. An arrangement might be made by
which the pupils whose parents object to
their singing or hearing the hymns in the
book can be permitted to retire from the
class rooms while that portion of the daily
routine is being gone through with, or
something similar might be adopted"