Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-05
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!. LITERATURE AND LIFE ].

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The recent decision of the supreme
court of Nebraska anent the Bible IN
the public schools is, perhaps, no more
than fair to the large proportion OF
taxpayers who object to its reading on
the grounds of sectarian teaching. But
there is also large number of taxpay-
ers who, while they no longer believe
in the special divinity of the book, and
would object to its use in the schools
for any sectarian purpose, would yet
retain it as literature, and as that spe-
cial piece of literature which lies at the
foundation of our finest English. This
class will deplore any decision that cuts
off the sole opportunity given to large
percentage of pupils to even learn Oh
the existence of a book called the Blpie.
The time was not SO long ago When
the Bible occupied the place OF hohof
on the library or parlor table; ana even
tho it was often there as ornament
rather than for perusal, 1t was always
in view, a constant reminder to the
children OF its existence, even tho they
may never have looked into It,
But in the modern home 1T is diner
emit The Bible no longer occupies chle1
place, even as an ornament A copy OF
SHAKESPEARE or Browning, or an Illus
trated art book has displaced 1t, Whlie
the book our mothers loved is relegated
RI the toprost shelf of the library, or
perhaps to the storeroom of the attic.
Now add to our present neglect OF the
Bible in our homes the fact that three-
fourths of the adult population nave
quit going to church, and their children
remain outside the Sunday school, and
submit the question, what chahce
have the rising generation Tor any
Knowledge of the Bible save thru their
slight contact with it in the pubic
schools?
This is no plea for sectarianism, nor
for the continued worship OF the Binie
as a fetch. But it is q plea for the rec
ignition and use of noble literature
We are convinced the time is coming
when there is going to be reac'ioH
against the present foolish fears ana
prejudice toward the use OF the Bible
in our schools, entertained by free
thinkers.
Nor is ignorance of the Bible always
confined to small girls and boys. There
lis a lamentable ignorance OF the pook
among adults, nor is it always found
among the uneducated.
If YOU doubt this general ignorance
among matured, intelligent minds, sup
nose YOU test it for yourselves. ASK
the first dozen people you meet for
IA
about some familiar legend or Bible
character, see how many or them can
give such quotation or legend cor
rectly; or locate properly Iailiiiiar
character or episode.
A teacher of elocution in woman
college-says the youths Companion
|--youches for the following incident.
She was listening to a class OF young
ladies reading, when one came TO the
expression, "the patience OF JOB.
Pronouncing it as tho 1t We're spelled
Jo-bb., the reader paused to ask, who
was Job?"
"Haye you never read the book OF
.Job?" asked the teacher in amazement;
'Does the name suggest nothing to
you?"
Nothing whatever" replied the
Young woman, except that somehow
associate it with printing. Was he
publisher
A prominent educator says he one
day asked his graduating class of young
men, why the Jews keep Saturday as
the Sabbath while Christians abserve
Sunday. mot one-says she-could
tell me- and yet the majority of them
undoubtedly belonged to church going
families"
How is it with club-women? They
study everything under the shining sun
-Grecian history, Roman history, the
civilizations of the orient, Persian po-
etry and what not? Yet whoever
heard of a woman's club studying He
brew history, or dipping into Hebrew
poetry?
A prominent lady tells the story of
a young matron who is clubwoman
a leader in society, and especially de-
voted to music. They were seated to-
gether at a public lecture, when the
lecturer quoted from Psalm %, adding,
"As a sweet singer of Israel tells u.s."
The club lady looked puzzled for
moment then nodding cheerfully, wnis-
pered to the other, "He means Mendel-
ssohn, doesn' he?"
In view of the constant warfare
waged over this matter of Bible reading
in our schools, how would it do to eff
feet a compromise, or displace the
Bible with a substitute which while re-
tanning the literary and ethical values
of the book. would do away with the
Objectionable feature of sectarionism,
such a substitute to be universally
adopted and it's reading made part
of the general curriculum in all the
public schools.
We suggest several substitutes which