Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1902-03-05
W. C. T. U. Column.
Conducted by tho ladis. of the W. c. T. U.
Teaching tn. Bible.

Teaching the Bible.
Prof. Lew Secley, an educational
writer, deplores the fact that the bible
IS 80 little taught in our common
schools, and quotes these sensible
words from Archbishop Ireland, deliv-
cred at the meeting Of the National
Educational Association at st. Paul IN
1890:
1.-The school deals with immature,
childish minds, upon which silent facts
and examples make deepest impress
sion. The school claims nearly all the
time remaining to pupils outside of
rest and recreation; to the school they
will, perforce, amid the struggles of
later life, look back for inspiration. 1t
treats of land and sea. but not of heav-
en-; 1t speaks of statesmen and warri-
Ors but is silent on God and Christ; it
tells how to attain success in this
world, but says,nothing as to the world
beyond the grave. The pupil sees and
listens; the conclusion Is inevitable,
that religion is of minor Importance.
his manhood will be as his childhood IN
the school, estranged from God and the
positive influences of religion. The
brief and hurried lessons of the family
Preside and the Sunday school will not
avail. AT best, the time IS too short
for that most difficult of all lessons, re.
lIgion. The child is tired from the OK.
acting drill of the school-room, and
will not relish an extra task, of the me-
cessity of which the teacher. in whom
he confides most trustingly, has said
nothing. The great mass Of children
receive no Preside lessons. attend no
Sunday school, and the igreat mass of
the children OF America are growing
up without religion"
It seems pretty certain that there is
less respect and less reverence for the
bible and for God among the masses in
this country today than there was
generation ago. and this fact is some
times pointed to by men of skeptical
turn, as evidence that we, as a people,
are growing more intelligent. more
broad aud liberal minded. But there
is danger that this idea may be carried
too far. In avoiding sectarianism we
should not go to the other extreme of
doing away altogether with religion.
The belief in God as the Creator and
Preserver of the universe has been of
great value to this country, even in
material way. 1t was one of the great
est factors in uniting, strengthening,
a Id encouraging our forefathers in the
great things they accomplished for this
country, and has aided greatly in build
ing up sound patriotism. For in
stance, had this idea been wholly want
ing in the Puritan fathers and others of
that time, it IS not at all likely their di-
rect descendants would have been able
to hold out against and finally to tri.
umph over England In the Revolution
airy war. Their common belief in God
as their Father and Champion of the
Right proved great aid to them.
The world has also had an example of
putting away the idea of God'' in
France, during the Reign of Terror"
about 100 years ago. During this ter.
rible time there was no government
and the most shocking brutalities were
of common occurrence; until finally
Robespierre, then in power, though
himself wicked. irreligious man, had
sense enough to see and to give utter
ance to the following truths: You can
not found state on Atheism; Athe-
ism is aristocratic. The Idea of a
great being who watches over Cypress
ed innocence and who Furnishes tri-
umphant guilt, IS ard always will be
popular. II God did not exist 1t would