The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-03
CHRISTIANITY AND THE CON
STlTUTlON,

STlTUTION,
In discussing with our esteemed con.
temporary, the Farmvllo Herald, the
question of reading the Bible in the
public schools. we asked II the Herald
would compel the children Of jewish par
ents to read tho New TESTAMENT In reply.
the Herald says:
1--WE beg to say, not to please Jew or
Gentle, followers Of Confucius or Buddha.
worshippers of stock or stone. sun or star,
those who train with Mahomet or Brigham
Young nor yet at the demands OF ng-
nostic infidel nor any fool who says
in his heart there is no God would We
exclude the Bible from the schools or
Christian America. and to those who are
offended we would say go elsewhere, just
as we would say there Is no room In
Aemrica for any man or class Of men
who are not willing to obey our Constitu-
ton and our laws.
''ThIs Is Christian America and those
who come to us should recognize that
fact, Just as when we go into the home
Of neighbor 1t is expected that we
will conform to the rules of the house,
hold. And is tho public school system
purely socialistic. after all! and that,
100. i'll ING OpltllOL u Obh SOAAA oNSt -''S
has been ono Of It's worthiest and staunch-
est supporters? Suppose We had said to
Mr.. Ogden and others on their recent
visit TO Richmond, you are here to fan
the flames of Socialism, what would
have been the answer of Virginia's lead
Ing newspaper? In our opinion the cure
for socialism and all other hurtful lsms
is to be found in the teachings OF the
Bible, The King James version. the Bible
k1,o NIT n M
would have 1t unclaimed, unabridged ana
given to our schools, our homes. our
churches our people as free MS the air
wa breathe.
.'Force no one to read tt. compel no one
| to believe it's truths, rest upon Its prom
| ises or heed Its warnings but put 1t
| within the reach Of all, that even be
| who runs may read, and reading may fnf'
his way to noblest citizenship here and
truei royalty hereafter"
Our contemporary makes the mistake
of assuming that ours is Christian gov
eminent. It is true that the great ma
jority Of our people believe in the Chris
ton religion, but there Ia no established
religion under our form of government
Strangely enough the Herald invokes the
Constitution of the United States, whereas
the Constitution expressly provides that
Congress shall make no law respect
ing the establishment OF religion or
prohibiting the free exercise thereof"
And In the Virginia bill of rights 1t Is
provided that religion, or the duty which
we owe to our Creator. and the manner
of discharging it. can be directed only
by reason and conviction. not by force
or violence; and, therefore, all men are
equally entitled to the free exercises of re-
ligion according to tn dictates Of con-
science"
Our contemporary seems to overlook
the fact that the great majority of Jews
In this country are native born, and are
rs much part and parcel OF our body
polite and rs much entitled to the priv
ileges and immunities of government as
citizens who profess and call themselves
| Christians, To run the Jews out or to
| persecute them In any way on account
| of their religion would be an outrageous
! violation of the principles Of Democracy
| and In imitation of the Russian govern
ment, whose recent acts have been 30
roundly denounced.
But In the conclusion Of Its article the
Herald says 1t would force no one to read
| the Bible, and would compel no one to
believe it's truths. But how could this
| be If the State should make rule com
polling the children In the public schools
either to read the Bible or to hear 1t read
| tn ri
nictlng statements on the part of the
| Herald,
The Herald Is surprised that Tho Times
Dispatch should have raised the point
that the public school system Is social
istic, seeing that we have been lending
our aid to the cause of popular education
We have time and again said that we
did not regard the public school system
as the best means of educating the
children. We have time ana again ex.
pressed the opinion that 1t would be
very much better to have the children
educated In private schools Mt the ex.
pense of their parents, FOR then there oult
be no question of socialism, and tho Bible
could be taught without any embarrass,
ment, But as many parents are unable t.
pay tuition. and as education Is neces
sary to the uplift Of the people. we &C.
cept the public school system IA the
best that can be- done. as the choice he
tween education and ignorance. Away.
holding up the danger OF the socialistit
feature and warning Democrats agans
socialistic encroachments
Another curious remark by our con
temporary Is that the cure for socialism
Is to be found in the teachings OF tn,
Bible
On the contrary, the teachings OF tn
New Testament arc socialistic. Perfec
Christianity would undoubtedly lead I