The sun., 1903-10-25
THE REV. MR.. GEER AGAIN.
The Vicar sf %. Paul'S Chapel On Chrss-
tian Education and tho schools.


bet ween Professionalism and Roman Csthol-
icism, and has become one between Agnos-
ticism, established and endowed. and Chris
tianity. disestablished and disendowed.
State education touches for harm every
one OF our most disturbing national problems.
except the necessity which ID upon us Of Amer
icanizing the children of immigrants: and even
that problem can. In the long run. be better
solved under the UNCONVENTIONAL system
subject. Of course. to rigorous State ihspec-
tion and State control--better solved. for
reason that ought to be patent to all Christian
educators. viz. that there can be no abiding
and trust worthy love OF country indepen-
IDENTIFY Of religion.
II is Scylla and Charybdis over again. We
are sailing the Ship Of State with sharp eye
on the rock. which ID being beautifully and
spaciously cleared. and Of this fne sesman-
ship we are rightly proud before the nations
Of the world. But our backs are being given
to the whirlpool which has dangerous reality
equal to that Of the rock.
A question Of this gravity. therefore. can
only be safely considered In the spirit. not OF
denominational zeal. but Of purest patriotism.
and In view Of the 100000 children now
attending our public schools. who. In large
measure. are the children Of the poor.
Let this be my answer. In large part. to those
who have differed. and may yet differ. with
me, In your columns. Nor can the cry Great
Is Diana Of the Ephesiansi" be longer eoDsid-
cred q sufficient answer to these charges.
II we look primarily at anything bearing
the name OF Christ. In the interest Of the rich.
or OF the cultured classes-those, Q. g.. who
send their children to Groton (M0ss.J School.
to st. Paul's. Concord. N. H.. or to the Cathe-
dral School In Washington. or to any OF the
smaller. but splendidly equipped. Church
arhAn - lolt
clusion, Christ came to preach the Gospel
to the poor. So let academies and universities
60 their own way there can be but one point
Of view for the Church and for all Christians
In this matter Of religious education. 1t il the
point Of view of the children Of the poor.
My opinions on this subject were at one
time strenuously opposed by man now high
In the counsels of the nation. To-day he sends
two Of his sons to a Church school Of the high
est order. and his daughter to another. both
schools well known for aggressive Christian
nurture. And have acted. as far a. could,
on the same principle. Yet neither he nor
thinks. for z moment. that our children are
one whit better in the sight Of God than those
Of the poorest hodcarrier or one whit better
entitled to daily Christian nurture. We send
our children to Christian schools because we
rightly value Christian education and can
afford 70 pay for It. The hodcarrier sends
his children to the public school. since he has
not the money to do better for them. because
the State has made it impossible for him to
secure Christian education for his children.
That condition Of affairs Is most repugnant
to my sense OF justice, as do not doubt 1t is,
on reflection, to his There can be no Chris
tian propriety or American fair play in such
cruel discrimination against the poor, In
essentials What Ruskin called the height Of
black anger" surely would not be much out Of
place hero.
Now Tor State education and our national
problems: because 1t is not enough to say that
the system is vicious. We must show why.
and how. it is vicious.
|. State education touches the negro prob
lem for harm.
1t was Canning who said "to turn him 1.-THE
negrol loose in the manhood OF his physical
strength. in the maturity OF his physical pas
sions but In the infancy OF his unlnstructed
reason, would be to raise up a creature re-
semDiing the splendid fiction OF recent ro-
nance frank
What have We done during the last forty
years with State education, or III any other
way, what are We doing to-day to make that
prophecy worthless! No nation WAS ever
guilty OF wilder folly than We are now guilty
OIL in attacking this discouraging problem with
al almost completely secularized and GODDESS
education. Burke argued against total aboli-
ton. aud said: Il confess l trust infinitely
more according to the sound principles OF
those who ever have at any time amelorated
the state OF mankind) TO the effect and inttu-
ence OF religion than TO all the rest OF the regu
lations put together But We have outgrowu
all this e-honored wisdom. and are to-day
reu ptng the bad harvest OF our folly. and who
Ia not looking into the future with foreDod-
inss?
We read in Harper's Weekly Of Oct " that
the wives OF southern farmers literally sit
In fear" when their husbands are in the feld.
with their pistols always loaded and within
easy reach: and that they dare not drive
alone to the neighboring town.
IL. State education touches the divorce
problem for harm. 1t does little In Itself
to strengthen the moral fibre OF our children.
and it deprives the Church OF one Of her best
opportunities to do that kind of work 50
effectively as to reduce the divorce evil to
the lowest possible point. The public school
system comes between the Church and her
children for harm The Gospel. ~ a result
has not free course in this country: and until
IL has, the divorce evil will increase, and
Church life and home life will continue to
deteriorate, and innocent children will COLI
tinue to suffer tOh the pity Of it1, and in
increasing numbers: all. admittedly. to the
peril OF our existence as nation.
Ill. State education touches the indus
trial problem for harm.
The less religion u people have the more
quarrelsome, unreasonable, discontented and
suspicious Of each other they become; more
and more watchful for self-interest, without
regard TO the public good. Religion binds
the classes and the Masses together. and
makes them more considerate Of each others
feelings No seeming exceptions to this rule
CAN dlsprove 1t. was taxed in your first
editorial in answer to my letter. with pessi
mistlC leahings, but the editorial on our labor
troubles IN your paper OF oct. IL Is well nigh
down to my low level. In what 1t more than
| hints ut concerning the bureaucratic des-
| ton" and Of the military despotisIn which
| must ensue as surely as the night must follow
| the day" II the years OF prosperity for all
| classes have brought us the misery and peril
| of which you write. what have we to expect
| from years OF adyersityf When labor threat
ems u general strike In all depart ments OF
| work throughout the entire land, and when
| capital threatens to reduce labor to sub
! lection by a process Of slow starvation, verify
| the splendid dimensions OF our great coun-
| try shrink to those Of small and quarrelsonle
| verona. The air becomes full OF portents
| OF evil and We cry aloud IN great perturba-
| ton OF 20 Il. A plagl o both your houstsl'
| problems for harm. by multiplying the num-
| Der Of those whose votes 20 to the highest
| bidder, because they have not had principles
| Of honesty instilled into their hearts and con-
| sciences in any effective way; and that quota
| ton Of yours from Herbert Spencer was most
| pertinent: A nation Of which tho legislators
| vote az they are bid. and Of which the workers
I THAR Ri yhta of aalliuR their labor aH