The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-03-09

| The foundation also Of the hills moved
And were shaken because he was wroth:
Ana r me cut Up Of his mouth IH de e s
Goals were kindled by st.
This and more of the Old Testament
poetry 10 reprinted. ana after it comment
by the Secular Union. The question is
asked:
Can thoughtful man be found who
wishes his children to muddle their brains
and waste their time reading listening TO
this unHeaning balderdash. and given them
under the false pretense of moral educa-
tion?"
SECTARIAN COMMENT PROHIBITED.
The bin would prohibit seciarian COM
ment on readings. The endeavor would he
to avoid mingling in any faint of sectari-
anism. though II is argued that herein lies
an impossiblity.
A Secular Union pamphlet compares the
arguments offered by the Womans Union
with free-thought thesis.
TT is political MAXIM say the defend
ers of the Bible in this connection, that
the welfare OF a Republic is dependent upon
the virtue and intelligence OF Its citizens.
Intelligence without virtue is a positive evil.
1t is true. especially in large cities. that
many public school children have no re-
lgious instruction at home No church or
sect can so out into the highways and by
school or house of worship: hence it is the
duty of the public school to impart them
that instruction without which they are be
coming an army OF adopts in vice and viii
adequate protection.
The State must teach the existence of
We Trusp.' and equal rights of citizens in
order to keep society in poise while
churches and other agents operate for the
eternal interests OF its members. The Gov
eminent ownership of the Northwest is
conditioned upon the medication of religion
and morality. as well as knowledge in the
public schools"
REPLY TO CHARTER.
-
the Northwest. 1t quotes from article vi.
which reads: There shall neither be slav-
cry nor involuntary servitude in said ter
ritory." Here" says the Secular Union.
the charter conflicts with the Bible. con-
tradicting one OF the laws promulgated
from Mount Sinai, namely. that slavery
exist forever"
Further. it is stated that the notion that
title to lands is absurd; that the Northwest
Territory was conveyed to the United States
in 1884 by the State Of Virginia, three years
before the charter Of 1857.
Then follows a deep plunge into atheisti-
cal pros and cons. Many references to Bib
lical pronouncements are made. with free
surd nature. OF this. the following will
serve as a sample:
These women say they only, want por-
tons OF the Bible read I'm the public schools;
but that does not remove the objections
We want our children to look UP to u.s. and
not TO a mythical father in a place where
the biple says Mlchael ana the Dragon
fought. tRev. xvii. q. We do not want and
will not have our children taught to beg
their daily bread We want them taught
to earn 1t. We do not want them to ask
for their debts to be forgiven: but we want
them taught. II they contract any: to cay
them off in an honest and a manly way"
As to the effect Of such a diatribe upon
the fate of the bill 1t is hard to answer
Probably 1t will help the advocates of the
proposed law. The likelihood is however.
that the Legislature will adhere to the prin-
ciple of separating the secular from the
religious, and defeat the measure.