The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-01

and Roman Catholics n Cnrissiaa ethics.
Every rslik3ous body would provide Tor the
education 81 IL own children; and The ey-
ceptions to this salutary rule would - their
children State educated and made thereby
the easy prey Of Some stronger form OF re-
liGion, or the victim Of Agnostician, indii-
ferentism or atheisrn and consequent I'M
morality.
This means division In part. at least. Of the
school moneys, and Troublesome enough It
II likely to prove; but ii u Sailors Snug
Harbor In comparison with the stormy
seas. which we are now steering the ship
Of State for.
The Introduction of religion into State
s Ss Sss in - a x. Sf q os ~ tSs os
ton. Herein lies the hopelessnsss OF the
present situation; and the sooner this point
Is understood and conceded by all parties
Interested the sooner this most important
Of all subjects before Church and state to-
day can be argusd to q finish. No Profess
atheist is willing to be taxed to help some
one else choose the religion which shall be
taught his child According to our theory
Of government, and We might say In the
sight Of God and men, this would not be
fair; and, therefore, it cannot, and will not,
be done
Here Is the opportunity for Protest ants
playing into the hands Of the Roman Cath
olics It is what they have been demand,
ing and working for, for many years pc st.
Granted. but II would not be playing into
their hands nearly q much as We are now
doing by allowing them a subst ntial mo-
nopoly Of the whole field Of Christ ian eeiu-
cation, and Of all the blessings which are
sure to flow from the noble self-sacrifice
they are making rather than wantonly
expose their children to the inroAds OF
unbelief. II the writer 10 not greatly mis-
taken, unless our affairs take turn for
the better in tho sight Of Him whose parting
commission to His Church was Feed my
the lamb is not inside the lion. after ally
for the rehabilitation Of our institutions,
NO will bs flying, - frightened doves to
the windows, to the Roman Catholic
Church - the greatest power which, in
troublous days, will stand for law and order
and for the highest morality:
1t was the Rev. DR.. A. A. Hodge, a cele-
brated Presbyterian divine and educator
OF Princeton theological Seminary, who
used these none too strong words in an
article entitled Religion in the Public
Schools"
Under these problems there turks the most tire.
Interests Of our people WIN ever be exposed IN com
parison with which the issues Of slavery and OF In
temperance shrink Into inssgnincance.
And, Tor q presbyterian divlne, ne IL GER
tainly bold to say that:
In view of the entire situation, shall We not
all OF who really believe In God, give thanks 20
Him that He has preserved the Roman Catholic
Church In America to-day true to that theory OF
education upon which our fathers founded the
public schools OF this nation, and from which they
have been SO madly perverted
In common. doubtless, with many others
who want the children Of this country to
receive good American fair play, be the
creed of their parents what it may, should
be glad to see at least the attempt made to
argue this quest ion to a finish by the highest
authorit les on the various different sides,
and in THE Sun newspaper. which fas OF
late shown so much interest in the subject .
w. MONTAGUE GEER,
Vicar OF st. Paul's Chapel.
NEW YORK, Sept. 20.