Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-14

EFor Sunday Reading. ]
Al, Sorts Of Opinions. I



ercise.
BY the decision of the supreme court
of Nebras ska, last week, exercises by a
teacher in public school, in the pres
ence of pupils, consisting of the read
ing of passages from the Bible and IN
the singing of songs and hymns ana
Offering prayer to the Deity in accord
ance with the doctrines, beliefs. GUS
toms or usageS of sectarlan churches
or religious organizations, are de-
clared to be a violation Of the constitu-
ton of that state.
This decision, it will be seen, settles
for Nebraska the yeXed question OF the
reading of the Bible in the pubic
schools; but, unquestionably, II was
made necessary by this section OF the
state constitutions:
"All persons have natural and in
defeasible right to worship Almighty
God according to the dictates OF their
own consciences. No person shall be
compelled to attend, erect or support
any place of worship against his con-
sent and no preference shall be given
by law to any religious society, nor
shall any interference with the rights
of conscience be permitted. NO re-
ligious test shall be required as quail
Iification for office, nor shall any person
be incompetent to be witness on ac-
count of his religious belief; but moth
ing herein shall be construed to dis
pense with oaths and affirmations. Re-
ligion. morality and knowledge, how
hain io1 n
ment it shall be the duty of the legis-
lature to pass suitable laws to protect
every religious denomination in the
peaceable enjoyment of Its own mode
| of public worship, and to encourage
schools and the means of instruction.
The reading of the Bible In the pub
lie schools, prayers, spiritual songs and
religious exercises generally are all
| features Of religious worship. Even
| the version of the Bible known as the
King James Version, the text which
| later revisions have not been able TO
drive out from Protestant use and ven-
Grafton, is sectarian to the extent that
the accuracy of its translation is re-
| jected by the Roman Catholic church.
Moreover, as a Nebraska Catholic
priest says in expressing approval Of
the decision: catholics consider the
Bible holy book containing the in
| spired word of God, and therefore not
| to be treated lightly or expounded by
those having no authority" Jews. of
course discard the New Testament
wholly. To infidels the presentation of
| the Bible as religious authority is Of
! fensive. The higher critics, certainly
! of the more agnostic sort, find many
flaws in the Bible and contend that
there runs thru it a thread of merely
human legend which requires that the
book should not be put before the
people without cautionary explana-
tions. Its morality provokes objection
in other quarters. The whole battle
of theology RACES about the Bible and
its Interpretation.
| This Nebraska decision shows the in
superable obstacle in the way of intro
ducing the Bible into public schools
simply as "a masterpiece of English lit
erature," a project which was put forth
| at the recent meeting of the National
Educational Association. 1t is impossi-
BILE to separate the Bible from relig-
lion, for upon it alone as the word Oh
| God the whole Protestant world bases
| its religious faith. 1t is impossible to
separate 1t from Christianity, of which
the New Testament is the supernatural
law and foundation, Except as bool,
/ of divine authority, the Bible has anG
can have no standing with the people
and only for that reason is it read by
1 them. Simply as "a masterpiece OF
English literature" the Bible as it is
known to English-speaking people
would never have been preserved in
their use 1t would have become an OBJ
solete book long ago If it's vitality had
not been sustained by religious faith in
its divine authorship and authority;
nobody except students of history, Oh
| philology and of archaeology would
have read it: instead of being, as it is
row, the most widely circulated book in
the world it would be only on the dusty
learned and the scholarly. Undoubtedly
lit has had, in the King James version, a
profound influence on English litera-
ture, but why? Because it was regard
| ed as the book OF books, the one and
only revelation from God.
| The decision of the Nebraska SUI
preme court, therefore, is irresistible
The reading of the Bible in public
schools Is distinctively religious exer-
else and can be made nothing else, un-
| less by common consent the Bible shall
be relegated to the place of human and
secular literature merely, without SUI
| rernatural and religious authority.