The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-10-05
TIE QUESTION RAISED ny TIE
REV. MIR. GEER.
The Jewish View Expressed by Learned
Representative Of the Race.

admirers OF our public school system. &C.
cept the challenge as voluntary champion
OF the Jewish side.
To come Immediately to the point: Does
Mr.. Geer know that men Of science simply
smile at the pretension OF our theologians TO
teach religion" in the school room as seor-
raphy, arithmetic and zoology are taught?
Religion is. on the one hand, the view OF the
individual man concerning his attitude toward
the Creator and his position In the universe
and on the other. his choice Of a line OF life
In accordance with his individual "Weltan-
sch8uunR."
Now. have Mr.. Geer and his theological
friends really the moral courage to teach
metaphysics to children q, 8. 10 or i2years old!
he certainly knows from his study OF the
history OF philosophy that mankind has not
yet produced the genius who could lift the
veil from the mystery Of life grant 10
glimpse into the beyond. Neither Moses Eer
Plato. neither Confucius nor st. Paul, neither
Baruch Spinoza nor Herbert Spencer has
succeeded In building UP philosophlc system
Offering satisfactory answer to the three
riddles of mans existence: Whence. whittier.
why?
You can't each theology I, e., the history
Of the religious evolution of a certain section
Of mankind during given period, Or, in
wider sense. the general history Of religion.
but you can't teach religion itself Are our
Catholic priests, Protestant pastors and jew
ish rabbis being trained for their vocation in
schools OF religion? No: their special ool-
leges are Justly called Theological Semi
naries. whose curricula contain dogmatics.
Church history canonical law. Bible exeResis.
Hebrew and Syriac. l was unable to and,
throughout the 1892 pages OF Minerva. the
year book OF the universities and colleges Of
ko Tell oil raa<
Of lectures on religion itself. Since our
American children, native or foreign born.
are not trained in our public schools for the
theological meter the less we tell them Of the
contradictions between our numberless phil
osOphic and theological systems. and Of the
millions Of victims Of religious intolerance
In past and present. the better for the children
now and the welfare Of the American republic
in the future.
He who dares, with rough hand, to disturb
the sanctuary Of the public school. where
millions OF children. without distinction Of
race or nationality Unfortunately Of social
standing or the fortuitous Church associations
Of their parents, are not only prepared for
their individual lifework but are welded to-
gether into the great American common
wealth. destined to lead on humanity to the
heights OF civlization--such u man is guilty
priests and persons whose brains are filed
with confused notions about angelology.
characterization. redemption. the decision
Of rabbinioal conferences, church councils
and church synods. leave the little ones. whose
intimate soul-life most Of you are unable to
fathom. to the modern priests and priestesses
Of popular scienoe-the school teachers.
These modest men and women not only
impart useful knowledge to our children. but
educate them also In the noblest sense Of the
word. You with your diluted moral phil
osophy confuse only the minds and disturb
the hearts Of these innocent boys and girls. who
yea. criminal confessional divisions. VII oh to
eliminate from their and our own life should
be. in this great and free republic Of ours. tho
highest ambition Of statesman. educator,
philanthropist and communal worker. For
the teacher Of our public schools there are no
Catholics, no Baptists, no Episcopalians, no
bodies WHICH they Try to prepare Tor their
was educated in Austria. a Catholic coun-
try, where the various religions are taught,
not only In the elementary schools. but also
Jewish and Protestant boys had TO leave the
classroom from 10 TO II O'Clock In the morn
bs esssgss the eith 81 Drs to .R
the cruelty Of this artificial educational
schism. To initiate US into the truths Of his
tory. mathematics. phlology and natural
for all Of us. But to force into the minds Of
the Catholic boys vague theolog ioal notions
hseSy hs ys s nd induced til pe
damned beings; to teach the, Protestant
urchins the, crimes committed by Papacy
and pEove ,h the spperiority Of LytheEs and
Thomas Of Aounas and Duns scotus; TO pre-
sent to the Jewish children scant knowledge
q the ancient s;9 history q Israel and Of Old
tons Of Jewish traditions and religious Gus
toms-to do this. and to lay thereby the foun-
4S 81 cson 81 SesS yt 1ot on
three different teachers were necessary
I have not the pEetension to solve the ques-
on Of religious s dlS:on Sthn tas SPACE q
is being prepared in our city by 4 group Of
ssmi1entt Cath;Solic. Protestant and Jewish
.. fnal solution Of the perplexing problem.
May !. however meanwhile be allowed to
America stand like one man In favor Of our
present public school system. with its non
confessional character. few weeks ago
meeting Of orthodox rabbis. for the establish
ment Of special Jewish paroch'al schools:
Of the Catholic or Protestant Churches, but
rather guardians Of the Judeo-national ira
ditions and spiritual leaders OF their respective
tic supporters OF the public school, the great
national crucible of American citizenship,
II we Jews were to-day placed before the al
tentative. synagogue or public school. We
no 70 tP,i By sss ,amoH. [sbS
for the classroom. When Jersualem was near
its final surrender. Jochanan. one Of the lead
General Ter besiesin9 the Holy City one one favor,
which was granted to him. to erect in Jabneh
2 high school for Jewish science And this
cessors. has kept Judaism alive for tho last
1890 years-without a common sanctuary.
without law. without common Ian guage,
without a priesthood.
ciate the blessings OF free and liberal educa
ton which Is granted BY State and cit To their
children. The spiritual centre and pride Of
the East Side, inhabited by more than 800, 900
dox cleavage. IL not some splendid synagogue.
but the Educational Alliance. in East Broad
way, at the corner Of Jefferson street al es
ou 81 Ra.ss and
public schools Of the city Of New York.
Yes. Mr. Geer. you are right in saying that
nitude before IL; that we need powers OF
assimilation as nc other country ever needed.
How. do you and your friends. then, dare to
Let us hope that some day new Luther will
arise in these blessed United States TO nail
his theses Of common religion for civilized
mankind on the doors OF the cathedrals.
Ssn,Srr and Il hs
Nkw YORK. Oct. ?. '' '''''"'