The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1904-01-13

cause whatever for His being Drought
TO trial. The whole teaching of Jesus
was resist not y And you may be
surprised to find how much He said
on the subject.
| need hardly to add that the church
of Jesus Christ to-day stands unquali-
fled for obedience to the laws of the
land and the honoring of the emblem
of our national life
We affirm our devotion to the Pub
lie School system of this country. We
believe in compulsory education, and
that all teaching in our schools should
be in the English language, to the end
that future generations may he able 10
take their place in the ranks of ouT
cOuntry's workers, educated III the
history, the customs aud manners oil
the Americans.
Or if | understand you urge the edu-
cation of the youth of the land III the
English language and in American
institutions and history
Let me remind you that the history
of Israel was for centuries preserved III
the memory of the Jewish parent to
educate the child by the training it in
the history and the institutions OF
their national life, and they did il.
Jesus was no exception. His was Il
well trained mind.
The church has ever stood for edu-
cation. Need | recall that all educa-
ton that came to us throughout those
dark ages came through the mon
asteries Of the church? | need not tell
that when our forefathers landed on II
bleak and barren n. +. coast, the frs
thing they bid was to build Il church
and the second to build schoolhouse
You remember how often the pastor
was the teacher as well. Do you note
that to-day the presidents of nearly all
of our colleges are minister's The
church ever stood for education from
the public school to the university, and
aud before the state founded the
schools they Were furnished by the
luwh. Only Is years after the Pill
pfms landed on Plymouth Rock Haf
vaid College was founded This was
folaaed by VIM. and Mary IN Va, III
1861. Vale in Conn. in l70l and
Prime, ton in 17i6.
As Il minister representing tine
church | an we'll say this \. NJ. that
we are I'D to join hands with You in II
worl, we have SO long held A. one Of
dctivities of the church.
We guarantee to every mau the lib-
ertX of worshiping God according 10
the dictates of his own conscience. ami
would give every assistance to protect
all in the exercise of this liberty. hut
we object most strenuously to the in
reference of any church, no matter uu-
der what name it may exist. in the
affairs of this country.
In other words you contend for II
full liberty of religious belief but iu-
sist that the church and state he kept
separate.
This has not always been the prin-
ciple of the church.
The church and state were united in
$50 when Censlalinc was placed at the
head of both church and state Since
then the state-ehurch has prevailed in
the east and prevails today in almost
all of those nations Russia has her
Greek Church, Italy her Roman Cath
ollie and Great Britain her Church OF
England. In our own land, however.
we have ever stood for separation since
the Baptist first called the attention of
the American people TO the advantages
and the business of it by taking this as
one of their fundamental tenets of
faith. You will not think make too
abundant claim for the Baptists
when you remember the attitude of
the English church of Va and of the
Congregational church of Mass. You
know that Md. was settled by the
Catholics and while they granted n
larger religious freedom than any other
except the Quakers of Pa. and the
Baptist of II. |. still their aim was
what it ever has been of "A state-church.
History clearly shows that these prin-
ciples of dislinetness of church and
state rests back upon the work of Rog-
er Williams of Providence and John
Clark of New Port. Well may | then
grasp your hand in cause for which
we have suffered and hled.
We believe that the Bible should la
read in our public schools, not to teach
So I triani,ul, hut To iucalculate its
te;,, / ihkS 1t Is the recognized stand
ard ~ unral and civil law; we there
fore tslt>Vc that our children should
be educated in its teachings, but that
no dogma or creed should he taught at
the same time.
That is You believe that the Bible,
not dogma or creed should he taught
i'll the public schools because YOU re-
coguixe the Bible as the basis of all
moral and civil law.
OF course the church recognizes the
truth of this claim and would stand