The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-31
Answered BY.
Rabbi Of 3 eth Al1aba.

d,
III the public schools" / shall
conflnc myself to mere state
ment OF those views, as YOUR spaco would
not admit Of nn argument III support i OF
them Mt this time.
Unless objection should BIO raised w
others, should certainly RI iso. none ~
what Is at present very largcly,a'tlpl ~ ~
practice iii our cities OF redding without
! comment from certain portions Of the
Bible at tho opening OF tho school scs-
slons. SO long rs this custom is nor
compulsory, put purely voluntarily cum
not SEQ that 1t violates any principle.
On the other hand am earnestly OPP
posed to tho proposition to teach tho
bible in our public schools" Tho pup
lie school Is n branch of our State GOV
sernmeilt. The Bible Is essentially q. bopK
.iof religion. no teach tho BLDG ID 20 20
teach religion. Tho public school 3 te tle'
ling The Bible Is the State government
tcnching religion, AS an American clti-8
zen (anl especially ms n Virginian),Jl Pc
f,levc that It Is not the function OF tho
state to teach religion. AS q believer IN
the religion OF Christianity am con-
WINGED that I he interests OF my rcllglon
arc always endangered when It's prlnci-f
pies nrc sought TO be propngnted ny inc
official machinery of the government. Y \.
has always proven tho worst forn OF
Spntcrnnlism in government, ana at me
Same time tho most inefficient methou
for the advancement or the AinsuloolI1l ~ u
Heaven OH earth s B
8sg Should we decide that our public schools
nrc to teach the BiblcSns apart of their
curriculum, soma serious difficulties VIII
face us. Let me simply state them for5
/ consideration. a teacher must DO pre-
pared to teach all OF her subjects OF IN
struction. Her qualifications are nsccr-
taincd by examinations prepkred by the
school officials. Surelyiif she Unjust prove
by examination her qualifications 70
teacl, geography, she must be thorough
~ examined as to her qualification TO
ieach rel igions Then We must decide what
religion she is to teach. y Is 20
DO 1.-The Christian relgionp then
we must haye IN 81 definition of
Christianity, which Is to be the stand
L ara BY which tho examinations arc 70
be judged. Il WHO is to write this dcfllnl.
tion?$ Shall lit be done by the school,
boards of<our towns and counties ana
districts h Arc we willing to trust them
WITH this delicate work? Shall this de-
finition vary with the different views
| of the communities, or shall there pc one
standard made for tho whole state !! shhll
the state Board OF Education perform
this task, or had 1t best be given IN Q
tho hands Of the Legislature, with It's
committee hearings, report, first. second
| and third readings, signature OF the $lov.
| ernor. and final enactment into statute .
The versatile editor OF One of our leading
4 daiiIes has already selected the portions
i Of the Bible which he's would ss nave
studied. IIe might add to Jour many onli-
cations to him by ntributiag an IN.
Fermentation of these passages whct
1 "a ,t
! instruction. For it, must be remembered
j that mere reading without comment J:
not teaching. else the, only equipment 1o1
/ the ONCE 5of teacher would fs'be some
1 simple (; Evolutionary prcparatlo "
course. this involves the question Sof TEX
book. While tho good hundred siiDeralitS
l (nossible lack or familiarity with tins
two yersions) tofl an honored editor see:
no difference between the Latin Yuleale
| and King James's version, there are thou
sands both Catholics and Protestants II
this old State. whose most sacred 5seh.i
ments and deathless beliefs. would p
i ,nvolved in a choice between the two.
I object to this proposition on the OLE
ground that it must OF necessity be {
4 violation of the right Of the freedom
OF conscience of n largo number OF on
citizens. I have not yet been brought =
J see that these questions can 'be setties
BY mnjorities. The majority may right
Il " curb the religious PRACTICES OF por
~ ton OF the people which 1t Hoids 70 p
detrimental to the safety or moral chhtr
acterj of the whole people But that ma ma
I{tortyS has no right to re late " forcin
these same people either to accept; teact
or pay3 for the support, Of teaching IN
religious beliefs of tho majority whe
they would be violation OF their cor
sciences.
!, ma io1ity vote, our political campaign
might easily be transformed Into tn
fierccst religious battles. It seems cas-
TO some of us to force a Hebrew !
teach or support the teaching OF u
doctrine Of the Divinity of Christ pt
these same people would not relish th
.. iden az being taxed for the support {
= lTIcbrcw to teach that our Lord wa
no. divine. -, "a
n may DO purdoned for saying that
nm convinced that this proposition hn
grown out of some confused thinking 9
! Ia subject Of education. We all no
: rightly hold that education In Its broade
/, view, Is the DEVELOPMENT OF the VINO
!, man, body mind and character; that
man is not educated In the highest sem
! without religious training But before
!, iump to tho conclusion that tho scho
= house must, therefore, furnish religlo.
;, instruction, We must remember that Il
: school house is only part Of our gre;
= educational system Neither Is u Y
most Important part. The home. y
4. church, and the social world, with Its "
written constitution. are needed for
complete conception OF our education
equipment. The teaching OF the Bible
the school house, or not teaching It
ali, is not the question at issue, y
school house has Its we'll q defined part
( this great work Of educatlon, for VIII
We arc striving all the time the bett
Is to adapt 1t. But. by the way of limit
o. lions of human nature, and the organ'2
H. ton Of our social system, ING stN.
lie house cannot perform ~ W'o'o N's
or when church was over, and SO that Isl = =