The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1905-12-08
Fur Chrlstian Ethlcs.

Pierre Dakotan:. There is . wide
snread Of alarm among educators, in
| ciudinr. teachers and ministers, and
amonc thinking people generally,
over the shocking ignorance Of
cred history and Biblical characters
shown by students in our high schools
and colleges, and by the general pub
lie as we'll. And worse yet, the indif-
ference, apathy, even opposition dis
covered when the topic Of Christian
ethics is preached, show startling
need for an awakening all over the
country.
The National Educational Associa-
ton called attention. TO the grave state
OF affairs, at the annual meeting in
Minneapolis. and it has since been
discussed during the deliberations of
the associations and its auxiliaries.
Ministers have taken their courage in
both hands and flung hard truths at
careless parents about it; editors have
called attention to the need of an up
ward movement; isolated teachers
have striven against the indifference
and sometimes ill will in their res pee
tive spheres of influence; and now
the South Dakota Educational Asso-
citation. which meets In BrOOkings be-
tween Christmas and. New Years,
will deal with the problem.
State Supt. M. M. Kramer has be.
come much concerned at the condi-
tiOns in our own state as revealed in
the experience of teachers
and borne out by the recent reports
of the census bureau, and he has
decided to make the dominent note OF
the general program of the associa-
ton an appeal for the institution of
some kind of training in the public
schools which will counterfeit the gen.
eral tendency toward religious indif-
ferance and agnosticism.
To this end he has been SO fortu-
nate as to secure the aid of Governor
Elrod, Bishop O'Gorman of the Cath
Ollie church, DIR. James Chalmers,
president of the state Agricultural
college, President G.. w. Nash of the
Aberdeen Normal school and Profess
or G.. M. Smith of the state univer-
sity.
AT the Thursday evening meeting at
Bookings. Bishop O'Gorman will
speak on ssThe Christianity of the
Nation" and DR.. Chalmers topic will
be "The Text Book of the Worlds
Best Civilization"
Supt. Ramer's annual address as
president of the association will deal
with the same problem, and certainly
it is one which should engage the
earnest thought and active co-opera-
ton of patriotic citizens, men and wo-
men, parents and teachers, in every
community in our fair state.
In how many homes are the chill
dren encouraged to study the Bible
Systematically? In how many Sunday
schools can they acquire any accur-
ate knowledge of the history and in
| huence of the Hebrew nation and its
great men? In how many schools are
they taught that the Moses OF their
text books and the Moses of the
Sunday school lesson is one and the
same, and that he was no mythical be-
ing, but a great lawgiver?
Considered aside from the religious
standpoint, a knowledge of the Bible
is essential to every person who lays
| claim to a fair education. All his
tory, all literature, is full Of illusions
which can only be understood and
appreciated by those who a
trace them to their origin in the
"Book of Books"
The greatest statesman, writer's,
preachers and orators of two thous-
and years have modelled their lives
after its precept, and derived thel
command of expressive language
from it's inspired pages No n can
afford not to study the book, and
with a revival of it's reverential study
will come a revival of the desire to
follow in the steps of it's saints and
heroes.
May this action Of the educators OF
the state in favor of the teaching OF
| Christian ethics find the hearty sup
port of every church and all good
citizens everywhere.