The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1905-06-10
1.-THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE
BIBLE"

nent question and which demands re-
ply from those who advocate that the
public schools should be free from re-
ligious influence.
This question is: IF there is OBJ
lection to the Protestant Bible, and
objection to the Catholic Bible, and
objection to the religious Bible, why
could not all parties agree concerning
the Bible as history, or as literature?
Why should it be arbitrarily excluded?
If the Catholic and Protestant schol-
ars shuld issue an edition of the Bible
satisfactory to both parties, and ia
miliarize the scholar with it's contents
without any sectarian or even religious
Interpretation, why should broad
minded citizens object?"
The Catholics doInot want the Bible
in their schools. They make stronger
objections to having it read than to no
religious instructions. The Catholics
never place the Bible as a whole in the
hands of their children.
The answer to this question does not
depend on the character of the Bible,
whether it be taken as every word as
divinely inspired, or as mythical his
tory.
This government is for governments
sake and not for religion. It's found
ers made it distinctly understood that
government and religion were distinct
factors, and under the banner of free
dom all men should respect the rights
of others, and their beliefs, and main
tain whatever religious belief pleased
them. 1t should be no more Chris
in no Oh
medan. The Jew might build his syn
agogue, the Moslem his mosque, by
the side of the Catholic cathedral, the
Protestant church; and each teach the
1ogmas Of their faith.
Religious teachings are left to the
desires Of the various sects. In the
public schools the state proposes to
ally exemplify this idea Of freedom
The education of the people is their
salvation, and as a matter of state
policy, schools are maintained where
this necessary education can be OBJ
tanned. Attendance is made obligatory
as those VINO absent themselves are
the onces VINO need training most.
All instruction has a moral tenden-
cy, cultivating self-restraint, and cor
rect habits of thinking, thus making
the emotional child a reasoning man.
The religious training is left, where
it should be, to the parents and the
church.
If religious instruction goes into the
public schools, of what denomination
shall it be? OF the thousand-a nd-one
sects, which shall have precedence?
The Catholics will object more vigo-
TO TO MT ho
ent lack of all instruction, and the
Protestants would go wild over the
introduction of Catholicism.
In his heart, the writer, Mr.. Bard,
believes that the patron of each school
should decide on the matter. That is
just what the Catholics claim and
clamor for. Mr.. Bard says: There
is some truth in the contention of the
Catholics; why should not the money
gathered from all taxpayers be di-
vided proportionately for children
trained in public schools?"
Admit this doctrine and our mag
nificent school system is destroyed,
and each local school will come under
the influence and for the propagation
of the doctrines of the most promi-
nent or aggressive church or sect.
Is sucn a result desirable, even to
the most religiously inclined? Can
not the protestants see clearly as
words written on the wall, that this
agitation was started and is kept alive
by Catholicism, with hopes, through
their aid, to securea portion of the
taxes for their parochial schools? 1t
is amazing that Protestants will thus
no 1n.1 TO thoiy 5f~
the pope and in support of the Mother
church.
Why not let the Bible into the
schools as a plain history? Because
no one wants it to go in that way
This is an excuse-a very thing excuse
for the reading of the Bible in the
schools. 1t mas one object and only
one-to instill ideas of it's sacredness
and the religion founded thereon. If
it is understood by the pupils and so
stated by the teachers, that it is plain
history, the object Of it's introduction
will be defeated, and the man will
never receive book as divine that, as
child, he was taught was like all
others.
The Bible contains magnificent pas
sages as LITERATURE" but there is a
plenty of time out of school for it's
reading. The school years are already
crammed too full. If it is to be read
as literature, as a great writer said:
He VINO knows only one religion
knows nome" implying that to under
stand religion one must study all sys-
TENS. .
Then the Sacred Vedas of the Hin
docs, the Book of Kings of the Chi
nese, the Scum Avesta of the Persians,
the Koran of the Mohammedans,
should be read side by side with the
Bible, that comparisons may be
drawn and superiority in moral ex-
cellence noted.
There is no deep gulf" between the
church and state. Each has a dis
tinct object and sphere of activity.
Seeing the endless complications and
mischief of the supremacy of the
church, or blending of the two, the
trainers of our Constitution organized
the state and left the people to care
for their religious welfare.
The public school was founded to
give instruction to the humblest more
desirable and practical than could be