The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1905-09-21
SERMON ON EDUCATION.
Preached by Rev. J. II. Henderlite at
the Presbyterian Church, Sunday
Night, September 10th, Ioos,

| Ni2nt, september 10th, 1908.
| We publish below an abridrment
OF a sermon preached Sunday night,
September 10th, by Rev. J. II. Hen
derllte. The sermon was preached
III response to the action of the Cen
eral Assembly of the Southern Pres
byterlan Church, directing that on
the second Sabbath in September
special prayer be made for the public
schools OF the country.
Mr.. Henderlite chose as the text
upon which to base his remarks the
prayer of the Psalmist:
That our sons may be as plants grown
up In their youth; that our daughters may
be as cOrnerstOnes polished after the simili-
tude of palace" Psa. 144:12.
The children OF today are the men and
women OF tomorrow. Today's training
determines the future character OF socie-
ty. The all important business there
fore, is the present training Of childhood
and youth. 1t is more important than
the building of railroads and mills
and factories. What shall it profit a
man to spend his years and strength in
gathering large estate that shall be
| ioiC W IHooc w HO OI uWIrIcU
and undisciplined minds and souls are in
capable OF wisely enjoying and using it?
Why toll to build up National wealth
and prosperity if the next generation are
to be weaklings or criminals? To pro-
duce character is the first consideration.
All things shall be added unto it.
Character as we regard it, is intellec-
tual culture plus moral discipline;
trained mind dominated by right moral
ity. For the obligations of citizenship
goodness and piety are not sufficient if
their hands are bound by ignorance or
stupidity. Cleverness and mental train
ing are not enough without moral
strength and discipline. Simply to edu-
cate and develop the mind may be to
arm another rogue against society
When heart and brain, mind and soul
are harmODiOusly trained and enlighten
ed, then shall our sons be as plants grown
up in their youth and our daughters as
cOrnerstOnes polished after the similitude
of Il palace.
There are three great training schools
for the childhood and youth of this
and the day school, By the last is meant
all institutions of secular education,
from the primary school to the university
Without stopping at this time to dwell
on the first two, we call attention to the
Importance of the last named as an
agency for the formation and develop
ment of character. And here again we
pass over all other educational institu-
tions to look particularly at the Public
School System This branch of educa
| ton occupies a particularly high place
in American life. Probably in no other
country is the public school SO numerous,
so highly developed or found to play so
important part. We point to our pub
lie schools with special pride, and in no
other respect have we made such graft
flying progress especially in the South.
In few years the public school has been
| lifted from being a comparatively insig
nificant factor in our Southern educa-
tiOnal work to plane OF exalted honor
and Importance.
There are at least three characteristic
features of the public school system.
1t is demOcratic; like our Government,
of the people, by the people, for the pcO
equal privileges.
The public school offers it's advantages
to all classes and to all alike.
.SecOnd The public schools are sup
ported by general taxation and are
therefore without tuition fees Every
child, however poor, has the oppOrtuni
ty to attend. Sometimes even the school
books are furnished free. Hence it is
aptly termed the free school,
A third feature is the nOn-sectarian
character of the public school. 1t is un-
der the control of the State, and a funda-
mental principle of American govern
ment is the absolute separation OF
Church and State and entire freedom of
religion. Hence, the church has no au-
thOrity over it, and the peculiar doc
trines and tenets of no religious sect are
or can be taught in it's class rooms The
matter of religious creed or opinion has
nothing to do with admission to the
public schools. However, this does not
imply that the public school system is in
any way nOn-reLgiOHs or that 1t is non
Christian in character or teaching.
The very contrary is true, and the con-
tention of those who would remove the
Bible and all religious exercises from the
public schools is not well founded and is
really in opposition to the basic spirit
and the basic principles of the American
Nation There is very clear and simple
distinction between religion and secta
riansm. or between the church and re-
lieion. To say that America has no es-
tablished church is not to imply at all
that America is irreligiOus or intidel.
To prohibit the control OF any church
over the public schools and the distinct
i've doctrines and tenets OF any denomi-
nation or sect, does not make the public
school system irreligious. Indeed, we
contend for the Bible in our schools, and
for a distinct religious atmosphere and
influence There are certain great beliefs
that all churches and creeds hold In COM
mon. These may be and should be hon
ored and taught in the schools; the belief
in God, the accountability OF the soul,
the future Judgment. No less authority
on constitutional law than Daniel Web
ster once contended in a public address
for the Bible and religious teaching in
the public schools on the ground that
the very nature OF our government re-
ouired it and the welfare and prosperity
declared that nothing was more certain
than that our government is Christian
in every part; and that thefundamentals
of Christianity could be taught without
the introduction of any Church influence
or sectarianism Moreover that the well
fare of the country demanded religious
instruction in the public schools. The
perpetuity Of American institutions is de-
pendent upon public morality. Morality
is founded on religion. Destroy religion
and you destroy the very foundations OF
American prosperity. So the eminent
German philosopher. Cousin, argues Tor
the Bible in the public schools on the
ground that it is necessary to that pub
lie morality on which National prOsperi-
ty is built Washington declared that
there could be no permanence OF Amerl-
can institutions without public morality
and no publicmorality without religious
principle. Long ago Plutarch styled re-
iieious teaching the bond of enduring
society and the pillar ofright legislation.
-{sOur Country" p. 1O4 ct seq
There is indeed vital necessity OF our
schools being religious in spirit and
teaching. Leaving out OF view the splr-
| itual interests of the children, the welfare