The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-02
CHRIST IN SCHOOLS
REN-DR. D. II. MARTIN SAYS
MAJORITY SHOULD RULE.
Opposition to Carols in Public Schools,
Says Minister, Comes from Guests
of Country.

49, fa'NR 80 AASARA Al&d AhutGfA
Sunday night the Rev. Or. Daniel II.
Martin, of the Clinton Avenue Reformed
Church, in concluding his course of SER
mons on the PROBLEMS OF the City,"
preached on The Foreign Cities Of New
ark" He spoke In part as follows:
1T Is difficult to comprehend the vast
numbers of people who are crossing our
threshold year by year. The United States
has received 5000, 900 in the past seven
years. Why do these people come? Doubt
less through pressure of economy or dread
Of military service. Parents with large
families come with the hope that their
children will have a chance to climb: the
the country, tell of the big advantages
in America. But he greatest incentive
Of all is in the letters sent home from
men already here, with glowing reports
The greatest Of all blessings TO this
country have been the tides of immigra-
ton. Just think of 1t, ancient Rome used
to go off into Central Europe and wage
bloody war for the purpose of bringing
home hosts OF captives to do their work.
We have not sent any mighty army into
Central Europe, at the point of the bay
onet to bring over here captives to in
crease our wealth and do our work, for
they are coming of their own Initiative.
One large element In the amalgamated
population OF this country is in the He
brew race-a peculiar people, in that they
have never asserted themselves as a body
IN DOIIleal mdIleTS, III even IN ndlleF5
touching religious things. In time of war
we have not heard of any distinctively
Hebrew regiment: no Hebrew mnss meet
lngs for the purpose OF concentrating the
Hebrew sentiment on great questions of
patriotism. But last year a protest was
made to the Board of Education in Man
haitian.
';The Board of Education listened to
that appeal aud actually granted the
petition, passing resolution that no hymns
or carols in which the name Of Christ or
NJ, rfgt 49, an q Aaattpra1 Tho Ornun6 on which
the Hebrews asked for this was that sec
tarianism was forbidden In the public
schools, and, as this Is not a Christian
nation, this country recognizes no re-
ligion.' A dispossess warrant served on
the Christian religion in our public schools!
Do you wonder that the sleepy Christian
sentiment of Manhattan has been aroused.
These orthodox Hebrews claim that
this is not a Christian nation, therefore
the Christian religion should not be taught.
No such insult as that has ever been
thrust upon our nation. The one distlnc-
tive feature Of the American republic is
that it is distinetively recognized as. a
that has made this nation what 1t is
great and powerful. 1t Is the spirit of
Jesus Christ that has made this land II
refuge and asylum for the oppressed OF
all the world. The two foundation stones,
and the only two, on which our Temple Of
Liberty has been erected are the Bible and
Jesus Christ.
PERSONALLY | have always stood up for
our Jewish citizens, pleaded their cause,
and insisted that persecution of the jew
always resulted in Gods vengeance. Under
our Stars and Stripes they nave found a
land of peace, II shelter and refuge from
bloody prosecutors. They have been peace
full, law-abiding guests in our house; but
now suddenly these guests rise up and de-
mand that we take out of our public
schools, which existed before they came
to us, all mention of the Son of God. One
would think that after the fearful expert
ences which the Jews have Just passed
through In Russia they. would not take any
steps to ALLEVIATE American sympathy.
They claim they are only asking for
their constitutional rights. This is a free
country, where all religions are tolerated,
and we have no right to teach any one re-
constitution. But 1t so happens that this
is a Christian country, and that the Chris
Supreme Court of the United States and
the Court of Appeals of New York have
said that this Is a Christian country. II
the Jewish position is right, then the next
step will be TO repeal all recognition of
Sunday, and, at the request of the atheists,
forbid all ~allusion even to God in the
public schools.
II wonder il our Jewish friends cannot
see the absurdlty of their position. Sup
pose when a Jewish king ruled in Jeru-
salem that an immigration of some Bud
dhists from India had gone to Jerusalem
and lived for a while. Suppose there were
public schools there, and these BuddhiSts
asked that all alluslon to Moses in the
schools be forbidden at the Feast of the
Passover, on the ground that 1t is Sec
~tarian-can you imagine these orthodox
Jews granting the request? What a short
sighted guest he is who comes into your
house to warm himself by your fire, then
tips over the stove and s~catters the burn
ing Goals upon the floor, TO the destruction
of the house that has sheltered and
warmed him. If the Jewish people over
turn our Christian institutions they will
do exactly, what poor bind Samson did,
who pulled down the temple, destroying
himself ms we'll as those upon whom the
ruins fell.
Il do not believe that the more thought
full Hebrews of this country have any
sympathy with this onslaught against the
teaching Of Christian principles In our
public schools. l believe that all this agi-
tation originates with a few rabbis, who
are afraid of losing their jobs by the pro-
mitigation of Christian sentiment.
viii the conservative and truly re-
ligious Jews see their golden opportunity,
seize 1t and protest against the narrowness
of those who desire to trample on our
beneficent Chritian institutions? VIII
they seize the opportunity to show the
breadth and beauty of the Jewish faith
by cooperating with the Christian forces
of America, aggressively taking their stand
to save our Christian Sunday, the only
practicable religious day for this coun-
try
IF these men could read the signs of
the times they would conform to our
Christian institutions, and not ~antagonize
them, II they had the good sense of that
stool IN this pulpit some months ago, and
Rabbi Charles Flelscher, of Boston, who
have put their services in the synagogues
on Sunday instead of Saturday. As Rabbi
Fleischer said. What we have done today
ought to nave been done by every Jewish
congregation In Western Europe AMI
America fifty years ago, for by it we
shall nave a Sabbath, whereas now We
have. only n Sabbath in name
win the Jewish people not unite to
show their oneness with the Christian
ideas Of love for God, by doing the things
that first promote these religious con-
eeptions among the youth?"