Los Angeles herald., 1909-10-11
HANDS orr SAYS
REYNOLD BLIGHT
FELLOWSHIP MINISTER WOULD
KEEP BIBLE FROM SCHOOLS
SAYS WORLD HAS HAD ENOUGH
OF PRlEsTLY DOMINATION
Not Opposed to Illustrations and
Readings from Sacred Book Ex-
cept as They May Be Used
for UIterior Purpose

The reading of the Bible in the public
schools was discussed by Reynold E.
Blight, minister of the Los Angeles
Fellowship, yesterday morning in a
prelude to his regular address.
THE Bible" he said, lis woven into
the very warp and woof of our intel
lectual and religious life. 1t were as
easy to wrest the love of liberty from
Anglo Saxon hearts as to eliminate the
Bible from our thinking. English liter
ature is fairly saturated with the Bible,
and many of our best writer's are un-
ineligible to the i erson Ignorant of
the Scriptures. No man can be consid-
cred cultured without working
knowledge of this wonderful book of
books.
Nor can it be forgotten that un-
counted millions draw their spiritual
inspiration from its pages 1t is the
veritable bread of heaven to their
souls. The larger knowledge of to-
day has discredited the science of the
Bible and literary criticism has dis
proved the claims of the theologians,
but there are sublime passages of spir-
itual wisdom, of moral dynamics, that
will profoundly move the souls of men
so long as human hearts yearn for di-
vine consolation and encouragement.
yet it is a melancholy fact to which
all history bears testimony that this
book has been the weapon of ecclesias-
tcal tyranny in every age. Sectarian
bigotry, theological fanaticism and
priestly cupidity have used the Bible to
further their base purposes. Its lofty
ethical teachings have been perverted
to bolster up the most atrocious doc
trines, to Justify the grossest immoral
tiles and to defend the most cruel tyr
amy. 1t has been used as a club to
beat down liberty and progress. The
inquisition, slavery, the divine right
of kings, the suppression of free speech
have been supported by texts OF Scrip
ture. Religious despotism is the most
debasing, the most heartless, the most
relentless of all oppression, and 1T were
better that ecclesia sticism should per-
ish than that mankind should ever
again be crushed beneath it's iron heel
"All will admit that fundamental
ethics should be taught in our schools
honesty, industry, self-control, honor
simplicity, purity-and selections from
the Bible might be made to emphasize
and make clear these teachings. And
again, carefully selected readings might
be had to acquaint the pupils with the
Bible as literature, Just as we nave Sc
lections from Shakespeare and Scott
But we must guard with jealous care
the freedom of thought and action we
now enjoy and any movement to place
the Bible in the schools for sectarian
or religious purposes must be crushed
at all costs. Superstition and dogma
have no place in our public education.
A parent may teach his children what
he pleases but he has no right to in
sist that the municipality shall give
instruction in doctrines that may be
offensive to his neighbor.
1.-THE world has suffered too much
from priestly interference and domina-
ton. If the present attempt to intro
duce Bible reading into the public
schools is a covert and iLsidious effort
to put religious teaching into the cur
riculum, we shall construe it as
menace to our children and an attack
upon our liberties. and we shall resent
it. Preach your doctrines to your
hearts content in the churches, but
hands off the publi7 schools!"
''Modern Light on Immortality was
the subject of Mr.. Blight's regular ad
dress. being a review of Henry Franks
brilliant book of the same name.