Los Angeles herald., 1909-09-12
DILLON FAVORS
PARISH SCHOOLS
MAKES CLEAR POSITION ON
BIBLE CONTROVERSY
WOULD LET CHRISTIANS TEACH
THEIR BELIEFS
Rev. Or. Locke Dlsapproves of Judges
Remedy for Present Conditions,
Urging Democracy of Public
Educational System

Judge Henry C. Dillon, who opposed
DIR. Charles Edward Locke's advocacy
of the introduction of the Bible in the
public schools. made public a statement
yesterday in which he stated his posi-
tion more clearly. pointing out that he
neither opposed the cause of Christian
ity nor advocated infidelity.
Il want to remind both Christian and
inf1del critics that neither Christianity
nor infidelity may lawfully be taught
in the public schools. Both are being
taught industriously and wherever To-
cal sentiment will permit"
Judge Dillon's statement in full is as
follows:
by some I am censured as a Chris
tian for not advancing the cause of
Christianity in public schools, and by
others / am commended as an infidel;
and in particular one of them says, for
keeping their kind of God out of the
constitution as well as the schools
81 want to remind both the Christian
and the infidel critics that neither
Christianity nor infidelity may be law
fully taught in the public schools. Both
are being taught industriously and
wherever local sentiment will permit.
'If the tree can be known by Its
fruits, infidel teachers are in the ma
jority and infidel ethics and morals are
in the ascendent in our public schools
today. 1t is permeating the schools and
directing and controlling the minds of
the young. 1t is not only aggressive,
but proselyting and sectarian in char
acter. 1T is just as illegal to teach our
children there is no God nor heaven
nor hell as to teach them that there is
a God. that they have immortal souls
that will be held responsible in the fu-
ture for the deeds of the present life. :
"I hold no brief against the good and
learned DR.! Locke. He recognizes a
serious defect in our public school sys-
TEN. The knowledge of God, which Is
the beginning of wisdom, cannot be
legally taught in those schools.
s'But he has mistaken his remedy.
Christians must found Christian
schools. The Methodists, with their
great wealth and energy and zeal,
should not leave this work entirely to
the Catholics.
Generous rivalry should begin at
once among all Christian denomina-
tions to demonstrate the best schools.
The demand for such schools is grow
ing rapidly The end of the difficulty
will come when standard of educa-
tion is set up and the school fund is
distributed to every school that COM
plies with it. Such law would be
fair to all. Neither Jew nor gentlle'
Christian nor infidel, could justly COM
plain of ii"
Preacher Opposes Idea
81 cannot agree with Judge Dillon in
his advocacy of the founding Of paro--
chial schools by Protestant churches,
said DR.. Locke last evening in speak
ing of the formers statement. L am
a firm believer in the old idea of democ-
racy as taught and conserved in the
public schools, and I believe 1t would
be endangered by the development or
church schools, which would take prac-
tically all the school population.
AS to the legality or non-legality or
having the Bible read in the public
schools, do ,not think it has been
established that such a proceeding
would be illegal. 1t Is matter for the
courts to determine. Certainly it would
not be illegal to have the portions read
which I have in mind-those Which
have no direct bearing of the teaching
of any cult or belief. While the consti'
tuition provides that there shall be nc
denominational teaching in the public
schools, the passages which l have in
mind could not be construed as sucn
and would not be barred by this pro"
vision.
Regardless of the legal aspects of
the question, as the matter now stands
I do not see why a handful of atheists
should be allowed to control the coun-
try. While the Bible teaches a belief
In God, this is certainly theistic and
not an atheistic country. Our courts
impose an oath in the name of God,
and the president takes Office in His
name"