The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-10
FIGHT GROWS ON
BIBLE IN SCHOOLS
Continued From First Pagc)


The other may be called the Angli-
can, in which the state controls the
church. This system prevailed in the
American colonies prior to The RevoIu-
ton and exists in certain parts of the
United Kingdom at the present Both
or these systems are unscriptural and
un- American. They have produced
! discomfort and dscord and wrought
! mischief and havoc wherever tried.
They have been discarded as nations
h. advanced in intelligence and civ
ilization.
The School Board Of Richmond has
raised anew, under n mild but danger
Gus form. the issue OF religious liberty.
They have made the reading or n reli-
gicus book compulsory upon the teach
ers and pupils in the public schools
Where teacher voluntarily reads the
Scriptures. because of an appropriate :
ness growing out of the situation and
without any objection from pupils or
parents, the case is somewhat differ
ent. But for the School board Off
cially to sanction and enforce the read :.
ms OF the Bible is an abridgment of
the inalienable rights of man and a
violation OF the basic principles of
this government
Distinctly Religious.
The Bible is distinctly religious
book. Its value is chiefly that In it
God speaks to man. 1t teaches the
duty we owe our Creator ana the man
ner Of discharging the same. Those
who advocate reading the bible in the
schools agree with me in claiming for
1t supremacy in matters of religion.
ITO say that the State shall use the
taxes OF the people in paying teachers
to read the Bible to children is vio-
lation OF Section 1t Of Mason's immor-
tai Bill Of Rights. To permit children,
whose parents object. to absent them
selves from the reading does not alter
the case OF the teacher, who Is forced
to read. contrary to her conscience:
nor does IL change the fact that State
money is being used for religious pur-
poses; nor does IL leave the child and
parent free to exercise the constitu-
tional right to select his own religious
instructor
The board does not possess the con
stitutional power to compel the at
tendance OF II single pupil upon these
very attempt at separation by exempt
ing certain ones from the operation OF
the rule subjects them to embarrass-
ment and possible humiliation, which
disregards another clause in the Con-
sttution which protects from suffer
ing 'on account OF religious opinions
or belief Section SIS OF the Constitu-
ton of Virginia. is hereby commended
to all the advocates OF the Bible In the
public schools.
Bible Essentially Religious.
I'VE are told that the Bible is an
ethical book. and Is 10 he used i'm the
schools for its moral value. True, it
contains the highest ethics. but they
are rooted and nurtured In religion.
Take religion away from the Book. and
its morals would be a corpse without
spirit. I am unable to comprehend the
process by which you are to divorce
the two without weakening both. The
present plan is impractical. They de-
ceivo themselves who suppose that the
mere reading of few verses from the
Bible, apart from any religious signifi-
canoe. Will raise the moral standard
OF the schools.
Morals cannot be effectively taught
without teaching religion, and 1t might
rs we'll be recognized. France has
made an earnest effort to give great
prominence to moral instruction in the
primary school and. lattorly. the scien-
tific spirit in the secular schools has
given way to the ethical spirit, but
the results are unsatisfactory. Morals
and religion are inSeparable. History
shows that the moral decay OF ma
lions was preceded, In every instance.
by decay of religion. Since tho state
cannot officially teach religion, and
since morals cannot be taught apart
from religion, 1t Is evident that the
object set forth in the School Board
resolutions cannot be obtained in the
manner specified.
Can't Tcnch as Literature.
again. II is suggested that the
Bible Is to be read just as literature.
That strikes n biblical Christian. who
knows what literature is, as an extra
ordinary idea. Literature Is the ro-
Election of life in general and at the
very highest belongs rather to the
natural man than to the new man. II