The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-08-19
SHALL THE BIBLEBE
READNOUR SCHOOLS
I. NJ. LEE. OF Clinton. \. {.

| have seen. with regret the attitude |
taken by our Governor and Chief JUS
tice, in regard to the proposed amend |
ment concerning the reading Of the |
Bible in the public schools. The CON
'HQuences involved in it's rejection are |
E HriOus that'I feel that we should |
"a "elo their utterances to go un-
chail~''/ :, Not content with the
statemen. f4lr e the constitutional
committee. - .ge Clark has written
an article for the News and Observer
and the Greensboro News setting
forth his views on the subject
| must confess that is is something
Of shock to me to see these diStin-
guished gentlemen take this attitude.
and, furthermore. aggressively support
1t with both voice and pen. | find
myself wondering what can be their
view Of God. and what place in their
estimation the Word Of God can hold.
If they believe that God is the su-
preme head Of all governments and
that his Word is his revealed will for
the guidance and government of man.
| it is hard to see how they can be
willing to divorce God from govern
ment and his precepts from the chan
nels Of public instruction.
| | wish to disclaim any purpose of
| discourtesy in my criticism. The dis
tinguished positions which they oc-
cupy challenge my deepest respect
and were circumstances different and
duty did not urge me, l would gladly
remain silent. Somehow I fear that
they have not given this subject the
deep deliberation that their splendid
powers should guarantee, and have
treated it from the standpoint from
political matters. But new and en-
tirely different element enters into it.
In those, 1t Is a question between
lcreature and creature; in this, between
creature and Creator; in the former
earthly beings alone are interested in
the latter, the honor OF the Hig hest
Heavenly Being is involved.
An Embarrassing Preamble.
When the Governor and Chief JUS
jtice were inducted into their high Of
fees, and when every citizen Of the
State took the oath Of allegiance. they
swore to support the constitution OF
the State, the preamble Of which
) reads:
I'VE. the people Of the State OF
) North Carolina, grateful to Almighty
} God, the Sovereign Ruler Of Nations
for the preservation Of the American
Union, and the existence OF our civil
political, and religious liberties, anc
acknowledging our dependence upor
. Him for the continuance Of thost
blessings to us and our pOsterlty. do
, for the more certain security thereof
and. for the better government O.
, this State, ordain and establish thi
, , constitution"
= Here they uneQuivOcally recognized
: God as the Sovereign Ruler Of Ma
tons; but how futile that recognition
, il the laws which He has given 70
q their guidance are not to be &C
knowledged.
| <,F
p liberty in thus recognizing God in tn
I constitution as our Supreme Ruler
2 how can there be any In acknOWicdg
e ing in the same instrument the au
n thOrity of His Word. and OF permit
< ting 1t to be read TO the young?
4 Suppose there are those within ou
: borders who do reject the truths o
: the Bible, for their sake, must grea
4 State forsake its true Magma Carta an
5. repudiate the very basis OF all tru
II government? Whatever men may be
l. lieve or disbeieve. it in nOwis
t changes the fact that God is the Grea
q Ruler of the Universe and that tn
e Bible is His Word given for the gHd
y ance of men and states. The STATE
q therefore, thas. out of false consid
s. Grafton for the views of some, IS viii
is ing to repudiate those guiding prime
X pies OF the Head Of all states IS MAX
~ Ing a great and fundamental mIstak
n BY the same process Of reasonin!
le it would be Il violation of the princip
~ of religious liberty to read the pre-
! able of the constitution in our >chOO
= in which were q. ildrcn Of parents WI
. did not believe i'll God. whether tho
"a were inf ,.cl>. Japanese. Kinds,
Bu6dhists.
=, Religious liberty is not qucS non
~ the majority Of a community as Juds
Clark seems to think 1t is the priv
+, lege of every individual. And If h
re definition is correct. then reading II
4 constitution in the schools Is an il
fringement on some ones liberty. Ga
ried tC its logical conclusion. his .
il sition would eliminate the Bible fro
nearly every school OF any size in II