The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-25
Declaration Against the Exercise
OF State Authority i'll
Religion.
ATTITUDE CLEARLY DEFINED
Issue Conservative Statement OF
Their Views ON Bible in
Public Schools.

inc following paper after full dis
cussion, was adopted by tho Baptist
Ministers Conference, in session YES
tcrday morning:
Tho recent action OF the City School
Hoard IN resolving that the PRINCIPALS
and teachers be requested to open the
daily sessions Of tho public schools
OF the city of Richmond with reading
OF selections taken from the Bible, said
selections to be taken from either tho
Old or New Testament and the vari-
Gus publications which have followed
nave greatly interested us. We have
not been i'll haste to form or express
an opinion on the questions raised nv
this action because its exact sienitl-
canoe has not been clear 10 us ms IT
does not seem To have been clear to
tho community
The form of The resolution. adopted
by official supcriors and addressed
10 their subordinatcs. oil the face of
II seems TO he mandatory. Tie fact
mat these suhordinutcs are 'rcuucsted'
does not change this prima facio sig
nihcnnce, for request in such condi-
tons. az every one understands, is
usually" only polite convention for
command That the resolution was
Immediately understood to he authori-
tative by many in the community is
amply shown by the action of various
bodies in The city and by the numerous
Quite Carefully Chosen.
'On the other hand, at least two of
our daily papers, in recent publica-
tons speaking apparently by some sort
oil authority. have assured the public
That there Is nothing tnandatory in the
request and that teachers and prin-
clpaiS arc left entirely free to use their
discretion concerning the practic;,bility
OF such exercises, and that their fail
urc 10 comply with the request will
| ~
credit them with the board. From
other and reliable sources OF informa
ton we learn that tho word request
vas quite carefully chosen and that
the resolution is TO lie construed as
cXtra-legal and not as binding on
teachers or principals.
| In other words, If our information
! OH this point is accurate, the whole
question is left where IT has been for
years. with the simple addition OF an
expressed Wish on the part Of the
! board. and the further suggestion thar
such Scripture reading as may he found
! convenient and practicable need not be
confined hereafter, rs it seems to have
( been practically limited for some time
/ past to selections from the Old Testn-
ment.
1T is not necessary. we Judge for us,
! ministers OF the New Testament TO
attempt to express our exalted esti-
/ mate of the Bible or OF The large and
influential place when iL has held,
/ holds now and will continue to hold in
Z every department of human life The
only point In tho current discussions
! on which we think Il necessary to ut.
+ ter our judgment at this time con-
Germs the right of the State to under
take IN an% formal or authoritative
way TO administer in religion or to di-
rect the public worship Of the chill
dren of the Commonwealth. Against
the exercise Of any such authority OH
the part of the State. we, of course, arc
bound by what we cYnsider the teach.
ing OF the New Testament. by the in
s'rnctive history of our own people
aad by our Views OF the funda me MT
Ilshls on the citizen. 10 protest most
! earnestly.
Not Ordered ny state.
:. a, the came time. we recognize, az
an reasonable people must do, that in
| tho conditions IN which wa live there