The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-02-10
DR.. Mcdaniel Calls 1t
u MA m erican and
Unconstitutional.
SAYS 1T VIOLATES
BILL OF RIGHTS
Baptist Preacher Arraigns School
Board Edict on Numerous
Charges, and Calls for Re-
peal Before 1t Becomes
Instrument for
Greater Evil.

cent decree ordering daily reading of
selections from the Bible in the public
schools found Its latest champion yes
terday In Rev. George W. Mcdaniel, d.
D.. OF the First Baptist Church. who, in
the course OF a sermon dedicated to
the subject. attacked the edict as un
American, and calculated to raise
anew, under mild. but dangerous
form. the issue Of religious liberty.
DIR. McDaniers sermon was the sec
ond protest from n Richmond pulpit
against the much discussed School
Board resolutions, which were adopted
January 81 The first attack was made
by DR.. T.. y. Cai!sch. in a sermon at
Temple Beth Ahebah on the evening
of January 81. 1t prccipitated an agi-
,tation which since that date has called
forth expressions from number OF
religious and scmi-rcligious organi
cations, most OF them siding with the
School Board.
Violates Bill of Rights.
TO say that the state shall use the
taxes of the people I'm paying teachers
to read the Bible 10 children" said DR..
Mcdaniel, lis q violation of Section
]6, OF Masons immortal Bill OF Rights.
TO permit children whose parcats OBJ
ject to absent themselves from the
reading does not alter the case of the
teacher who is forced to read contrary
TO her conscience: nor does II change
the fact that State money is being used
for religious purposes: nor does II
leave the child and parent free to cX-
exercise the constitutional right to Sc
lcct his own religious instructor
The School Board, declared the
preacher. does not possess the consti-
tutional right to compel the attendance
of a single pupil upon these religious
exercises The suggestion. moreover.
he said, thnt those children the pa
rents OF whom object to the readings
may absent themselves from the eX-
crcises and thereby be exposed 10 pos
sibIe ridicule and embarrassment. dis
regards section 5S of the Constitution
of Virginia, which protects from suf-
fering ''on account OF religious opin-
ion or belief"
Tcnch Religion mt Home.
DR.. Mcdaniel saw in the School
Board cdict a shifting OF the duties of
the church and home to a secular
agency designed for an entirely diff
ferent purpose. The argument that
the Bible shall be read as literature.
he said. falls Nat, because it is the
one book which cannot be taught that
way. To divorce from the Bible its
spiritual significance and its religion.
he said. is TO make II corpse without
spirit.
Neither, said DR.. Mcdaniel. can the
Bible be taught literature in the
public schools 1t takes a keenly
trained mind. he said. TO appreciate
the Bible as literature. To foster n
literary appreciation of the Bible by
means of daily selection, unaccom
panied by comment or discussion would
be as hopeless task as an attempt
10 create by the same method an ap-
probation OF Gibbon or Tennyson.
The School Board" said Dr. Nc
Daniel has made a radical departure.
We should not wait until this usurped
power has strengthened itself by ex-
crcise and become entangled in prece-
dents. 1t is incumbent upon the board
10 rcscind the resolution of January
20. 1913, lest. in time, Il greater evil
bcfall US"
DIR. McDaniers Sermon.
Following is transcript of DIR. Nc
Daniels sermon bearing upon the
School Board edict:
The Bible is q good book Indeed.
1t Is the best book In the world, and
has the widest circulation. The hon
CRADLE School Board OF Richmond act
uated by the worthy motive OF improv-
Ing the condition of the pupils. has
adopted the following resolution:
Whereas, IT Is a fact we'll estab-
lishcd that the children In our public
schools are at the most impre ssi enable
ages for receiving and retaining good
or evil; and
Whereas. The lessons and truths;
contained within the Holy Bible are
acknowledged by ht-thnking pco-
plo as being of paramount value in
creating and maintaining better
moral atmosphere in every commu-
nifty. and also in the individual life;
therefore. be 1t
Resolved That the principals and
teachers be requested to open the daily
sessions of the public schools OF the
city OF Richmond with reading Of Sc
Lotions taken from the Bible, said Sc
iections to be from either the Old or
the New Testament.
Permits No Exception.
Oh
iutions are well written and the effort
is apparent to guard them against crit
lclsn. They provide no exemption for
any teachers or pupils, although there
may nave Deen supplemental instruc-
uons 10 excuse from the exercise chill
dren whose parents objected
"Devout laymen have written eulo-
gtstically, able ministers have spoken
eloquently, pastors conferences have
resolved unanimously, and Bible classes
have voted enthusiastically In appro-
val OF the School Boards action. The
majority of our people arc delighted
One lone Jew has voiced his ineffectual
protest: One Baptist pastor has
written brief paragraph of protesta-
tion. ask, why should any moral
man, especially a minister of the ros-
pei, object to the recent order of the
board?
"In order to understand and appre-
ciate the answer to that question, one
must be willing to lay aside sentiment
tality and superficiality; to have his
memory refreshed by important facts.
and to consider carefully certain prin-
cfples which are Fundamental, and GER
tain rights which are inalienable.
System LIS Un-American.
The pages of history reveal two
prominent forms of union Of church
and state. One may be called the Ro-
manlst In which the church controls
the state. This System prevailed over
Western Europe until Victor Enman-
uel broke the temporal power of the
Pope in 1870 and made His Holiness
(Continuod on Ninth Pagel