The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-08-19
SHALL THE BIBLE BE
READ IN OUR SCHOOLS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE oME.)

"
(coMriMUEo FROM AcE ONE
feelings and the principle Of political
freedom? Not q bit Of it. The fact
is. that, while a mar may think what
he pleases, yet the state must have q
definite line Of thought OF its own;
and, furthermore, must impress that
thought upon it's citizens; and Wheth-
er those citizens agree with them or
not, they must acknowledge them as
the fundamental constitution Of the
land and abide by them.
If, then, the constitution must be
treated with such respect, ought not
tine Word OF God to be held by the
State i'm supreme reverence?
Lese Majestic.
Once upon a time, there was a great
king who ruled over a vast country.
He vas both very good and very wise
wiser by far than any Of his sub
tects. He wrote a book Of laws for
their help and guidance, the best and
wisest book, the most wonderful sys-
tenn Of laws. the kingdom had ever
seen. Now this kingdom was divided
into several smaller Kingdoms and one
day a copy Of the books reached one
Of them with the request hat all the
the Bible, let's revise our definition
of hat term. There Is, however. not
the slightest incompatibility between
true religious liberty and the rcog-
milton by the State Of God as its Chief
MAGISTRATE and Of His Word as its
fundamental constitution. The Idea
that a State can get along without
God is a most serious mistake. II He
is the arbiter Of our deSinies, il He it
Is who can make and unmake nations.
then it Is supreme folly to ignore Him
in government and refuse to recognize
His Word In tho regulation of the
{ lives OF our citizens.
. Religious liberty means hat every
, man may worship according to the
. dictates of his conscience and in the
exercise Of hat worship may not be
persecuted; that as long as its OBJ
servance does not conflict with the
highest law, he may not be interfered
8 with. The adoption Of the amendment
a He can worship as he will; but it does
not displace God, II he should happier
: to prefer an Idol: o does 1t reject
His Word. if he prefers some othel
: book.
This generation Of young folks need.
! It bad enough. and II the State is I.
sanction any further suppression o
that Word which alone can guide t,
eternal life, then she calls upon he
head the just wrath Of an insultet
God; if she prizes the opinions o
5 men more h h values the homo
n Of God, she is taking a step tOwar,
that decline which, sooner or later
meets every nation that dishonor
y Him. II for the idOlatry OF q misin
o terpreted shibboleth she neglects he
e true mission in the education of he
= young. she is writing upon their in
8. nocent brows the characters that wi
n one day spell with lurid flames, "Icha
j. bod"
N Skepticfsm Enough.
re a refusal TO adODt the ampndmpn
is nothing more nor less tina directl
r ignoring the Bible. This gives to tn
s. school system that spirit OF irreligio
he that will bear its legitimate fruit
he skepticism-and surely skepticism
plentiful enough without l~egislativ
0, assistance. A few weeks ago. / hear
lie John Sharpe Williams make an ad
n dress before the Southern Society {
20 Washington City. in which he adde
S: in substance: Among the distinctly
lie things the South stands for its belle
I'll in the Bible. You know it's fashion
p able nowadays not to believe in tn
rs Old Book, but in the South we belle,
op it to be the Word of God and the e.
n preston OF His will to man."
y, Already there has been too much
this business, and the divorce Of II
lie simple. o~ld-fashioned truths OF tt
ce Bible from the school system. eve
We though partially accomplished, hs
=" coined skeptics by the thousands. tt
n school, for a large part Of FIVE DAYS
in the week and several months in I,
ey year. stands in the place of the pare
toward the child. If the interests
to that child are to be ignored becau
his Of the opposition of some Who do n
ng believe in the Bible; If its wise prece
on are to be denied him-because of fea
ant ing to wound the sensibilitias Of rho
lot who DO not accept them; what XII,
~