The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-08-12
BIBLE IN SCHOOLS.
Holds That The Right Thing Is
For The Constitution To
Permit It's Being Used.

III ,dIoIll4 f6Q not bern pro-
ken. by virtue OF my absence from
the State nearly two years. | would
count it d privilege to go back there
just 10 vote for one proposed amend
ment TO the CoRsLtutiou-that
amendment permitting the reading
OF the Bible in the public schools.
During the discussion on probable
amendments, | read with interest
The News and Observer and other
North Carolina .dailies and was par
tlcularly pleased TO see that some far
sighted man was keen enough TO in
Ject that clause. Although North
Carolina is still made up Of natives
OF that State and the rank and file OF
her citizens are A~nglo-Saxons. il
must be taken into consideration that |
the tide is turning southwar and
though this generation may not see
1t, there will come a time. in all
probability when the unanimous
voice of a home-born citiZenry there
Will be brCken by a foreign influence.
The majority rules. AT the present
time those who look upon the reading
or n Billie in the public schools
with dlsfavor are 50 sadly in the mi
nority that their protest could not
overbalance the sentiment for such;
but the TIM may be when they viii
be able to WELD a wider influence. SO
1t can be seen that now is the time to
act. Church and State are separate
In this ountry They should ever
be; but is not that Bible upon which
the moral and GIVE laws are based
entitled to at least a passing conSid-
Grafton? No one would object to hay
ing read in the schools at intervals
extracts from the Constitution or
even from the criminal laws of the
State. SO that the children might be
tersed as to their meaning. There
fore, why should there be in any
quarter OF Inc AHplO-SaSOD Cod
fearing State Of North Carolina any
objection raised to the reading of thai
greatest Of all textbooks, without
which more recent literature would
not have been written at all in many
instances. the Bible. Great fraterni-
ties, in which are represented men of
all creeds. have it as their guide and
: their members read and revere it. In
: these instances there arise no objec-
lions.
A public s~hool eacher is not eX-
peCted to preach a doctrinal sermon
, at the beginning Of the days exercis-
es. They should not. Doctrinal
teachings in State institutions should
not only be disCountenanced bat pro
hibited: yet the Bible should have it,
place. During the days thai | spent
in school in Raleigh, [ never attend
ed under a teacher who did not, be
fore beginning the DAYS work, read
$ a passage from the Bible; and there
| was always just as keen interest man
ifeSted by the students during the
t devotional exercises as during any
e other exercises of the day. Mytholog.
e has it's place in the public schools. Il
is read and taught. Shakespeare has
and rightly. his place there, and, &C
It cOrdinC to a recent sernOn preached
n by an eminent Methodist E,pisccpa
divine Shakespeare could not hav.
Z written several of his plays withou
e the Bible to so by. Tennyson has hi
Is place and in his works there are sew
: eral hundred quotations from the Ri
is BILE.
,s am glad that the school authori
% ties Of Raleigh are of the sort that q
not have to be compelled to read tn
Bible. and as long as there are sue
&c men at the heads of the city school
n Of the State as Frank NJ. Harpe
there will be no need of any kind @
legislation regarding the reading o
the Bible: but. suppose on the othe
hand, a set should get into powe
o who did not belive in giving the b 81
:. it's place in the schools. Suppose, 0
= top of this. there were no referenc
: to it ia the Constitution. no "Masn
Charta" guaranteeing the Christia
g people the right to have the Bib
i. read to their Ctildren.-what Woul
S be the result? There could be but on,
is The set or school authorities or tn
individual whose authority was ST.
o. creme. as the CASE InlSnl De. oul
'S have their way and there would /
no recourse.
OF While to amend the Constitution
al. as TO compel the reading al tic y b
o. might arouse disfavor among poop
who honestl: disapprovc of any g,
it forts TO thruSt religion upon thOS
who do not want it, there can be n
grounds for taking ti.c position N;
the people of Il community CannO
under the protection OF the conStjtl
ton, have the Bible read in the
r schools if they wish. AS / see il. TT
amendment to the Constitution tn;
is proposed does not make the rcat
CIR ing Of the Bible obligatory but mcr
6. IL guarantees the Bible q right
1. the schools If the people want it thcT
"a The people should rule. and if II
ba majority Of the people want the BIB
OIL read in the public schools they ia
lie, aust as mocif fisn, 9 sec 10 II thtt
Ill * read there as the maiorlt! has |!
right TO vote school bonds over Il