The sun., 1913-10-15
Pepper Tells EpiscOpalians That
"Half Baked" Items Fill Col
lege "Bills of Fare"
FAIL TO BUILD CHARACTER
693.34O New York School Pupils
without Religious Training,
Says Bishop GailOr.

- scathinR criticism Of the present day
system OF education. in which the schools
were CHARGED with lack OF religious instruc-
ton and disregard of true character build
ing.
Bishop Thomas r Gailor of Tennessee.
Bishop Greer of New York and George
Wharton Pepper Of Philadelphia. a member
Of the Religious Board Of Education. we're
the speakers. Mr.. Pepper was particularly
severe with the present day system of edu-
cation declaring that 10 was founded upon
= jni.conception Of What true education is
and describing the curricula of most Of
our colleges a. intellectual bills of fare"
composed for the most part Of half baked :
items
There are two theories of education. g
he said. One Of them is that religious
education is one department of education
al tarRe and more or less supplementary y
10 secular education. The other theory ia
that there is just education and that II YOU
neglect the religious side of il YOU not only
dwarf religion but make mess Of the whole
business
This country is obeessed with the idea
that education is the imparting Of inforna-
ton and vocational training. whereas the
chief value Of education il TO draw out a
mans capacity. and mans highest capacity
10 to be able to flnd God. II an educational
NeteIn UakeS NO dttSmpt W eAdHuiHe 'ne
relations Of man to the Unseen. then dare
assert that IL is not scientific system.
socrates illustrates what | wish to say.
By making people think of their relations
% God aud the fate Of their own souls he
not only improved the moral condition of
his people but he exerted a tremendous
influence for good upon the secular educa-
lion Of his time. u
We have our young teachers IN h"
colleges who are constantly asserting
heir convictions in respect OF matters 10
which they have not given sufIhcent thought.
Thoro" ghness il not q matter of intellec-
nal operation. II is a matter Of character.
Therefore these young men are the Wet inns
Of wrong met hods in education. OF an educa
ion that dos not develop character.
Attacks "Hasty scientists."
81 mean especia ~ those so-called scicn-
lists who make Cisty. and consequently
false, assertions OF the discovery OF cures
of great evils founded upon superficial
research and insufficient experience. These
men are not intellectually deficient. but
hey are the victims Of an irrelgious educa-
lion They do not know that to deeeivc
people BY the false announcement of great
cure is TO do an irrel gious and an un-ChrlS
ian thing.
In our colleges We are not suffering from
the elective system but from an irreligious
use of that system. The Young men and
the young women drop the subjects they
find difiicult. outstanding their dis
Ciplinsry value. and proceed To take those
which will 1T them to make living. Our
universities by their feverish efforts to
increase their registration and their pros
perity are now Offering to the young men
and Young women of this country vast
intellectual bill Of fare of miscellaneous
courses, scarcely any OF wnr'h may he -a'u
10 be more han halls baked.
the point. | wish TO leave with you are
that true educat ion is Impossible without
religious training and that this church has
peculiar responsibilities in the matter
because of its great opportunity. BY its
great comprehensiyencss and openness
ihe Episcopal Church is especially qualified
~ lead the way. There is no doctrine of
christian faith TO which This church is no
hospitable and as long As We avoid extremes
in any direction we may hope to take lead
ing place on the march that leads 10 The
istant goal OF complete knowledge,
Bishop Gailor said that the greatest
battle OF this church and of Christianity
is the battle among those who have been
educated and are being educated in our
colleges. and unfortunately the class OF
people who are able to send their sons
ANU uAuBnteIb 10 CUutSt nave NOV Deen
setting us very high example of Christian
ity during the last few years
Religious Needs OF schools.
He said that the 90 OO0 students who at
tend the State universities OF this country
each year must get their instruction in
religion and In morality founded on religion
outside OF the curriculum and that less
than one third of them are reached by the
message Of the Gospel.
Eight States forbid by law any religious
reading in the public schools. Fifteen have
no moral instruction based on religion
and only nine of them have legislative pro-
visions for such instruction.
'Much dependence is placed on the per-
sOnal influence OF the teachers. but this
is not 10 true as it was thirty years ago.
when all of our teachers came from Chris
tian homes and were God fearing men and
women themselves. According to the
figures l have only i9%.00O OF the ST., $40
school children In New York attend Sunday
school. No religious instruction IL pro-
vided for ecs $40 children In New York city.
y am informed that of the iO4 bribe TAX
.rs who were convicted out in Ohio only
Eight had not been educated in the public
schools. and therefore say that unless
the public schools supplement the work
Of our Sunday schools the outlook il not
very bright In this country"
Bishop Greer said that "the Justification
Of taxation for the support Of public schools
is not that they should teach reading. writ
ing. arithmetic and other scholastic things
but that they should train and qualify the
children in character-such character as
will At them to dischar &c the duties of
American citizenship"
Greer Decries sectariaaisn.
He said he did not agree with Bishop
Gaior that our public school teachers are
Goddess. He said he would resist any attempt
10 make the public schools sectarian, but
he thought there was common ground
On which oil people. whether Roman Cath
Olic or non Roman Catholics could unite
10 tho end that religious education In the
public schools might not be entirely neg
lected
Both Bishop Gailor and Bishop Greer
apparently disagreed with the pronounce
ment OF Bishop Lawrence Of Massac husetts
in his convention sermon. He said that the
church must give up the idea OF giving re-
ligious education in the public schools and
must rely altogether upon surrounding the
boy or girl with such Influences at home
and In the Sunday school during their
early years as would help them to retain
their Christian faith and character during
i0e.
At conference OF the social seryics
weskags Of the church in the cathedral
Yesterday morning Bishop Lawrence said
hA oh