The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-06-16
The BIBLE IN SCHOOL
Rev. George S. Mills Opposes the
Compulsory Plan

ia a letter from Rev. George 5. Mills
in discussion OF a plan that is being
ursed IN some quarters 10 make the
use 81 the Bible In the public schools
compulsory. NJ MISS letter is as
follows.
Il Is a serious question whether
ministers and others o. excellent IN
tcntions Uho have taken part in the
campaign In this state TO restore the
RIbls 70 the public schools" or have
given their endorsement 10 the bible |
I'm" which Mr. william u. jeffrey !
has proposed for the next legislature.
have carefully surveyed their posi-
zion or reckoned with an the factors
In the case. Tho action Of the State
Conference OF Congregational church
as. recently held in Rutland. in relus-
ms 10 90 on record in approval OF
this movement is in the judgment OF
the writer very much 10 be commend
ed. Some al that meeting Who had
been sympaihetic toward the move
mon' az first. ns the DISCUSSION proceed
esd. apparently came TO ieel with tie
maiOily opposed 10 IA. that IL would
boz uuwiso al this time TO endorse IL
III any way. TO. here Is needed a
moro maturcd and better balanced
consideration OF the whole subject OF
moral and religious education In reia
ton TO the public schools. And a cru
SADIE spending lis 1ery energies 70
90, y laW enacted Just 10 have COM
| nufory feading OF few verses rom
tie Bible in an our schools every
! school day OF the week is comparable
10 The shaking mountain OF the fable.
which with awful throes produced a
ridiculous mouse. These protason-
iss for the Bible "enthronod in the
public school are thunde ing up and
down The state a deal OF cloquence on
er very inconseqnent measure. II
Is that. SO far as affects their avow-
el excellent purpose-io Influence the
morals and form the character OF our
children. But II may be measure
OF large consequence Of a most unfor
tunate sort Unconsciously they M,
promoting measure which is bound
TO be damaging TO our allied forces
for civic righteousness. and divisive
Instead Of unifying OF our true rel
oious interests. Let them stop and
think and take into account concrete
situations.
We could name some places in tn
! state where professionals and catholic
are in splendid alliance for tempar-
ance and other work OF reform and
uplifts. The p-iest is the RICH. hand
man OF the minister. or il may be the
minister Is the right hand man OF the
priest However we put the order Of
this relation In community affairs,
there Is real sympathy and cordial co
one alton between them instructive
~ church matters they cannot of
course, unite. but ii is unnecessary
that they should be critical of each
other. or distrustful. even here. In
matters. however. OF the general NOR
al welfare they can and should stand
shoulder to shoulder. see eye to eye
work mind with mind Shall this
pleasant and hopeful relation be rup
mred? II win be ii the Bible hill car
ries.
Many Of the hes, teachers we have
in our public schools are Catholic
young women Shall We embarass
them? Shall we raise suspicion. in.
tcnsiiy sccta ian prejudice and mis-
understanding, promote the move
ment toward parochial schools. which
in some places has been checked jus,
because school administration has
been so fair and indiscrimin-
ating. ana in general foster
bitterness of race and religious fee
ing. which in &C tain of the larger
towns among the factory and mill
operatives has been unhappiiy deycl
oping OF late? Despite al disclaim
ers. this is what the jeffrey move
men;, so called, viii provoke. II
amounts to practically nothing for
the real detectives of better moral
character in our boys and gi.ls. Bu'
/, may amount TO a great deal in tins
other hurtiul way.
We are told that in about half the
/ public schools of the state the Bible
is read voluntarily at morning eXer
cises and in connection usually the
Lords Praye. is repeated. That pro
portion CT schools can be largely IN
creased by local interest in the mat
Ter. But il should be voluntary and
not compulsory Arrangement FOL
schools and teachers. Whether such
reading and simple religious exercis
es are arestng of the thoughtful at
tontion Of the boys and girls and real
w helpful depends upon the personal
ity and character, manners of the
teache' no compulsion of the form is
going to make any difference for good
here, and it might do much harm
There is no moral salvation that will
come by merely getting the Bible