The Irish standard., 1915-06-26
BIBLE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

Vigorous Campaign Being Carried On
An Example Of the Methods
Used. s.:
A vigorous campaign to place the
Bible in the public schools as a part
of the regular curriculum is being car.
ried on at the present time. All over
the country through ministerial asso-
Citations and church declarations the ef-
fort Is being made to have the custom
established which would mean in real
ity the sanction Of the Protestant doc
trine of private Interpretation and Of
the non-reliability of Catholic tradi-
ton as a means of faith. Catholics
cannot allow this program of the Pro-
testant sects to be carried to a sue
cessful completion because it will en-
tail nothing more nor less than the
Introduction of Protestant teachings
In the schools which Catholics support
and will further handicap our people
In their efforts to preserve their own
ideals, for which they have made so
many sacrifices. AS much as we de-
plore the woeful deficiency in moral
and religious instruction in the public
schools, a deficiency which has already
begun to reap it's inevitable results,
the remedy of the evil cannot be &C.
complished in this way.
Various methods of prosecuting this
campaign are pursued in the different
parts of the country. In those places
where opposition will be mild, the in
PRODUCTION Of the Bible into the regular
school classes is openly championed.
In other communities, where more
stubborn difficulties are anticipated, it
is merely a portion of literature or in
some other obscure way that Biblical
study is to be initiated. The effort
which is being made in the city of
Indianapolis is an example of the lat
ter. The Ministerial Association of
that city and the church federation
of the same place are indorsing a
movement which would grant credits
to high school students throughout
the state Of Indiana for work which
they had done in Bible study outside,
of school hours-in their Sunday
schools and the like.
The committee which has the affair
in charge issued q statement on the
subject which was published in full
in the Indianapolis News of May 18th.
The committee wishes it to be under
Stood" the statement says, that neith-
er this plan nor any person connected
with it petitions for the Bible to be.
taught in the schools
THE plan proposes that examinations
and authorization of credit shall rest
in the hands of a board of CONTROL.
consisting Of one school representative
from each OF the cities of the state
using this course of study. The out
line, or syllabus, covers the Bible in
four sections, two upon the Old Tesla
ment and two upon the New Tesla.
ment. The passing of the examination,
upon any two of these four divisions
will entitle a pupil to a high school
credit. The plan, which is in present
and satisfactory use in North Dakota
seems an admirable one in every way"
A further proposal is made as to the.
manner of organization Of the various
classes. Glasses could, and upon ap-
prevail we are assured will be, organ
lied in various Sunday schools desir-
ing to pursue the outline of Bible study
and to prepare for the examination.
The Young Mems and Young Women's,
Christian Associations have Indicated
their willingness to organize such clas-
ses, if there is q demand for them.
Pupils should carry through such
course at home without other instruc-
ton than many homes afford in the
parents and the Biblical helps there.
available
AS can easily be seen, this is merely
an entering wedge to the complete in.
sitution of Bible study as q part of the,
public school schedule of study. This
Is the. inevitable next step, no matter
how much its champions may protest
their desire to prevent this. Catholic.
organizations all over the country
should be wide awake to this campaign
and its possibilities and should vigor-
ously protest against any Plan of this
kind. If the Protestant denominations
wish Bible instruction given along with
the other studies required in life, let
them build their own schools and not
seek to have their doctrinal ideas sup.
ported out of the public funds. They
have long enough sanctioned a course
which has led to the deplorable educa-
tional conditions which we find in this
country today and which mean prac.
tically the establishment of q near
atheism as the religion of the State.
G. b. of CIV.
RUSSIAN ORDERS CANCELLED,
Cancellation of large shipments of
war material for Russia by American
manufacturers, who are said to be un-
able to obtain cash payments for their