The sun., 1916-08-27
Mission of School in Service of
Society Is Of Highest Importance

they saw. has its ultimate source in
God. Consequently. II was to God
that they appealed when they claimed
Tor the colonies "A pace among the ma
lions as independent States. The VAL
idatiOn OF that claim Is the origin both
OF our freedom and Of the legislation
by which II is exercised and pre-
served. Liberty and law are sacred
because they can be traced back to
the same Divine Source.
In the Catholic view the citizen Of
q free country ought to know not only
where his freedom begins or ends
but also whence II comes. His children,
therefore. must be taught that there il
o supreme Lawgiver to whom they
owe their freedom IND that the high.
est exercise of that freedom Is obedi-
ence to the Divine command. In this
way 1t Is plain that liberty IL no
merely political right or human pre-
rogative; 1t is a gift bestowed by the
Creator. Law. likewise. for its obligat-
ing power goes back to an authority
higher than that Of the State. Both
liberty and Law are holy: there u
sanctity in the ultimate sanction.
The Catholic school. accordingly, re.
CARDS the knowledge Of God as gu.
premely important and makes II the
centre Of all teaching. To know God.
to find him in nature. to recognize the
ruling Of His Providence in the affairs
OF men. to accept the truth as He has
revealed 1t m to obey His law as He
has enacted-this IL the foundation Of
life. Of citizenship and Of national well
fare.
We hold that by teaching religion
our schools do their share toward de-
veloping those qualities which are in.
dispensable for society. They train
the child to seek first the Kingdom Of
God and in its light to adjust himself
to the requirements Of human au.
thority. They present that authority
as supported by a warrant which lays
its obligation on conscience. And they
invest all duties with q sacred char.
acter by binding them TO the duty
which man owes his Creator.
1t Is frequently said that democracy
lacks reverence and hat the lack Is
conspicuous in our American youth.
If this be true II is surely rcgrettable;
for where nothing Is held sacred free
dom itself must eventually lose Its
value and give place to the domina-
ton OF lower instincts. In any case a
democratic society, above all others.
has need Of the spirit Of reverence
unless we are prepared to admit that
no thing or man or institution is worth
more than another. From that ad-
mission the inference would be that
democracy itself Is no better than any
other form Of government and civilized
society no better than primitive con-
ditiOns. 1t would also follow hat edu-
cation. whatever 1t includes. makes no
difference.
I'M reluctant to believe that our
people are void of reverence. l think
1t more likely that they have ceased to
revere some things and that they are
prepared to revere other things. IL only
they can DO persuaded that these pos
sess a worth emitting them to rever-
ence. But I am also quite sure that
nothing is to be gained in this dlrec-
ton by keeping the child's thought
away from the Being that IL absolutely
sacred and neglecting the relations by
which all things are bound to Him.
Catholic education by its training Of
the child In religion imparts q mean
ing to the word sacred as applied to
human personality, to freedom and to
law. Had II accomplished nothing
else the Catholic school would have
rendered q service to society.