Omaha daily bee., 1920-02-15
The Bible In the
Public Schools
Omaha, Feb. lo.-To the Editor

Omaha, Feb. l0.--To the Editor
of The Bee: / have learned with
amazement that the committee on
education of the constitutional con-
vention. sitting at Lincoln, the other
day, despite an earnest protest that
was made TO them, nevertheless. and
that. too. by a tie vote, passed the
resolution making permissible the
reading Of the Bible in the public
schools of Nebraska.
To me it is almost inconceivable
that such an astounding and revo-
lutionary thing should have been
done by any public body in America.
For do we realize fully what it
means? 1t is nothing less than a
blow at the fundamental principles
of America. Our country stands for
the fullest religious liberty and
equality. To safeguard this most
sacred right as well as wisest politi-
! cal provision which expressed the
lesson of all history written in letters
Of blood. the fathers of the constitu-
tion expressly ordained, making it
explicitly an organic part of the law
of the land, that Government
should make no establishment Of re-
ligion," that church and state should
be forever separate. The state, while
fostering religion in that it gave
equal protection and opportunity to
all, identified itself officially with
none, recognized none above the
other, favored none at the expense
Of any other. A fair field was given
to all, leaving it to each to work
out its own destiny and exert what
ever influence it could. This has
constituted Americas chief glory, its
absolute religious freedom. Abov0
every other form of liberty, its re-
ligious liberty has been mainly
priced America was the Land Of
the Free and the Home Of the
Brave" because it guaranteed the
right of freedom of conscience to
every citizen.
The Bible, whatever else it may or
| may not be, is nevertheless primarily
and distinctively a religious book,
and TO introduce the Bible into the
schools. for whatever reason and un-
der whatever preteXt, is to inject re-
ligion into the schools, when the
constitution expressly forbds any
union of church and state. Whether
it is UNCONVENTIONAL religion or not
does not matter. Religion of any
form is forbidden, though it is bound
to be sectarian religion. Even If not
denominational, it will be sectarian,
for nondenominational religion is
sectarian compared with other reli-
giOn Christianity in any form is
sectarian compared with Judaism or
Mohammedanism, and Christianity
in the Protestant form is sectarian
compared with Catholicism, as Ca
tholicism is sectarian compared with
Professionalism.
No matter what version Of the
Bible were introduced. no matter
what passages We're selected, even
though it We're read without COM
ment, it would still be an infringe
ment of the constitution and the up
shot would be the teaching of a par
ticular kind Of religion which ulti-
mately would be the religion Of the
majority. This would constitute a
tyranny Of the majority, and a re-
1igiouS tyranny, which is the worst
kind of tyranny.
The world is not going to take
any backward step. The work
is not going to relapse into medieval
bigotry with its attendant barbarism
least of all is America, hitherto the
foremost the most enlightened and
progressive nation of the world.
"the world safe for democracy"
Making democracy safe for the
world, we are not going to make it
unsafe for America; we are not go
ing to destroy democracy here in it's
very home.
And Nebraska is not going back
on its own proud record as one of
the most progressive and American
of the states. We look to the COM
mittee on education to yet redeem
itself to rescind its ill-considered ac-
ton (the mere fact that it was tie
vote on so important matter should
cause it to do this). At all events
we look to the convention, and we
are confident that the just and lib
eral people Of the state as whole,
look to the convention. in this criti-
cal period of the world and when
We stand upon the threshold of a
new and what is confidently hoped
to be a better era, that Ne
braska should not stultify itself. but
should write its name high among
the most progressive, the most !
glorious commonWealths of our be-
loved America.
FREDERICK COHN