Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-10-01
CAN BIBLE BE LE-
GALLY EXCLUDED
FROM SCHOOLS?

New York, Sept. 3O-The Suprens
Court of the United States will be
asked TO determine whether the Bloie
can be legally excluded from the pub
lie schools.
This was announced tonight by
leaders of the Presbyterian church
here who have headed a movement
among various religious denomina-
tons to bring a test case before the
nations highest tribunal.
The state of Washington. which
officially excludes the Bible from its
public schools, will furnish the basis
for the case. The contemplated ac-
ton had it's inception in the Synod OF
Washington of the Presbyterian
church.
The line of attack will be based on
the Declaration of Independence, the
Presbyterians claiming that the
Declaration is a covenant between the
American nation and God, and that
the study of the Bible by American
children is essential to an under
standing of the covenant and to fun
knowledge of God.
ITO exclude the Bible from the
public Schools" the Presbyterians
contend in their presentment
preparatory to an appeal to the SUI
preme Court. 'is to violate one of the
essential clauses of the opening
paragraph of the Declaration of In
dependence. In the state of Wash
ington, the Attorney General and
later the State Supreme Court have
rendered an opinion in which the
Bible in effect is adjudged to be
'sectarian' book and in which it Is
decreed to be unconstitutional TO read
or teach the Bible in the state
schools"
The Presbyterians declare that
this ruling, opinion and construc-
ton is erroneous, and that the state
constitutional provisions so con-
structed are void as being in conflict
with and repugnant to the principles
of the Declaration of Independence"
This ruling" it is added, sis re-
pugnant to and in conflict with the
principles in the clause of the Dec
laration of Independence. TO assume,
among the powers of the earth. the
separate and equal station to which
God entities Them in that all citizens
arc equally entitled to instruction in
the Laws of Nature and also of
Natures God which latter are
spiritual and obtainable from the
Bible. This ruling makes it i'm
possible to obtain such knowledge in
the school system of the state al
though elaborate provisions are made
for teaching the Laws of Nature"
Extensive arguments have been
presented in the presentment to show
that no state has a right to exclude
from it's system of education "in-
struction in the science of religion as
set forth in the Bible, the only book
which sets forth the existence. laws
and other attributes of the Divine
Providence to which the Declaration
of Independence is committed. with
out this exclusion being repugnant TO
the Declaration and therefore void
The presentment declares that
within a few years after prohibiting
the Bible from the Washington pub
lie schools "it became necessary to
create juvenile courts, jails and cor
3
was the demand for their use that
good people of town and city began
to make efforts to supply Bible teach
ings and moral training to the youth
attending state schools and colleges
and were knocking at the back doors
OF their schools to which the law re-
quired their children committed for
education. seeking for the recognition
of Bible instruction"
1t is declared that 'the course and
attitude taken by the state toward
religion and the Bible will overcome
all others. 1t took less than 90 years
during the reign of Ahab, by favoring
the teaching of Baal rather than Of
Jehovah. to reduce the well estab-
lfshed Jehovah system to one prophet
while Baal's teaching had increased
to over $50 prophets"