The state herald., 1921-04-22
SUNDAY SCHOOL VS.. BoLsHEvIsM

The Sunday school is chief .amone
the organized defenses against the
Red peril" and the greatest sup
port of democracy, says the philadel-
phia North American, which recently
began an earnest campaign "to de-
velop the latent resources of the
American Sunday school, and to bring
it in our home territory TO its ut
most fighting strength against the
forces menacing civilization" Jurists.
lawyers, teachers and men prominent
in the educational field have warmly
welcomed this pioneering effort on
the part OF the Philadelphia news.
paper. and have Joined in advocating
through its columns that the Sunday
school, of whatever creed. be
strengthened as an educational
agency for teaching the basic prin-
ciples of democracy as laid down by
the Founder of Christianity" In the
opinion of William l. Schaffer, jus.
tice of the supreme court of Penn
sylvania, the fullest citizenship is
Incomplete without an early church
touch and Edward c. Stokes. for
mer governor of New Jersey, declares
that If the choice had to be made 1t
would be better by far that our col.
leges be destroyed and that our Sun
day schools be saved. Historically.
says Robert d. Towne, the Sunday
school is bound up with the whole
movement Of democratic government
and popular education" He pictures
how civilization would be ieopardized
and the country thrown into a panic
If the news-tickers were to announce
that all the Sunday schools had been
closed and all religious Instruction
had been stopped.
In announcing it's campaign for
the Sunday school The North Ameri.
can notes that all governments are
bestirring themselves against the now
open approach OF Bolshavism and
other destructive forms of radicalism.
and declares that the main defense
We posses lies in a few institutions
which have declared relentless war
on the new philosophy of despotism
These institutions comprise the
public school. the paroch'al school.
the church and the American Sunday
school.
The public schools. owned and sup.
ported us they are by the entire com
munity. ARE fundamentally democrat.
ic and are the most widely diffused
Of the forces alined against the Red
peril" But. while the public school
makes its fight for democracy by
teaching its civic side, the Sunday
school implants In the minds OF its
members a love and understanding
of the doctrines of Christ which are
at once the inspiration and the guild.
ing principle OF democratic civiliZa.
ton Then. too;
THE Sunday school is more demo.
NihtN tidH 'n' puniN stHoul NOT pillN
In administration but also in its so.
cial side The difference arises from
the very nature of the work of the
two institutions.
The public school is for children
of legal school age. The Sunday
scnool admits e-ery member of the
family. young and old II is to a
vast population the chief agency
through which acquaintance. friend
ships. and social relations may be
safely formed II is the center OF
that social contract which unites
large numbers OF families and indl.
yiduals, gives them common inter.
est, and inspires In them fidelity TO
American democracy and Christian
civilization.
But with equal oarnestness we
plead for the cordial help of those
who are without church relationship.
but who agree with M that the Sun.
day school is n prodigious factor for
the promotion of social health and dc.
mocracy, factor which should be
employed TO the utmost In meeting
the attacks OF those cvIl forces bent
upon the destruction OF democracy,
the American ideal. and Christian
civilization. = Literary Digest.
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