The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-11-26
A NOTABLE COURT DECISION

The district court OF appeals of thu state of
California. has just handed down a decision
wfich is notable indeed In this period OF intol-
eranco blgotry and attempted prescription
A recent attempt TO forcs the BIBLE into the
public schools OF that state, just as was at
tempted here IN Tulea, was followed by court
action. The cause went speedily TO the tribunal
mentioned above. Held that the action was con-
uary TO that clause OF the constitution which
provides that mo public money shall ever be
Appropriated for the support Of any sectarian
school"
The reasoning of the court 10 interesting
which is that the King James version of the
Bibls~-the particular version brought TO bar
is the book of the Protestant religion. and
as such IL sectarian," while Protsstsnttsm"
runs the opinion. may not be a seot in the
strict Interpretation Of the term the Proteetan,
Bible contains the prscepts of many OF the
Protestant dehomins tions. and denomination
is merely another term for sect" Th. Jewish
Talmud and the Mohammedan Koran are men
toned as Bibles OF other sscta
The conclusion OF this reasoning Is worth
considering in detail;
AS reeult, men fail TO consider any
Bible for literary or historical value, but
bar all from the schools for fear children
might absorb come doctrine adverse TO the
King James Bible. adopted by Protestants
as their book, is Questionable to those VINO
do not follow that faith. II is thus a book
OF sectarian or denomnatonal character
within the meaning OF the Political Code"
And OF course. the courts sole concern was
to ascertain tho proper relation OF the subject
at bar TO the political code thus mentioned.
This decision is In line with numerous others
However far short 1t may fall Of meeting pop.
ular approval. II serves to point out the fanaoy
OF raising tho subject In this land OF constitu.
tonal liberation and complete separationN OF
church and state. We have heard rather much
! recently OF movements designed to eftec, sep
arauon or church and state. The founders and
de~isners OF this government attended TO that
| ehore and attended 20 IL well some hundred and
fifty years ago. They who raise tie Issue at all
! now are but IN reality moving toward a ran.
! proachment OF church and state. This is true
! no matter how Objectionable such a statement
may be.
To the ili-read and those pretudlced bv falls.
learning. the declaration Of tho court that the
| Bible Is a sectarian book will cause much men,
| tai anguish and arouse righteous wrath Yet
! nothing is truer, as all who have studied care
| fully that period in history known az the ref
ormaton, will readily admit The King James
| version OF the Bible was political and not a
religious Incident That can be said without
| impsirinE either the usefulness OF the Great
Book or having the remark construed a. an at
tack upon its divinity
II will come as surprise 10 many Of our
people that this nation ia not a Protestant ma
! tion Yet II "a not. within the meaning Of the
! political code 10 quote the very words OF the
| eminent court, II Is an agnosuc nation. since
ITS FRAMEWORK, ON WHICH DEPENDS
| EVERY LIBERTY AND EVERY DUTY OF
! THE CITIZEN, gives recognition to no sect or
denomination or cult. It Is Deistlc. In that It's
founders gave much evidence OF their belief
In God, but it has always been In practice, is
| now and must ever continue TO be, broadly
! catholic, in that all forms OF worship. all de-
nominations and all cults, have enjoyed equal
I protection under that provision of the constitu-
ton voucheafing freedom OF conscience TO
every man living within its frontiers.
Prescription, intolerance, bigotry--these are
as repusnant to the spirit OF our government as
| they are contrary 10 the written constitution