Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-29
bishop Walsh Makes REPLY
T0SEN, RREWSTER'S ADDRESS
TERMSIT "ST(jNP Speech Speech
Bishop Walsh gives out the following as re-
ply to the address made by State Senator
Brewster at the Sunday school convention,
Waterville, Oct Is:

| head in Maine agrees with you in
your belief of what you call religious
education, whether it be Christian
Science or mere Bible reading or the
later and meaningless thing. called
non Sectarian religious education.
This last species in reality does not
exist never did exist and never can
exist. it is a mere phrase or camou-
flaGe.
I've believe in positive. clear,
simple Christian education. meaning
by that the instruction and training
of mind. heart, soul, will and body.
beginning with the Apostles Greed.
without change of ono iota. the Acts
of the Apostles. the Gospels and the
Epistles and the Old Testament. The
Apostles Greed says: believe in
the Holy. Catholic church, the Nj
Gene Greed says: L believe in One.
Holy, Catholic, Apostolic church,
and that is our belief Sunday and
every other day. over and above the
required standard of the State.
Mere Bible reading may be useful
and interesting. if judiciously chosen
and revcncntly carried out. but it is
not religious or Christian education
and furthermore. may become a dam
gerous affair, because ii is history
of wicked humanity" as we'll as
''idealistic holiness and its private
Interpretation is largely responsible
for many of the strange isms." that
have disgraccd humanity. including
modern socialism end communism.
which claim to me founded on the
Bible.
Kaiser William undermined and
then ruined the great German Empire
through his private reading and inter-
probation of the Bible.
l might add in passing that the new
law in Maine on Bible reading is
queer mixture. from every point of
view. and if anybody cares to test its
constitutionality. he will have a good
case.
The law is loosely drawn, indefinite.
fixes 10 obligations upon teachers.
pupils, school superintcn1Cnts or
school committees. whilc it opens the
door to endless chickering's. if the
teachers do not show extraordinary
common sense. and this is not always
an asset of even otherwise we'll trained
teachers. The Governor claims all
the credit and glory Of this and he is
welcome to such a hodGcpodgc produc
ton, which docs not show Il legal or
We'll balanced mind. and much less a
personal knowledge of the Bible The
motive that prompted this Law is clear
to every one who knows the Governors
mentality.
The religious education now pro-
posed by Mr.. Brewster in collision
With his nantosake and certain protes-
tant ministers. viz: one half-hour a
week, by Diminishing pupils, in order to
let them so to various places or
churches, assigned by the parents, has
n semblance of something serious, but
will not stand any keen analysis. as
religious education, and is full of
practical difficulties.
That the school board may permit
pupils to be absent at the request of
their parents now and again. is clear
enough. if it does not interfere with
discipline in the school, but no school
authority has a right to send pupils
to any church or anywhere else for
religious instruction, and, once outside
the school building. the children may
go where they please or where their
parents please. Who is going to lead
the children to and from these places?
How is school or room to be con-
Quoted properly with several children
leaving and returning at all hours of
the morning and the afternoon? The
responsibility, during all school hours.
is on the school authorities and teach
crs and cannot be shrked nor camour-
tagged. No one at all experienced in
school teaching and administration
would dream of such a thing.
Then. as panacea for the appalling
condition. according to Mr. Brewster.
now existing in the public school @ys-
tenn, viz: "dcspiritualization prev Sc
Of Mr.. Brewster and now going on for
the last co or 20 years to the logical
destruction of positive Christian civil
lzation in our country. and the weak
nesses of many so-callcd Christian
churches. it is pitiable expedient to
cover up wasting disease. One ex-
pert in education and religion, to
whom / explained it and then asked
his opinion. said to me: 1T is about
the same as IL a doctor found a can
Ger in the breast or a broken hip and
prescribed a shin-pla ster." I at once
changed the subject of our conversa-
ton.
Mr.. Brewster claims that within |
the last six months, Bishop Walsh |
has publicly predicted that within 10 |
years we shall definitely adopt a sys- I
tenn OF church-schools. such as exists !!
IN the Netherlands. which is his ideal !
ana under which the public school
unds are divided among various
and then our bold