Milford chronicle., 1925-06-26
A THEOLOGICAL VIEW
Editor Milford Chronicle:

| EullOI MlllOIu OUIOulClGs
Allow me through the columns O
your valuable paper to express III!
feelings on the Bible reading law
passed by the last session of our leg,
islature. The passage of that law
was one of the best things done by
that body, and one of the best things
ever done by any legislature of any
state. The Bible contains the prin-
ciples of good government reduced
to a science. l am surprised at the
foolish talk in many of our great
newspapers calculated to poison the
public mind on this subject.
That such law is contrary to the
first amendment to the constitution,
which forbids the establishment of
religion in this country, cannot be
seriously entertained by any one
who knows the meaning of "estab-
lishment" as used in the constitu-
ton. The Bible has always, from
the beginning of our national exis-
tence, been recognized as the fOun-
datiOn upon which our government
rests.
The Christian religion is a part of
our common law. The Ten Com
mandments are the only sound prin-
ciples upon which to build or main
tain society. The social structure of
government will crumble to ruin if
we deport from the great truths of
Divine revelation as taught in the
Bible.
Infdelity has produced many great
scholars, but all the scholars it has
produced have not been able to give
the world a system of morals that
would keep men from destroying one
another.
Rich and poor alike should be
taught to respect the Bible as the
word of God The public schools are
built by the state; and supported by
the state; and the state certainly
has a right as well as a duty to
guide and safeguard the morals of
children and youth, by instilling re-
spect for the Book of Books. The
penalty attached to the law is what
seems to worry some people What is
law without a penalty for it's viola
ton? A farce.
The establishment of religion to
which reference is made in the first
to the constitution,
means the creation by the govern
ment of a state church-a church
by the state and ruled by
the state, thus constituting union of |
church and state. Such a state of
affairs existed in England and other
European countries at the time our F..
government was organized. 1t prov
ed a curse to both state and church.
The state is essentially and primar-
ly a moral institution. All questions
IF justice, and equity, and safety and
health, and human welfare are ques-
ions of private and public morals.
IF course the state has a right to
each the Bible in the public schools
as much right as it has to teach
history, mathematics or geography.
)enOminatiOnalism and sectarian
enants should not be taught in the
lublic schools as a part of the regu-
ar teaching work of the school. The
aw does not require that, nor does
nyone claim that it does. The great
anger is that theories antagonistic
D the Bible shall be taught in our
chOols and colleges; thus Destroy
lg reverence for God and respect :
)r His Commandments.
The howl that is going up over the {
Ind on account of the Tennessee :
wv, shows the amount of atheism :
nd anarchy and agnasticism there :
in this country. 1t is time some. :
ling was done to check the riot of >
wlessness so prevalent TODAY. '
REV. G. A. COOKE. I;
Del. :