Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-07-25
Blaase Points The Way

Cole BIeaae, that charlatan Of
South Carolina politics, says that
when he goes to the Senate he
will introduce a bill compelling
every public school teacher to
profess belief in Jesus Christ.
Probably Blease will succeed.
Blease points to the next step
in the attempt Of the majority to
choke its brand of religion down
the throats of the minority.
We tax Jew and Gentle.
Protestant and Catholic for sup
port OF our public school sys-
TENS. We compel by legislative
statute that the child of Jew,
Gentle, Protestant and Catholic
attend school.
If Blease can compel every
teacher to think as Blease thinks,
the BIeases can go one step
farther and say the teacher shall
subscribe to his belief on the
question Of baptism.
Where will the Blcase8 and
the Darrows and the organs and
Maiones and the Upshaws stop
Evolution was NOT on trial at
Dayton. A far more important
question was being settled there
religious freedom; the inalien-
able right Of every man to wor-
ship His Maker according to the
dictates of his own conscience.
If a State, ike Georgia which
IS almost wholly protestant,
forces her religious beIief-by
lau-into her public schools,
why shouIdn a State with a ma
jointly Of Hebrews employ only
] Jewish teachers; or Catholic
State use Catholic teachers in her
State-supported school?
We Georgia Frotestants do
not agree on every subject. Some
oil us prefer immersion, Others
sprinkle in the ceremony of bap-
tism. After compelling the APP
plicant for a teacher S position to
declare herself regarding the
divinity of the Lord Jesus Christ,
shall we then catchise her on the
question of baptism?
That the way. we are headed
if the Bleases and Little Willie
Upshaws have their way
There are those who would
have the school usurp the func-
tons Of the Sunday schools, the
churches, the leagues and en-
deavors AND THE HOME
circle, We are heading that
way.
The Savannah Ministerial IN
ion does not contemplate re-
ouesting that the Bible be taught
in the public schools Of Savan-
nah, a better plan being worked
out. says the Savannah Morning
News in the following editorial
comment on Religion and
I orce.
The public schools are designed
to give service to the children of
parents Of all faiths 1t is plain
ly m-American to use any part
Of the school sessions or. the
school organization to teach any
faith The line between church
and state would be sharply drawn
and rgidly adhered to. There is
plenty of time for religious in
stluction outside the schools. The
homes and the churches offer the
appropriate places for it. The
point is that the schools are de
signed for certain work-let them
attend to it and nothing else.
If parents wish their children
to have other than public instruc-
lion, the law provides way. If
they wish their children to go
to the public schools, well and
good. But to be strictly fair,
strictly American, let not the
schools ever be involved in con-
troversy over religious matters.
What a nan believes in religion
is his own business and nobodys
cse-sucb matters are strictly
private, not public, and should
not be the excuse for any special
legislation. The broad law
should be laid down, as it has
been, that the state must not in
terfere with any mans religious
beliefs, and to teach one religion
as opposed to others, or to teach
what is accepted by five religions
and not accepted by others, is
driving strictly against that basis
of freedom to worship God ac-
cording to the dictates Of the
conscience of the Individual
thing that is as much opposed to
American ideals as is the mon
arch-al form of government.
There IS nothing that history
teaches more plainly than the fol-
ly, the bacawardnsss, the Unjust
ice, OF forced religion. 1t is the
enemy of progress, the jailer of
souls, the autoeray of minds. Let's
have none Of it, Let's at least be
free in our freedom to Worship as
we 4laaea. grhofhDf. we ha of rna