The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1925-09-23
Bible Reading in the Schools

Observation-Disclosures STANDARD.
Bible Reading in the Schools
Ct. C. Morrison in the Morris Trib.)
Judge Freeman, the district Judge
at Virginia, Mimi, has held that
there is nothing unconstitutional in
the reading without comment of the
Bible in the public schools of Mime
sofa, and has denied an Injunction
sought by certain citizens of Virginia
to restrain the Board of Education
from allowing the practice.
This decision will undoubtedly be
appealed to the supreme court for
final determination, and whatever the
decision may be, there is certain
to be a considerable flux of public
opinion around the problem therein
presented as well as around the prob
lens arising in connection with the
Scopes trial.
Of course the legal phase, of the
problem may properly be left to the
courts, but public opinion will have
it's say, and in due time may by due
and proper method approve, modify
or reverse the action of the courts.
No one should argue for a moment
that the fundamental right to wor-
ship in accordance with the dictates
of ones own conscience should be in
the least manner disturbed. Nor
should we permit ourselves to adj
vocate that any person be compelled
''to attend, erect, or support any
place of worship" or any prefer
ence given by law to any religious
establishment or mode of worship"
Yet the question remains of what
shall be taught in the public schools.
Here are some people who would rule
who would rule out biology, geologys
sions from the facts which these sci
ences have established. Here are
other people who would rule out do
nestle economy and manual training
as faddish and worthless, while
others would censor the histories in
order to establish world peace.
Plenty of people object to the teach
ing Of the plain expressions as "sup-
ply an demand" and claw Of dimin-
ishing returns" as pure propaganda.
Yet the state has SO Iar been able
to hold to its teaching of science,
centuries, and the result has been an
unprecedented diffusion of useful
knowledge and the raising of the
standard of general intelligence.
On account of the extreme inter-
pretations of the religious inhibitions
of the constitution, there has been\a
dearth of moral instruction. and we
suffer the consequence in an appall-
ing crime wave, and then speculate
what the cause Of that crime wave
may be.
Cause? Plain as can be-absence
of moral instruction. Children grow
up in immortality and as naturally as
can be slip into immortality. The
great majority of folks who take OF
the life and properly Of others, en-
gage in sharp business practices.
bear false witness. violate the family
relation. etc., simply don't KNOW
any better. Precious little healthy
moral instruction have they ever
heard or received, while omnipresent
has been the urge that anything goes
that one can get away with.
The source of moral law as our
present civilization knows it is the
Bible. We shall not indulge in a
cause the Bible needs none. The Bible
has inspired the strong and comfort
ed the weak for the greater part OF
tinue forever.
We're all the books of literature
burned, they could be rewritten;
were all the records of history de-
stoyed humanity could live again
those experiences; were all the dis
coveries of science obliterated, they
could be re-discovered, but none OF
these things is such a crime against
learning as the legalized smothering
of the Bible that is now going on.
Let some new Hilkiah dig it from the
ruins of the temple OF knowledge
and the temple itself would be re-
built.
We are an inconsistent folk. With
hand resting on the Bible, the Presi-
dent of the United States takes the
oath of office. and vet forsooth, the
children of the nation must not be
taught the contents of that Book. In
legislative halls, the proceedings are
opened with prayer, and yet the chill
dren of the nation must not know
whence came those prayers. In
courts OF justice. the WlLHeSSeS SWEAT
to tell the truth and call upon the
God of Truth to help them, and vet
the schools of the nation may not tell
the children who is this God Of
Truth.
But we submit that it would be
better for the President to enter upon
his duties without Bible closer than
the nearest church; that congress
and the legislature could better dis
charge their chaplains. and that
courts Of Justice could better dis
pense with their oaths (all Of which
are public governmental functions)
than that the Book should be sealed
to the children of the public schools.
We are not of those who would
load more duties on the public school.
already too much overloaded with the
functions of the work shop and the
home. Far be it from US to advocate
that it usurp the duties of the church.
Let the schools confine themselves to
instruction in the various branches
of human knowledge, but let them