Year: 1859

The BIBLE IN ScHooIs.-This Banquo topic
is up again. Hardly have we exercised the
unquiet thing in Nevada, when up it springs
in San Francisco. DR.. Scott has just pub
lished volume in explanation and defence
of his views upon the subject of the sBible
and Politics" and from the extracts given bv
the Bay papers, We conclude that his argue
ments are most able and convincing. The
Times says ''the book originated in the posi-
ton assumed some time since by the author,
that politics and religion under our form of
government have no necessary connection;
that government has no religion per see, and
should not allow legislation in the slightest
degree to approach discrimination in favor
OF, or against any sect or creed, nor indeed
legislation at all upon the subject of religion.
He particularly opposed the compulsory use
of the Bible in schools" Upon these points
the reverend gentleman himself says:


"The asking legislative aid in any way to
sustain or promote oar Christianity, is in my
judgement, unconstitutional and uhwise.
do not believe that as Protestants, we gain
anything by it. but put everything in peril.
We Protestants being in a numerical major
ity now, should say, and prove our sincerity
by our conduct, that we do not ask, and will
not receive, any legislative favors nor will
we allow Catholics or anybody else to do So
do not like this propensity to call upon
Hercules to help us to do what as Christians
we should do ourselves. like not this be-
fha + IL. IL
for the promotion of religion and especially
for the advantage of our Bible. IncOuld not
teach such thing to the Jesuits. The only seay
toget darkness out as to let light IN.





And as do not believe the cause of Divine
truth requires US to call in the aid of civil
authorities to teach the Bible, so neither do
l believe that the not reading the Bible by
statute law in our Public Schools will cause
virtue and morality to perish out of the land.
If could be made to believe that the Bible
required the aid of the civil authorities to
maintain itself in the world. | should seri-
ously call in question its divine origin. If l
believed that our Gospel called upon us to
propagateit by the power of the civil magis-
trate, should doubt its divine mission
The argument, then, that the State must
make the Bible the basis of our Public
Schools, because there is no other way by
which 1t can be taught to its millions of chill
dren. is but roundabout way of saving, the
State must adopt the Protestant Bible and
establish the Protestant religion Ny friends
have not produced a syllable from our or
ganic laws, that requires or even allows the
State to do this. nor have they cited single
text from the Bible, that is addressed to the
State, commanding it to do this thing. The
Bible is the word of God and we are to read
it and believe it; but the Bible does not COM
nand Cesar TO make his subjects read 1t. Our
Lord did not command the civil rulers to
preach His Gospel to every creature All
His commands are to His protesting follow
ers, as individuals and as members of His
Church, and not as politicians or legislators.
The great weapons of His Church are knowl
edge, truth, light, moral persuasion-His
Word and Spirit. They are spiritual, not
carnal."