Chicago Daily Tribune Newspaper, September 25, 1876, Page 1

e Thicogo Dailp Teibune, VOLUME XXXL st ARTISTIO TAILORING, DWARD ELY & CO., Irtistic ‘Tailors, ill g1l from this dato as follows : SPRING AND FALL OVERCOATS, | Field, Leiter | 498, $40, $46, $60, $55, $60. WINTER OVERCOATS, 50, $55, $60, $85, $70, $76, 4 $8 . 3 STITS 45k, $60, $65, $70, $76, $80, TROUSERS, | 315, $16, $17, $18, $20, $22. EDWARD ELY & GO, Wahash-av., cor. Monroe-st. ESTABLISHED 1854, JEWELRY, WATOMHES, Etc. An clogant assortmont of WATCHES, FINE COLD JEWELRY, SILVER AND SILVER-PLATED WARE, AT ABOUT HALF THE REGULAR PRICES Now belng closed out at the BANKRUPT SALE, Cor, of Lake and Clark-sts. Every article Warranted. DRY GOODS, &c. SPEGIAT, NOTILE: GRAND OPENING! & Co. STATE & WASHINGTON-STS,, Announce to thelr friends and the public that during the day and evening of Thursday, Sept. 28, They will make their Grand Display and Opening OF FOREIGN NOVELTIES Comerislng Most Noted legancies from BERLIN & PARIS Manufactured Garments " FASHIONABLE DRESS FABRICS OUDAN STEAMSHIFS, ONLY DIRECT LINE TO FRANCE, Thie General Transatlantic Company's Mall Steamora petwcen Now York. and 1avee, caiing At Dlyinouth (0. 1.) for the Iandiog of passengers. Tha splendid veiaeli on this Tavorits route for tho Continent, . provided with Electric Delis,) ‘will sall from pler No, 43, foot of linrruw street, N, R., as follows: *bereire, Danre, Saturday, Bopt. 25 at 8 Germain, Reculoux, Saturds; rulor, Saugller, BAturday, pausge in gold Uncluding ‘wine) 120, ll:l:flx‘fll“x| sccommodation. 2 THind cabin, $40. Teturn tickets st reduced 'rates, Steerayo g6, with guperior sccommodation, Tacluding and utensily, “without extra charge. Steamers marked tiius * o not carry stecrage passcn- e LOUIS D WEDIAN. Ayent o3 Uroslwey. OF W ¥, WHITE, 67 Clark-st., Agent for Chlcago. xR LIVERPOOL AND QUEENSTOY EXGLAND,8ept. 30, 2 p. m | ITALY, Oct. 14, 1100 EovER 005 0 in | TR Quies, de i Rba GREECE, Sept. 30, 2p. M., Cabfa p 3 urro f el daley; Sieerage tickels, ga cury cacy.” Drsita for £1 and upwardson Great Neicaln & Livisia,_Avply to P, B LATBON: 4 Bouth Giark-at: “North German Lloyd. The steamers of this Company will sall every Batar- day Trom Tromen Lier. fooc of Thiraatr. 1o Kates of passago—From New York to Southsmpton, London, Mavre, and Dremon, Arst cabln, $100; #ccond cabin, 86k, rold; stacrage, $30 currency. ' For freighc or paisage Apply 10 OELIICIHR & CO.,. 2Bowling Green, New York. Great Western Steamship Line. Ao New York to Dristol (Eagland) direct. COINWALL, ‘Stamiper, w:x‘va‘d"y',’o?fi“l: Cabin passage, $70: Intermediate, 8451 Bleorage, £30. Excursion ti 120 P T e CARRIAGES, CARRIAGES, W 111 = mlc:d:l‘):?c::, & at greatly re UGANDAUS, LANDAULETS, OLARENOES, 0DAOHES, COUFES, and COUPELETS, Dur Patent Oounterbal; B Buiost Sovnimtalanon Bront ING FRONT BERLIN COACHEHES are the leading Oarringes of the day, and, for beauty of dosign, simplic- ity, and thoroughness of construg. tion, are unsurpassed, The Falling Fronts to both are nicoly counter- balanced by 8 Spring (Which ar- rangoment 18 Patented*), and can with cach bo lowered and raised with the finger. We 'Ipunrantflo our work to bo FIRST-CLASS, and to please in avory partioular. *No Infringement of our righta under tho above patent, will be atiowed, H. KILLAM & CO., 29 Chestnut-st., New Haven, Conn. C. 0. TEN BROEKE ! our Agent in Chicago. b ik uhcda il Sl FINANCIAL, 1 PER CENT, Chalcs large Joans on Improved city bustness propert; £, P BV IR 1000 and O Sha 65,000 wach, (0 SCUDDER & MASON, 107-100 Dearbarn-st. HONEY AT LOW RATES 040 on Warehouse tecetpts for Oraln and Provis: us, 08 City Cortidoates Aol Youchers, on Hents and Eflnmu. EAZARUS BILVEIR AN, Uank Chamber of Counnerce, CHICAGO CITY CERTIFICATES, Recelvablo for Taxes, for salo by JOHN H, WRENN & CO., -~ Mashington and Desrborn-te. BOOKS, ereat reductions. A rare S chunco for bargains s of- WOtk catirely of eholeo tfIg 5105 Cousiatsl: Intending to devote the coming fall and winter to speciaftied in dne books, I ahall for ons weck offer wy stock of hooks at very W. T. KEENER, 03 Dearborn-ate ANCTION SALES. AT PUBLIC AUCTION! ByGEO.P. GORE & C0., Auctionecrs, Tho entiro BANKRUFT BTOCK of FINE FURNITURE of tho late Geo, Gilbert, 267 and 260 Wabash- &v., i8 to be closed out WITHOUT RESERVE, Two Sales Each Day, TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY, Bept. 26 and 27, commoncing at 10 a.m. and 2 p. m. each day. ROGERS & C BHIPPERS OF COAL. Wo aro prepared to furniab, at the lowest matkot ratos, Lackawauna °* Feanklin” Conl, elther by cargo or car-load, shipped divect from mines in box cani, or at retal] dellvercd from our yanis, Also Lehlgh Lump, and propared sizes Blosaburg and Triarllil Coals. .}144 Market-st. YARDS:{ 12 South Clask-t, . arket-st, OFFIOES % 100 Dearborn-st. TO M e ot Desirable Oficgs TO RENT IV TEBD TRIBUNE BUILDING INQUIRE Op WILLIAM C. DOW: Room 8 TRIBUNE BUILDING —— 1IN G T wums, D T L. JSSU ."nlllllill:llhrn of Ladles* FE]‘EEJS ' i 1"“;‘.3 ?‘J:{?.ffi;“'. . Ul=gl FOIR BALE, CIDER BARRELS., Partics wishing to buy New or Becond-hand Bar- rels forclder, cur-load l0ta or less, can be lulgpundnn short notice by addressing ¥. M. BHADSHAW, dealer in second-hapd bassels, 278 and 280 Cantre- av., Chicago, SEE the new n!'/len of Mew’s and Boys® IHats at Low Prices, Jo 8. BARNES & 0O, 70 Mudison~-sts CHICAGO, THE BIBLE. . Shall the Bacred Volume Be Used in the Public Schools P An Able Argument in the Negative by the Rev. W, W. Pat- ton, D. D. Compulsory Religion Clearly in Violation of the Constitu= tion and the Law. All Creeds Iave an Equal In- terest in Our Common=- School System, And No Dogma Should Be En- forced for the Benefit of One Exclusive Sect, - Uistorical, Legal, Politieal, and Rellg- lous Reasons for School Sece ularization. The Affirmative Once More Urged by the Rev. James Maclaughlan. ‘Thero was a largo attendanco at Farwell Mall yesterday to listen to the address of the Rey. W. W, Patton, D. D,, on tha subject of the “Biblo in the Schools.” There were at least 1,000 people present, and, during the discourse, the applauso was frequent and hearty. The Doctor tonk for his text thu “Blble In the Schools,’ and spoke a8 follows: It Is not surprising that thore should be a universal Interest, und, at tlincs, an intense feeling, in connection with the question of re- ligious exercises in the public schools. On the one hand, there hias ulwn(yn been in this country [ ulrnngfyonullr sentfment In favor of tha Chrfstfan Protestant religion, while during our carly history there was a union ot Church and State, The custom thereforo naturally obtained of providing for the relizlous instruction of ndults and of youthat public expense; and thus exercises of wuum‘: wero introduced {nto the schools supported by general tax. This custom has continued in mmzlv parts of the lund to the present time; and an attcmpt to change it interferes ot once with conserva- tive tendencles and with religlons assoclations and afins. On the other hand, we hiave now been living for a century under o National Constitution forbiddiog any ‘¢ religious test " for oflice, as also the * catali- 1ishment of religlons” and to this provision the scvera] State Constltutlons have, in nearly every instance, conformed; 80 that in few ot thes fundamental lnws of the land Is mention made of Protestantism or of Christianity. Mean- while the ‘Pupuluuun, once nearly homogencous fn mee and M religlous faith, has become, by fmmigration nnd_!i\y changes of opinion, widely heterogeneous, This ovenslons a differenco of Judgment and a colliston of conscientious con- victlons as to the use of religlous exercises in schools which are supported fi common by those of every form of belief,—Protestant and Rom- Ish, Christtan, Jewish, und Rationalistic. It {5 diflicult to sccure a calm, wise, and un- prejudiced discusalon of & question which {n- volves o religions clement of dispute. And this 1a for no reason dishonorable to religlon. It is beeause religion {8 of trunscendent fimportance that men cherish eurnestly and defend stoutl; thelr convictlons with respeet to it, and watch with gravesusplcion whateveruppearstomilitate ugainst its interests, I fecl, therefore, & gon- wine sympathy Wit thoso vigilant and warm- hearted Protestant Christians who have boen seriously disturbed by changes, accomplished or proposed, which rule cut religious excrelses rom the publie schools, including the reading of the Biblo, Their position may prove to be, at this doy, {ndefensible; but thelr zeal {s natural and bonorable, thelr motives are pralse- worthy, and thelr indigratlon is comprehensible, i nut quite justifiable. There s reason also tu belfove that, as the discussion shall proceed and the facts and the underlying principles shall be mude manifest, they will eventualiy be sutisfled that sceulur schools should alone bo supparted by tho Stute, and thay by such an ag- runenient o fusult {3 fmplied, and no harn will come, to the Bible and to Chrlstlunity. That we may approach the subject with minds cleured of the confusion In which many scem to be lnvolved, let us notive sume things hich ars often supposed to he at Issuo in this contro- vergy, but which really ore not so; L "Let it bo understood that Lhis 1s not o ques- tion as to the rellglous value and fnspiration of the Bible. There are good people who fmasine that an unfavorable opinfon {8 to by expressed, or at Jeast lmplied, and u damaging declsion rendered, by our Boards of Fducation, on the quustion whether the Bible 13 indeed the Word of God, No such issuc 18 favolved. Many of those who advocate purely secular schools” are flrm believers in the diviue authority of the Scriptures, and woulil never tolerate a vote of o Board of Edueation wiich siould refiect n any manuner upon the character of the Bibles But they see, With regrot, thut thelr own faith in the Dlhiu i8 not shared by all who ars compelied by law Lo support the school ul they ngree that it does not belong to n Boand of Education to declde this questlon, one w“{ or the other; that it 1ano funetion of the civil Stats to determine which ia the truo reflgion, and what professedly saered books are fnspired. For, il they could deulde ofticlally for the Bible, Ly ordering it into theschools us God's Waord, they would linye tho equal otleal right, on a similur” oceaslon, to publish to tho people a declaration that L wus not\to be reccived as God's Word, if such should happen to be their opluion. 1lenes, it s proposed thut the Bible shall slm- pl( e left unused gy u religlous authority inthe sehools; no ofliclal actlon being thus had ns- serting or implylug auy oplulun us to its char- weter,” To withdraw ity not on the ground that it Is uninapired, but beeause it f8 out of the wrovines of civil government to decilo whethor 1t Iy 50 or not, ulfurs nu fnsult to the Bible. It only lnsists on preserving the distinetion be- twden the provinee of Church and State, and on not allowlng the Btate to declde o clearly relig- fous question. To repreacut this oflleful act ns an insult to the Bible, becsuss the private mo- tivos of Individuals may in somo cusea bo un- [rlendly to Chirlstianity, Is untruo and unwise. It I utrue, because it falls Lo state the real prinei- pleinvoltveds it fs most unwise, becausoit gratuf- tously manufactures an insult, and inslsts on giving It curreucy, through sermons and nows- papers, to umlui'ury of the reputation of re- ll):lun. tho discourazement of its Irlends, aml the exultation of 113 enemies. 8u calainltous is & mistaken zeal and o bilnd indiguation, In no other llue of warfure do trusted leaders mnke such a tactieal mistake; and no wise man gocs through s community teveating imagluary” in- sults ayainst Mmself. Tt 18 no nsult to the Bible that all men do not admit its divine fo- splration, snd that it i8 no Hrupcr part of the provinee of a Public 8choot Hoard to make and enforee o declslon on such o purely religlous questlon, 1L, Neither ducs the clueilkm turn npon the dealrablenvss of using the Bible in tho educa- tlan of children, 1 hold that sacred yoluuie to bo the .book with which it (8 mors lmportant that chifldren should be fumitiar thun all other oks. I havo tralncd my own chlidan fu ae- cordancs with such a conviction, 1shall always urge other purents to do the same with thele chlldron. ‘Tho stmplicity of {ts style, the purity of its woral {nculeutious, the lnterest of its nar- tutives, the value of its history und biography, and tho suprome fwportuncy of its religious doctrines, make it, from the Christian polut of Vh:v:l casuntisl to the complete education of chlldhood. But it docs not follow from this that the Rublle school of the State is the place {n Which to teach the children from the Bivle; for 10 oue cxpects that n l:ull?)lute education will ther'u be glvew, or contends thatt shonld bo. A Presbyterlan may lonestly think that no chlld can” bs I.Immughlsv trafned without belug indovtrinated fn the Shorter Catochlsw of the estmiuster Assembly of Divioes, This ma Lo quite true; but if 8o, the ument woul stlll be fullacious that thla catechlsm should therefors be introduced {nto the publls schiouls, There Iy, indeed, a plucs for eyery sight thing; MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 1876. but the public school is not fAe place for every right thing, Change the mipposition somne- what, and ‘the principle will be clear. Let o committee of [awyers walt apon tho pastors with & proposition”to introdate into the Sun- day-schoola tha Reviscd Statutes of Illinuis, with the Conatitutions of the Stats and of the Unlted Btates, and let them make an eloquent plea, enlarging upon the necessity of having the chifdren maulo” acquainted with the government and laws of their country, The pastors would not dispute this statement, bat would politely inforim the lawyers that it did not follow that such Instruction was to be given in Bunday- achools, which do not nndertake to rrorldu for ansthing more than the religious tralning of children, Indeed, the advocates of the use of the Bible In the public schools, after waxing pro&wrlfl elur'uenl. over the value and necessity of the fiiblc ju the education of children, most Incansistently, yet ncceasarily, sdmit that the une of it in tlicac achools miust be restricted within tho narrowest possible limita; that ft must only be read in cantlously sclected and Lrief extracts to the children, and on no az- count bo explained or applled!” What a mock- ery this scoms to bel "It is clalined In one breath that it 1s due to the rcliglous con- victions of the mnss of the people, Lo the mem- ory of our plous forefathors, and to the moral wants of childhood, thut the Bible shonld he part of the educational nstrutacntalities in our public schools, aud In the uext breath it ia od- initted that, becauso of the varlont interpreta- tlaus put upon it, no teacher must bo allowed to utter a syllublo ns to {ts meaning, even to pre- yent an utter misconception by the children of somo passages read in thelr hearlngz; and that the portions read must be selected with great care. As though the worth of the Bible were not wholly {n it meaning, and 1ts practical value to be found in ite application to dally lifa! And this difllculty occaslons thosuepleion that the good cffect of "the use lately made of the Bible in the schnols has been greatly exagger- ated. The reading of ten or twenty voraea each morning, often hurricdly and by an irreligious teacher, without a word "of exposition or appll- catlon, while having an incldental yalue, cannot be so nfluential an clement of education as is clafmed {n the fmpussioned appuals of those who suppose themselves to he con- tending for the honor of the Word of God and the moral education of the young. Intellectu- ally, I must hiave more respest for the position occupied by the Roman Catholles, when they {nsist upon full methods of religlous fnstruction for their children in tho dafly” school-routine, and not on the nero [dea and “shadow of a re- Hgious {nstrumentality, What {s quitc smus- Ing inthe plea for the reading of the Bivle, as an introductory exerclse, when it is enforced by n referenco to the Puritan founders of the no- tlon, s, that the exercise in question s Pmdwli’ what those founders condeimned and repudi- ated. There was nothing naguinst which the Puritan Fathers of New Eugluud were more pronounced than against the publlc n:nl“u{; of the Bible without an uccompanylug exposition. This waa their standing objection io tho ays- tematic reading of Scripture In the Eplmolul Church-service. In thefr own \rnrsmfl, he chapter read was Invarlably exponnded, that the people might not only hear the words, but un- derstand the meaning. This will be found ar- cd in the Rey. John Cotton's “ Way of the hurches,” Sve, 075 and Pafrey, fn his © Oistory of New England™ (vol. iL, p. 42, says: “The reading of the Bible in the publfc_worship, without exposition, wn3 geucrally dlsapproved, being regarded ns an fin- proper conformity to the blerarchieal gervice, and qualifled by the opprobrious name of dumb reading.’ It §8 plain, then, thut the st nuthor- ity to bo appenled to in favor of naked Bible reading to youns children fu the scliools is that of those who establislied the publicachool sys- tem in New Eungland; who never practicsd it, but used the Bible 28 o text-hook, and uot onl read in {t, but taught from it, and added to {t the catechism, with a regular visitation of the Congregational clergy to examine tlie- children as to their proficloncy fn Christian doctrine. Now, all that which the Puritaus valued having been dropped, wo are eravely urzed fn thole nane to rotain only that which they specifically dlsnrpmvud. Again we sce the dunger of an unfiluminated relfgious zeal, which infstakes natnes for things! “There fs no dispute on_ iy art a8 to the value of religlon in the educa~ Tion of the young: oras to the speelad {mpor- tance of making them famillar with the Bible, or us to the wlsdom af ntroducing into private schools the study ua well as the reiding of the Bible; but Tealf fu question the propristy of sing the publle schools of the Stats for that irpose, and also the practical value of Erlul Bible-reading, limlted to n few parts of 8cripture, and acconpanied by 1o words of ex- planation or up&)llwtlnn. I11. It may also briofly bo remarked, in pass. ing, that the matter nt fssucdoes not troat the merits and use of the Bible, or of extracts from it, on purcly literary groum}& In this respect {t I8 open to use us uny other book would be, of prose or poetry, of listory, motuls, or oratory, and it bas high clalms to recognition ad the leal- tng English Hterary cossies. If any comptier of n Reader choosca to make part of his selec- tion frown the Bible, un the simple ground of their adaptedness to his literary purposes, and notas having religlous authoriiy; if, for in- stanee, he takes Judah's speech bofore Pharoah for [ts pathos, n passage from Job, for {ts sub- [imity, the 23d P'sulm for its poctle boauty, Paul’s cominendations of charity or love, for its universally recognized ethieal charm, and other extracts for their Saxon style; there could be no abjoction to the use of such a Reader In the schools, ThereIs no disposition to make the Bible, as fs sometimes aflirmed, through mlnxqmm‘u:unhmy or for popular effect, “ the one prohibited hook."” It can be used for lezit- fmute sceulur purposes, as n{or.hur book might Dboj but swhen it (s souzht to be {ntroduced, or retalned, as an inspirad, authontative volumne of rullgluu and morals, and to be read os an exerclse of daily worship, it comes under the same objection as do all other roliglous works concerning which thero i3 a dilference of oplnion among the supporters of the schools, Let any ong scek to Introduce the Ttomish missals or the Eplscopal Prayer-Book, or Doddridge's “Rise and Progress,? or any Dook, however excellent [n Itself, which (s iden- tifled with the rellglous beliefs of o part of the connunlty only, snd he will soon learn whether tho Blble Is *the one prohiblted book.,” Having now cleared the way to the main question, we find oursclves slinply called to inquire whether, under our Amerléan system, the clvil State shall restrict tself to sceular duties; and whother, on this princlple, the pub- lic achools shall bo made_purely secular? To this question 1 am prepared, both'on the grouud of justice and of polley, to return an alllring- tivo answer, All agree’that the American doc. trinu 1, an entire scparation of Church and Btute, aceording to the provision fu the Federal Constitution forbitding ** the establistent of retiglon.” Tle principle nvolved seems fairly and necessarlly to linply, that the Ciyil Govern- ment shall In no wise meddle with rellgion, to fa- vor onoctnss of rellgious opinfons rather than another; that it shall restrict itaelf to ita own sphiero of secular loterests, leaving the Church, l'lu family, sud the individual, to provide for religions ‘hlcrunlfl nceording o private con- eclence, Tho thne was when' the Stato consld- ored ftsel! clurged with the support of the Church, In order to care for the morals of the community, and to pay due respect to God. That s still the Luropean doctrine, In this country we have repudiated any such responsi- bility on the part of the State, so far as adults are concerned; and it remalns to be scen whether the same shall not bo done as regards the chlldren. Ono princlple should gulds the Btate [n all its relations to rellgion, This, to an Amerfcan mind, would seem ta be self-evident. Conslstency requires it na there would appear to be no reason why the education of childron should be an exception to a ruly, bnsed on s fundamental principle, which detiues the func- tions of the civil Btate us purely secular. The State does not, Indeed, taks the whole work of education Into its own hands, but vnly engagos In ¢ partially, for certain secular purposes, and by muthods Which do not dlseriminate between tf:e fundumental rotiglous convietions of varlous classes fu the community, The Stato does not pretend to exist for oll manner of good pur- oacs, us regards either wlults or enlidrens ‘but or llmited cnds, common to ull citizens, It properly recoguizes the Church and the mm“{ as hinvine righta aud dutles in conneetion with the soctul and religlons wants of the com- munity; us being justltutions better adapted than f8 llle Btate o meetlng those wants; nud as being,ulso, finthe present divided condition of the pubiie mind s to religious faith and wors ship, tho ouly iustitution that can wiscly and sucegssfully grapple with the subject, The caso wus formerly diiferont, as a practical Emblom—u it atill {s in mauy of the rural dls- ricts—~whatever may b the rl?'m. prineiple, in the ubstruct, as to the sphore of the clvll State. ‘Tho anclent sgreement, fn theological doctrine and actual forins of worship, made it possible ta introduce rellglous exerclaes Into the schoola with the approval of the wholo community. And thus was oceasloned the practies to that effoct, In this country aud elsewhere, The samo homogencousness of the peaple, as to race and faith, Which allowed this, allowed also the unlon of Church_and Btate, ' But the subsequent, chaugos, which made .schools, and remit it to the Church ang @ dlsselution of tho unlon | of Church and Btate necessary, point to a similar dissolution of the unfou between the sccular and the religlous in the public schools, That this Iatter step was not Jong alnce taken throughout the land, s owing to the fact that It 1s only recently that the religious divergences of tha people have hecome so marked a8 to ren- der this aspect of the school question serious. Far the application of even the clearest political principles ‘is usually gradual, and awaits the presentation_of practical cases as thoy histor}: ull‘v atlse. We have ndopted tho prlndgle of civil ncutrality as toreligious faiths, and thelaw allows the Christlan church, the Jewish syna- Kogue, the Chincae Joss-house, and the Ratlon- alist or Spirituallst lecturo-hall to atand alde by sfde. Wien the children which worship in these several places of resort assemble during the week for school duties, the question fs, whether exercises of worship peculiar to one class shall be provided by law for all classcs, the schiools belng supported by a common tax upon all. That any but o negative answer alivuld be returned h{' intelligent . ineu, famillar with the principles of religious liherty and with the gentus of American institutions, 13 indeed surprising, and cannot be u phienomenon of lonj contlnuance, after ealm discussion lns been h and time has modified rellglous prejudice. For, conslder the aetual refation of the read ing of the Bible to the various classes which eomsu)sc the population of such a ity va this, in which we have the widest diversity of re- liglous belief. Let it be supposed that the teacher is required to read s portion of the com- monly-reccived English verston of the Bible as the opemnie exercise of worship and rellzious instruction. First, the Ratlonalist of every variety, Gernan, French, or native Amerleat, calllng bimaelf Delst, Bpiritualist, Positivist, Materlnlist, or whatever you please, vet u tax- rn)-lng citizen, steps forward and protests that ie docs ot wish a book officlally read to his children by uvrder of the Board of Education as uv authority {n relizion n which as an au- thorfty he has no falth, however much he may admire the morality of certaln- parts and the Mterary excellence of particular passazes. ile oljects that the public schools of the State are nat the place to decldo such a question, which {8 purely religious; and that no Board of Edu- vation “has u right to use s school which lie ofds by coinpulsory taxatlon to su; {mrt Lo tell lis children that their ather’s relimous opinfons are erroncous. Next the Jew presents himsell, urginz that his children also attend the sehool, and that he is taxed for its expenses, e has no objection to the reading of the Hebrew sucred writings for purposes of waorship and religfous (nstructfon, exeept that it scems to be heyond the provinee of the State to attend to that business, But the volume actually read has what is called » New Testument bound up lweit, which teaches doctrines abliorrent to him, and which he does not wish biy ehifdren ta hear, Nor 18 he willin, that they sball join in repeating what 4s terme the **Lord's Prayer,” hecause that is requiring them to recognize Jesus, its author, as “the Lord," or the Messlal, contrary to thelr re- ligious falth. ien comes, {n Ifke manner, the Roman Cath- nl!c‘ and makes a threefald obiection to the use of the recelved version of the Enclish Bible. ile complains, flrst, that the translation was made under Protestant nuspices; that it differs In some fmportant respects from the one which is approved by his Church, and that its use has consequently been coudemned und for- bidden. 6 further allezes that this yersfon omits o number of the Scriptual books, called collectively *The Apoeryphia, M and yet labeled “The "Bible,' as if It were the entire work) thus giving his childron o false impression, aud contradicting the teachings of his Church, And, once more, he upges that, even if there wers not theae objections, and If the text of s own versfon were adopted, there is stifl the insuperable difftenlty that his Church holds, us did the New Englund Puritans, that the Bible shiould be expounded, when {t {sread, to pro- vent orror as to [ts meaning and nppllml on; | and that, cousequently, his Douny version con- talns printed notes tobe read st the sane time with the text. ‘There dues not seem to be anything unreason- able fn these pratests, from the point of view of the respective persous. They etand on a Jevel before the law with oursclves, as voters and taxpayers; aud, while thes have no right to clam that their peeuliar velizious views shall be tanght in the schools, they may surely claim that their views shall not be contradicted und our viuws propugated, ‘The clyil State should be fmpartial, which it can only be by ignoring the whole sublect, ns out of its projer prov- 1 Should it be proposed by sume zeilons Christlan merchant to open the Board of Trade, cach day, with Blble-realing, he would be met with the same_difiieulties, In vain would bhe wilege the exeellence of the Scriptures, in gen- eral, and grow eloquent over thair peculiar adapteduess to protect busiiess men szalnst the temptations of trade. He would bo remind- ed thut the Board of Trade was not o chureh; that relligion was not its provinve; and that the members were of widely different faths, Nor would the merits of the case be changed If ft were o question of dfseontinuing a Bibfe-read- fng which had been instituted many years be- fore, when the city wus small, und tlie early set- tlers wero earnest religlous men of one Taith. Wu might regret the change which had oc- curred, but we could not shut our eyes to the fact, or deny the truth of the old adaize, * Cir- cumstances plter cases It would be no insult to the Bible to offer “a resolution that, In view aof the purcely secular objects of the Board of Trade, and the difference of rellzions opinions which now exist in_the business com- muulty, the reading of the Bible at tho open- fug of Its scssions should be discontin- ued. Every Christian member of the Board might consistently vote for jt, even through ofd nssoclations wod his juvividuua! re- rurd for the Bible might and would causes pang of surrowful feeling. Such a pang was nodoubit {elt by members of School Cuinmittees in New Eogland when thoy first voted to discontinus the teachiny of the catechism in the common schools, though thelr judgment was clcar as to the propriety of the act. Rellzlon ean never ho the galuer by any infringement of liberty und Justice. The result of that invarlably Is o pro- vokeo strife, to create bltterness, to lead to angry words and decds, on both sides, and to {dentily religion In the minda of opposers with ulrgut.ry and oppresslon. In the end, the fricnds of religlon will be compelled to back down from their untenaole position, and will oceupy the undeslrablo attitude of granting surlily, under compulsion, what they should have conceded voluntarily in the rocoguition of the equal rights of others, Many do not seem ablo to resist the tempta- tlon to act upon u dangerous princple §f there- by they cuu gain an upparent good, 1n the case bufory us ‘they do not see the mischiel and peril of " admitting that the civll Stuto tnay decide which Is the true religion, nad that a Bourd of Eduvatlon may deterinine what Look is tnspired of God and s to be read as of dlylne suthority. The ovil 1s as real, ina cor- taln view, if their deefston 13 right, as if it wero wrong, for wvicious principle has beensanctioned, whichi, on another occaslan, may be used to ap- prove of error. Nuthimg is needed {n that cuse hut u change in the muuflmrnhlpur the Board to make direet religious decislons most obnoxivus to Protestants, or to all who call thomaclves Chirigtiuus, ‘The only safu principle is to tuke the whule subject of “religlon out of the publi: the family. “But,” some willreply, that *‘the majorlty con- sclence must rule sul the mluorlzfi conselenco must subinit; that, as [t is fmpossible to pleass evorybody, thisis the unly ropublican way of sottfing nliapmcs." This 18 plausible “but sophlstic “The rule of the mafority upplles only to thuse subjects which are clearly within the provines of the budy which is acting. In other matters thero 1s no right of actlon whatevery all action ls usuflmtlon and op- Minorites have certaln fundamentul are not dependent on the will or the consclenco of o majority, It 1s to protect theso that constitutions sre mude, which are sa many restrictions on the power of a major- ity in w'republic, Bo long us a disputed polat is neeessurily fnvolved in the existeuce of clvil government, aud 18 “thus clearly within s rovinee, the mojority iust rule, Henco, In lie enforeoient of luws or the protoction of the country by militury power, the conscience of the Quukier minority cannot be ullowed to ver- rile Lhat of the majoritys nor cun that of the Mormon change the standard of ‘civil moralit in the matter of marriage, ‘Iho reason s obvl- ous: o étandard of morals anda coerclve au- thority are vital to the exlstence of goveru- ment. But purely religious questions do not pertain to the State, aud with reference to them one mew's consciente ls as luviolable as an- other's; aud to rlde over it roughshod by the brute forco of & majority is as sheer Lyranny as i it wero done by o singlo despot,—a Nero of Roms or a Philllp IL of Spafu. Aud this we should reallze did wo tive fn u city wiwre thors was a Roman Cutholle majority, which should Ingist i Judging from s poiot of view what religlous exerciscs would best promote the wmoral education of the children, and tuen fore- ing that judgment upou us. Persceutlon has always fallen back on this !»!cu. Plainly noth- ing could eyer be settled by his mothodof ma- | Joritles, which would almply ba the abro- gatlon of any guiding = principle, and the Insltation to & general and codless strife, No common rule would be applied; but, in one city, a Protestant malority wauld Introduce into the schools the Englishiverslon of the iSible, issued by Kin James: in a neighboring city, 8 Roman Catholic majorily would acvurs the’ e of the Dutiny veralon in a third, a Rationalist majority would exclude both, and substitute a book of éxtracts from the Korau, the Shasters, and writings ol Contuclus, Ench city would 'also become the sceno of a perpetnal conflict from year to year on this subject, as with relation i) ordinary {muuml quications; and this would lead to en- angling alliances with one and aunother party, to thodiscredit of rell?’lnn and with no pep- manent sctilement of the queaton at fssue; stucs the minority would be always rencwin the atrife, thinking to become the ‘majority. ‘i’ s¢a no hope of a setttement which ahall leave us -ruhllc school systein but in removing the whalematter of religlon from the schools, and thus vlnf no occasfon for confict on the ground that partiallty 1s_shown to Protestant over Romanist, or to Christlan over Jew or Ratlonalist, or to the religious beliet of any man over tue falth of another, 1f, nfter the secularization of the common achools, Protestant or Romish parents prefer to send thelr children to schools fn which there is positive religlous nstruction according to tholr own faith, they can do so at thelr own ex- penae, as many parents now aend children, par- ticulatly thelr glrls, to private schools, Al ob- icclhm to the scctarian |nnnn§nmcnml the pub- 1 schools being thus obviated, the simple ques- tion for the people to decide wlll be, whether to naintain, at public expense, sccular achools open to afl children, that there may be universal cdueation In the Hepublle, or to leave the children to be educated {n religlous schools, supported by churches and pnvate fndividuals, When the certainty, the unlversality, tho guals ity, and the economy of the education required sliould be taken futo consideration, there can be little doubt that the volce of the people would sustalu the secularized public schonls. There has been an ammrt on the part of soing, In order to avolt the pinch of this arzu- ment, to shift their ground from re- liglon to morals, and to claim that the Bible should be used In the public echools. not. as a religious hook, but as simply a hook of morals, which helps to teach the ‘morality upon which the State Is based. Bat, plainly, more i, and must be, claimed by those who Insist on its being read us au {ntro- ductory vxercise, along with the repetition of the Lord’s prager. Aud, If it beread with the understanding that itz moral Inculeations are of Divine authority, then the relizious question comus hock in full force, If that authority stiould be carefully discarded, as spy element of finpression, you luge the value of the bouk as a standard ; und it could bardly be done without casting doubt upon tho fact {tself,~the book claiming such authority in all its utterances. Moreovér, the contents are Not o arranzed s to teach morals alone, apart from religlon. And how strange would be the {dea of ndopt- Ing a text-book of morals from which nolessons must be given, out of which a few passages only are to be read, and those selected with dis- cretion, 8o as not to include relirlous teaching, and (n connection with which the teacher must not offer a sinzie word of explanation! Plain- 1y, If the Bible fs used at all, §t must beasa recognized reli: 8 book of Divine authority, It way be prover here to notice the opposing vlew of those who claim that this was original- lya Protestant country,and that Roman Catholies linve no right to call upon us to chrnge our schoolsto sult thelr objections; that if they danot Nke what they find they should quictly submit or else return Lo # Catholfc country, Such an tden can be sccepted ounly by minds which suffer themstlves to be guided by rellzions prejudice, fnstead of rationnl principle. This §s u * Protese tant country™ only In the senso that, religlous~ 1y, the greai majority of t!m p-:o[fia are person- ally of the Protestant faith, just swthey might be of the * Demoeratic” or ** Republican? faith, politically; and that our institutions grew up under a torresponding formative influence. It fs true, us rexirds the census tables, but not as regands the Conatitution and the laws, and it is but partiafly true fn o historic sense. In most of the orlglonl thirteen Colonles of Great Britatn the Protestant religion was established by laws but, with the excepiion vt Massachusetts and New Hunpshire whien they beeame States, this rovision was dons away, cnd . never had place in the Coustitution of tie Unlted' States. Heneo, before the law all reliiclous denomiuatiousare on an equal footiog, The luw knows no Rumanlsts and no Proles- tants, as such, but only citizens, whoae religious fulth §s a matter of their own private concern, When we fnqulre after the bisturle view of the wise, a8 regards the whole country, the fncor- rovtness of thu assertion Leconies eluring, Mary- land was orlzinally seitled by Roman Cutholics, and Charles Carroll, & man of that faith, a8 her delegate, sigmed the Declaration of Independ- eoce. So was Florida, so was Loulslana; the former of which wo purchased from Spain, an fnteusely Roman Catholle Power, from which, through’ Mexico, of the same fafth, came ulso Californla and New Mexico, All the States west ot the Mlsslasippl River are on territory which was prinelpally explored by Jesult mis- slonaries, and was ceded Ly Franee, a Catholic country: and thefirat settlements, half military, lalt rellzious, were made hz: Romauists, at the thine when the Freneh ruled Canada. Honce the strong hold which the Romish Church has always hud on the City of St. Louls, aud hence the liost of geozraphieal names beglnning with 8L seattered throughout this region. Iteally, In view of s8¢k facts, it s somewhiat brazen io fuce an intelligent publle with the declaration that this hias always been o Protestant country, and that Roman” Catholics are forelgn luter- lopers, who are here on suferance! Why, the two earliest scttlements in this very State of Iilinols, Knskaskis and Caliokla, were made by French Roman- Ists, two centuries ugo, fn 16731 Now It would be a strange step, indeed, wers we quictly to iznoro these historie facts, und coolly to forget also that the early Church and Staté policy of the Colonies was publicly abandoned, and that fmmigrants of cvery faith wers Invited to como from all the world to help us people tho wilder- ness, with the assurance of perfeet equality be- fure the law, and were we to take the ground thut this Is a Protestant country in ull mnatters pertalning to leglslation respecting so finpor- ant o matter a3 the public schiools! By so do- Ing, wo should siinply burn the braud of liypoc- riay into our vwn forchiends! th apart from all this, even as Protestants, Wu Inust he truo to our rn"nclplu< For in this land, at least, Protestantism means the com- Elutu dissolutlon of the unlon of Church and tate; the excluslon of the Stute frowm the de- clslon of rellgious questions, aud from the man- ifestation ol preference for one rellglous body or class over untother; the enjoyment of perfect religious freedom; the equal” respect for all cunselonees In purely relizlous matters. ‘I'hese rrlnulplm Wa st carry out tuward Romanists, 1 the munagoment of public schools, prectsely a3, in similar cirewinstances, and in o countr: whiere we wero a minorlty, we should demani that thoy uct toward us, ‘Thers remalns the kindred objection to the position which I have takoen, that shis country, even If 1t bo not Protestant, (8 ut least legally and distinetively Chrlstian: amd that, conse- quontly, Jews aud skeptics have no right to ob- et to Chelstian roli loug exvrcldes in the pube lc schools. That the overwhclmning mass of our people have had falth fo Clristianity since the settlement ot the country, is undoubtedly and happlly truo; ond also’that, in the carly period, thire was n union of the State an Curlstlan Churcl, in most of tho Colonfes. But tho queation 18, What legal nnd constitutional position was Jullbcm.cly assumed, when tho nation took organic form; and what pledgo did i6 wuke when it mvited bnmigration from all the warld( _Hers wo uotice, a8 Indieas tive of its theory and spirlt in referenco Lo re- liglon, that the Convention which forined tho Foderul Constitution bud not even prayer offered fn connection with its proceodings; although prayer, 1f fuyited, would not huve been a recognitlon of Clirlstianity, as it s common to all reltgions, to tho chlsn&.\lulm medan and beathen, as well as the Christlan, When Beojunin Franklln, bimscll a skeptie, propused “prayer, In somo eloquent - re- warks, “the uotion - was not adopted,” saye Dr. Sparks, bis blographer (p. 513), a3 the Convention, except thres or four pur- Bsoug, thought pruyor unnceessary.” The truth must swdly be confessed that o largo part of our leading stateamcu at that perlod were skeptjcs, lke Franklin and Jetferson, owing to the low stato of rellrlon in the churches uud the pre- vailing Intfluence of French sentiment. It was thelr purpose to separate religlon from the State, _Hence we find no mention of the Bible, or of Christianity, or cven of God, inthe Na- tional Constitution. This was not from any dla- respect; for thers were numnerous bellevers of Christianity fu the Counventlon, who scem to huve ratsed no debate on this point, but upon the priveiple that religlous guostions did uot come within the proviuces of thy clvil State, Hento, when Hawlltou was askod b{‘ulurg ' man lu Ngw York why there was such an omfs- alon to recogulze God and Cmmn‘fiy he rov plled that thio thing bad not aceurred o them; PRICE FIVE CENTS, that s, that they had not once deemed it a sub- {ev:l. appropriato 1o thelr action, Bimllarly Washington salil o the Inquiry or complsing of certaln Preshyterfan clergymen who walted upon him, that the Conyention had left atl such matters to the clergy. In amore deliberate and official form, be aud the Unlted States Senate stated the cxaet fact when, but seven {cnrs alter, in the cleveath artiels ot hio treaty with Tripoll, concluded Nov. 4, 1700, it was anid: “A8 the Qovernment of tha United States is not, in any sense, fonnded on the Chritian religion ; as {t lina in itself no charae- ter of enmity against the 1a'vs, religlon, or tran- quilllty of Mussulinans; and as the suid States never have entered into any war or act of hos- tility againat any Mohainmedan nation, it is de- clared “by the partics that no pretext arising fromn religious opinfons sinall ever produce a* ‘ne terruption of thoe harmony existing between the two countries,” In the fuccof the deliberate silence of the Constitution on the one hand, and, on the othcr' of its expreas prohibition of a *‘religious test® in connection with offfecc and of s natlonal, “estahllshinent of religion,”—not, be it ob- eerved, the Erohlhluan of thc establishment of & particnlar Christlan sect or Church, as againat other Chriatlan sects ar churcliea onl) y but “of religlon,” of any form or creed, Jt (s quite vala to infer 1ts Christian character from an incident~ al use of current religlous observances. Thus to the Constitution was affixed a Christinn date; but everyJew does the same {n his correspond~ ence, It “helng a matter of chronology simply. Ho, where a weekly reat-day 18 recognized fot [""EU' aivll purposes, the drst day o1 the weok s naturally mentioned s that already in use by the mass of the people, An oath is likewist preseribed, but that fa common to all religions, and may be administered nceording to one' ecullar” bellef, or inay be sct aside altogether, [ desired, for u sinple aflirmution, It thus appears that Chrlstlaoity has not been made tho lezal religion of the land by the Federal Constitution. ' The various State Con- -stitutions, with the exception of a general recognition of a Gud, and, In the case of Massa chiusetts and New Hampshire, of certain Protes, tant provisions, arc simllarly framed. And even were tho fact otherwise, the practical difik culty for the schoolk, arising from the conscien. tious dlvislons of Protestants ond Romanists remains unabated. The Iangruago of our Tlinolt Constitution expresses the spirit of the funda mental law of our entire nation in thess words: Ll free exerclae and enjoyment of rellzious profession and worship, withvut discrimination, sitall forever be guarantecd.” How Inconsistens with this it {3 to eajoin ofliclally that the public schools of the whole commuulty shall bave re- liglous exercises approved by o puart of the people only ought not to.reguire o labored argument to prove. The day will come when this will be positively aflirined by the courts, and, In thne, the wonddr will be that o contrary opinion was ever entertained. A now, In bringlug thls address to a close, 1 wish to offer, a8 one of their nuinber, an carn- est ward of adviee to those whu claim to bo Evangelieal Christlans, as to their action on this subject. It is possible that o majority of youdo not 13 yet agreo with the views which I havede. feniled. lllnu‘i:h many of our most Intelligent and fuly-minded brethren have adopted them, and changes of o(glnlun have been golug on with great rapldity. Your dislike of “change, your fearof moral and relizious hurmy youridea that, in sone way, the civii Stute nnist recog- nlze and promoty Curiatfanity; your pride, which shrinks from seeming to be compelied by Romanlats and unbelievers to withdraw the Bible from the hoaored place which it ns s long held {n our commun sehools, and your faith In beloved and trosied leaders, who “have elo- (im:ntL depicted imaginary evils which are to flow from such o withurawnl,—all these thingy conspire to mislead your judgment by a substi- tution of rellzious sentiment. The mistake it serlous, nnd threatens liarm to the cause we love; and moat solemuly dol hiere protestagainst it. Iremind you of Cirlst's own wonls: ** 3y Kingdom*{s ot of this world.” It isan un spiritual snd ontl-New Testament policy to ask the cvil State to providé, in any way, for religlous exercises and instruction. * The plen which calls in its uid, in this respect, In bebalf of the young, (s Just af good fn behall of the adult pupalation. If it can authoritatively Yut the Bible tod the Lonl'y Prayer {nto the &chools ta promote morality, for the sumg reason L can put them anywhere; it_can employ meu to eirculnte the Bible and offer prayer from house to house, or fram street to street, throughout this city. I say, in the ame of ‘spiritualrclizion, to” tho civil State, & Let tho work of the Churth und of thie Chrlst tian family nlone, and be content with provision for secular affairs. We, Christians, will do our own work, {n our owa way.” Do not bhe de- ceived, my brethron; no real strength is to be wralned for Israel by " # golng down” to Egypt" for help! From thie day that the carly Churches cunst‘nlcd to neeept the aid of the Stute in pro- moting Chrlstiani t‘y weakness lias been the re- sult; and it has been only by u slow process that we have regained freedom and power, Wa now have snaxped every Muk but two; this of connection with the public schools, and thut ot tho exemption of church-property from elvil taxation. Lot us not be content till wo have put au end to all dependence of Clrist's Church upon the State. ‘To pursue any other course I, unwittingl, but really, to pldy futa the hands of the Romish Dlerarehy, in {ts opposition to the public schooly,” It gives themn an argument to uso with thelr own people against the schools by making thom appear scciarian or Protestant, Now, I have no expectation of satisfying tha Rowmlsh ‘)rluathoo‘l by removing the Bible Trom the public schools, beewuse they frankly tell us that they do not desire sccular public schools, but such, under thelr own contro), as will be s thoroughly religious, In their sense, as the carly New Englund schools wers in the Purltau seusc, fut I want first to satisfy my own consclence that we are acting impartfally In the munage- ment of the publicschools; aud next, todeprive them of an objection which they use, with reat effect, in prejudicing thelr people against the American system of common schools. To retaln and strengthen that system, we must mulke {t defensive azalnst the charge of partl- ality, We must unite all classes of parents in {ts support, aa of an interest of equal value to them all, hnvhlg thus reduced objection to its lowest polut, we cau say to the Rumaulsts, houestly and with cffect: * We offer you thy same educational advantages with others, with nothblug contrary to your religious faith. The Btate does not profess to furnish a comnplete education, but only sccular knowledge and drill. Auvything” more you may and must furnish ~and” p for yourselves,! AR but they will reply that you buve now made the schools godless,”” some” one muy sue- gest. Aud what (f they dot The churge is un- meaning and without pofut. Ifsimply vimitting furimal religlous cxcrcises makes niry routiug Y gadless,” then the ecculur operations, not onlv of tne Stute but of ordinary business, nry of that character. The courts, the banks, the {nsurance companies, the manufactor! the counting-rooms, the professionyl otliees, the mechunivs’ shops, are all *godiess™; for the dally exercises of honu of thiess are opened with Bible-reading und prayee. Is {t trae, therefore, that avery Protestunt” and Rowanlst goes dally to u godiess busincssf Seculur wmfi? may be conducted in o religlous apirit and ¢n woru} l)l’lllcullv! when no religious forms are ob- served. When wo unite with others for secular ends, whether of politles, busincss, or educa- tlon, we may not futroducs our pecutlar religious worship, as they mn{‘uot introduce theirs} and {n this omission neither cluss will be fulso Lo its fulth. 1t the Bible Soclety applles to the Bourd of Dircctors of a bank “for a'subscription the Board is not * godless," nor 1s {t a desplser of tho Bible for duclining to make the gifs. i slinply saya: “‘The bank Is not & retiglous in- stitutlons the stockholders are somoof them Jews and Ratlonallsts, and we have uo_right to give thelr money for such o use, Gotothe chrches sud to individuals,” . Nor ghould evangelical Christiana allow them- sclvea to be thrown intoa pauic, as if religion wero about to suffor by the excluston of the Bible from the public schools. Good men and ad men are both mistaken §f they think so. ‘There ars, no doubt, haters of the Bible, who think to hasin it in this way, just as they onca thought to Injure Chrlstlanity by dissolving the uufon of Church aund Btate; and many good Clrlstians ars now frightoned us needlessly over the one .as they formerly were over Lhe other, Within a week [ have read, in an English news- paper, the declaration of a clergyman that the roposal to dissolve the union of Church sud tate was ‘s direct asaault upon religion.” Tha Rev Dr, Lyman Beecher’s experience is here in olut, When he wasa pastor in Litchtield, Cono., fim crisls was res In the sudeavor to diy- solve the anclent connection of the Congrega- tlounl Churches with the State, which wus favored by tho Dewocratic party, and hon- estly, but. most unwisel opposed by lhuy'Conartgluouu mlnhufli {“uphcn that party succecded lu the clectlon, Dr, Beecher was 1n dedpyir fur the luterests of religiou; bul 0 his later Aud wiser years, ho made this candl declaration: It was us durk a day as ever I saw. ‘The odiuwm thrown upon the minstry was Inconceivable. The injury dons tg the cause of Christ, as wa then supposed, was frreparable, For soveral days L sulered what no tongus can