keep _ THE OE AND In strARAMAPI, Pt LIBERTY Assor, (\u00b0 Niv THE BIBLE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. IN studying the subject of the Bible in the public schools, there are two important questions to solve : First, Which, if any, of the- Bibles shall be used? Second, What are the public schools? The Bible to many, means only the Bible adopted by the Protest- ants, or the King James version, and in urging it to be read in the common schools, they do not recognize the fact that the Catholic has a different Bible, which he regards as the only faithful translation of the Scriptures ; or that the Jew accepts of the Old Testament only, regarding the New not only as false, but as cruelly charging his ances- tors with the murder of the world's Messiah. The difference between these Bibles is considered by each party as vital to the eternal welfare of the believer. Says the Protestant Bible, " Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." Says the Catholic Bible, " Unless ye shall do penance, ye shall all likewise perish." This is not an accidental difference in translation, but is a dif- ference maintained throughout the entire Catholic Bible, based on the distinctive Catholic doctrine of penance, in opposition to the Prot- estant doctrine of salvation through faith, as the following quotation from the " Doctrinal Catechism" proves : " He [Luther] invented a thing which he called justifying faith, to be a sufficient substitute for all the above painful religious works, an invention which took off every responsibility from our shoulders, and laid all on the shoulders of Jesus Christ; in a word, he told men to believe in the merits of Christ as certainly applied to them, and live as they pleased." —p. 37. There are other important differences which appear in the text, and would be made apparent by the mere reading of the passages. The difference between the Protestant and Catholic Bibles, and the Jewish Bible, is far greater, as the Jew rejects the entire New 2 THE BIBLE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Testament as not only a base fabrication, but as containing an unjust charge against his people. The infidel rejects the whole, and finds his views of religion met in the writings of Rousseau, Paine, or Ingersoll. Which of these Bibles shall be read in our common schools ? To this question comes a chorus of opposing answers. Who shall decide? Is it the prerogative of the State to decide which of these Bibles con- tains the truth, and which error ? If we so decide, we adopt the theory which gave to the Dark Ages their moral gloom. Leaving the difference in Bibles, there is another important differ- ence with regard to the propriety of reading any Bible without comment. The Protestant position is that "the Bible without note or comment is the infallible rule of faith and practice." The Catholic regards this as a dangerous doctrine, fraught with eternal ruin to the child ; and to say that he is not sincere, is to sit in judgment on his conscience. And the conscience of the Catholic is as sacred in the eyes of the law as the conscience of the Protestant. In studying this subject, we should not allow our preconceived ideas or time-honored practices to prejudice us. The time was, when men as conscientiously believed that the government should protect religion by burning heretics, as do some to-day that the Bible should be read in the public schools. One way of bringing this question squarely before us is to reverse the condition by placing the Catholic, the Jew, or the infidel in the majority. Would the Protestant, who believes that salvation conies alone through faith, be willing that his child be taught from the reading of the Douay Bible, that to obtain it, he must do penance ? If infidels were in the majority, would the minority be willing to have the exercises of the day prefaced by the reading of extracts from Thomas Paine, Robert Ingersoll, or some other exponent of infidelity ? Here it is that the Golden Rule has a practical application . "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them. " • The public school is-created and maintained by the civil govern- ment, and is therefore a civil institution. Protestants, Catholics, Jews, and infidels are taxed alike for its support. They are not maintained in the interests of, or in opposition to, religion As a part of the government they come under Lincoln's immortal defini- tion of government, — they are " of the people, by the people, and for the people." They are neither by nor for the Protestant, as such, but for the people without reference to religion. Since the support of the public school is compulsory, as is the attendance upon it in most States, it follows that the parent is compelled to maintain and patronize a place of worship ; for such is the school-room while the Bible is being read. In other words, he is taxed to support an in- THE MLR IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. 3 stitution which destroys the faith of his child, and is compelled to send his child to an institution where its faith will be destroyed. This is the worst of tyranny. While this view of the public school is'regarded by the majority as self-evident, there are a few who, because of this attitude of our schools toward religion, declare that they are " Godless." This comes from a misconception of the mission of the public school. Had God delegated to the civil government the teaching of religion, a failure to do it by means of the public school would merit the above criticism. The State in providing for the teaching of read- ing, writing, and mathematics without teaching religion, is simply attending to its legitimate business, which the church does when it attends to the teaching of religion. The term " Godless " cannot be applied with any more consistency to the common school because the Bible is not read or taught in it, than it can lie to schools of phonog- raphy, telegraphy, or art, because the Bible is not taeght or read in them. The place for the Bible to be read and taught is in the home, the denominational school, and the church. Referring to the use of the Bible in the public schools, the New York Independent, of Oct. 1, 1891, says : " There is no question that this is making public schools sectarian, and that it is unjust and con- trary to the principles of our government, which allow of no estab- lishment of religion. The only consistent and the only truly Christian way, is to give religion to the care of the church and let the State take care of secular matters." DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES. We believe in the religion taught by Jesus Christ. We believe in temperance, and regard the liquor traffic as a curse to society. We believe in supporting the civil government, and submitting to its authority. We deny the right of any civil government to,legislate on religious questions. We believe it is the right, and should be the privilege, of every man to worship according to the dictates of his own conscience. We also believe it to be our duty to use every lawful and honorable means to prevent religious legislation by the civil government; that we and our fellow-citizens may enjoy the inestimable blessings of both religious and civil liberty. RELIGIOUS LIBERTY LITERATURE. Public Schools, What are they? 10c. per 100. Sunday and the World's Fair, 10c. per 100. Politics in Religion, 10c. per 100. God in the Constitution, 10c. per 100. Was Israel a Republic? 10c. per 100. Legislating upon Religion, 10c. per 100. Evangelization by Law, 20c. per 100. Shall Religion be Taught in the Public Schools? 20c. per 100. .The Bible in the Public Schools, 20c. per 100. The True Statesman, 20c. per 100, Sunday Laws, 20c. per 100. Who do Men Say that I Am? 20c. per 100. The Civil Sabbath, 35c. per 100. Religious Legislation, 35c. per 100. Congress on Sunday Legislation, 50c. per 100. Religious Persecution in TemAsee, 75c. per 100. The Celebrated King Case, 75c. per 100. Arguments on the Breckinridge Sunday Bill, 5c. each. Civil Government and Religion, 25c. each. National Sunday Law. 25c. each AMERICAN STATE PAPERS. A BOOK FOR THE TIMES. A MOST valuable work on the subject of religious legislation in the United States, from the foundation of the government to the present time. It includes the various prominent acts, both State and national, relating to -sub jects of religion, such as Bills of Rights, Amendments, Treaties, Sunday observance, etc. In it are found various memorials, petitions, and remonstrances; House and Senate Reports on Sunday Mails ; documents on "The Sphere of Civil Government," "The Rights of the Jew," "Religion in the Public Schools," "Civil Laws against Blasphemy," "Christianity and the Common Law," "Sunday Legislation," etc., etc. ; judicial decisions on Sunday Laws and the Bible in the Public Schools. It also con- tains in an appendix the provisions in the Bills of Rights of all the States relating to the rights of cdnseience, and— THE SUNDAY LAWS COMPLETE, OF ALL THE STATES AND TERRITORIES. There are also running foot-notes all through the book, containing the com- ments and statements of eminent men. 368 pages. Price, best binding, $2.50. Cheap edition, $1.25. Published by the National Religious Liberty Association. See offices below. THE AMERICAN SENTINEL. AN EIGHT-PAGE WEEKLY JOURNAL, Devoted to the defense of American Institutions, the preservation of the United. States Constitution as it is, so far as regards religion or religious tests, and the main- tenance of human rights, both civil and religions. It is well known that there is a large and influential association in the United States bearing the name of the National Reform Association," which is endeavoring to secure such a — RELIGIOUS AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION Of the United States as will "place all Christian laws, institutions, and usages of the Government on an undeniable legal basis in the fundamental law of the land." While there are many persons in this country who are opposed to, or look with suspicion upon, this movement, there are few outside the party, who realize what the influence of this Amendment would be. The object of the American Sentinel will be to — VINDICATE THE RIGHTS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS, Which, we believe, are threatened by this Association. It will appeal to the very fundamental principles of our government, and point out the consequences which would be sure to follow, should they secure the desired Amendment to the Constitution. It will ever be uncompromisingly opposed to anything tending toward a union of Church and State, either in name or in fact. While due respect will be paid to the opinions of others, the rights of conscience will be fearlessly maintained. SINGLE COPY, PER YEAR, POST-PAID, - - Specimen Copies Free. Address, AMERICAN SENTINEL, 43 BOND ST., NEW YORK, or any of the offices of the NATIONAL RELIGIOUS LIBERTY ASSOCIATION: 43 BOND ST., NEW YORK CITY. 1225 T ST. N. W., WASHINGTON, D. C. 28 COLLEGE PLACE, CHICAGO, ILL. 12TH b CASTRO STS., OAKLAND, CAL. 267 W. MALE ST., BATTLE CRUX, MICE.