Hearings on the Blair Resolution
By Editor
THROUGH the kindness of a gentleman in Washington City we have received a copy of the “Notes of Hearings” before the United States Committee on Education and Labor on the Blair resolution, proposing an amendment to the Constitution respecting the establishment of religion in the public schools. This is the proposed amendment which is to guarantee the teaching of the principles of the Christian religion in the public schools—or, rather, what an assembly of ecclesiastics shall say are the principles of the Christian religion. The committee held two hearings, February 15 and 22, 1889. The first seems to have been held in response to a request by the National Reform Association. T. P. Stevenson, of that association; James D. King, D. D., of New York, representing the American branch of the Evangelical Alliance; Geo. K. Morris, D. D., of Philadelphia; Rev. W. M. Glasgow, of Baltimore; J. N. McCurdy, D. D., of Philadelphia; C. R. Blackall, M. D., of Philadelphia; and Wm. S. Morris, M. D., of Philadelphia, presented arguments. At the second, there appeared a sub-committee of the Committee of One Hundred, of Boston, composed of Rev. Philip S. Moxom, Rev. Jas. B. Dunn, and Rev. J. H. Beard, urgently to plead for the adoption of the proposed amendment. There are quite a number of points that appear in the notes to which we shall call the attention of the readers of the AMERICAN SENTINEL from time to time. Because, as the readers of the SENTINEL probably understand full well, in the very nature of the case, there was not a single valid argument presented in favor of the proposed amendment, for the very good reason that no such argument ever can be presented. Yet the discussion is of great importance to the people to know just what is said in favor of it, and what efforts are being made to secure its passage.