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Pacific Press Publishing Company · New York · April 9, 1891

FromThe American Sentinel, Vol. 6, No. 15

Shall Our Schools Be Sectarian?

SHALL we have our schools sectarian or not? Shall we teach history trenching on religious ground or not? The question has so far been mooted with reference to the Roman Catholics who have complained of the sectarianism of some of the text-books used in the public schools. But the question is not one that concerns only the Roman Catholics as against the Protestants, as our Presbyterian friends in Tennessee are finding out. For they have sent in a petition to the Legislature protesting against the introduction into the schools of the State of a history written by the Hon. James Phelan, especially for use in the public schools of the State. These Presbyterians assert that in his chapter on “Churches,” Mr. Phelan has sadly misrepresented the Presbyterian Church, and the reasons for the origin of the Cumberland Presbyterians. And it is further charged that our historian exhibits too strong Methodist proclivities.

Very likely the reader will ask why teach the scholars about the churches any way? Why, indeed, except that an account, origin, and development of the churches is history, and if we must teach history regardless of its religious or sectarian trend, why should we stop at the churches, why not teach that department of history too? The reason why it should not be taught, is that every one looks at history with different eyes; and whether or not Mr. Phelan is open to the fault charged against him, it goes without saying, that he could not see Presbyterianism as Presbyterians see it, and be the good Methodist that he probably is, and vice versa. In all such matters, therefore, it seems best to refrain from offending the consciences of any.

The departments of physics, writing, language and literature, grammar, algebra, geometry, astronomy, geology, chemistry, hold no necessary relation to religion or to sectarian belief. But when we come to church history, will Presbyterians see the Reformation as the Romanists do, or will they even regard Luther as the Lutherans do? Is there common agreement as to the work of Zwingli? In entering that field are we not trenching upon debatable ground, which alike in the interests of peace and regard for the convictions of others it would be as well to avoid? So at least it seems to us.—The Christian at Work.