An Unwarranted Demand by Editor

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Feb 11, 1909

An Unwarranted Demand

By Editor

A RECENT number of The Union Signal contains an article on religion in the public schools, by Elizabeth W. Greenwood, evangelistic superintendent World's and National W. C. T. U. It is a distinct demand for religious teaching in the public schools. We quote some leading paragraphs:—

When the public school was first established, and for a hundred fifty years after, definite religious instruction was an important part of its curriculum. To-day special religious teaching is often banished from the public schools of the country. . . .

This change in sentiment has resulted from the multiplication of religious sects, the so-called appeal to “fair play,” the fear of sectarian training, and the inrush of immigrants from every land. . . .

Religious and moral teaching are essential to character. Any system of education which does not inculcate sound morality is defective and dangerous to the state. The culture of the conscience is far more essential to manhood and citizenship than the culture of the intellect. . . .

Our aim is not to teach Protestantism or Catholicism; not to unite church and state, and plunge into the difficulties of England or France, but to make religious and moral instruction one of the prime factors in our system of popular education. To teach every child the basic principles of the great religious truths which are supported by Protestant and Catholic, Jew and Gentile, and by all creeds—as, God's sovereignty; the immortality of the soul; the brotherhood of man; the fact of sin, and its consequences; the ten commandments; sermon on the mount; golden rule; lessons of psalm and proverb.

We freely grant that “religious and moral teaching are essential to character,” but we affirm that it is not within the legitimate province of the state to provide such teaching. The genius of civil government was ordained of God, but it was not the divine purpose that civil government should undertake the work assigned to the church.

It will also be apparent at once that even the attempt to teach the subjects mentioned would lead to conflict and confusion. There are many professed Christians, and their number is increasing, who do not believe in natural immortality; there are other professed Christians who differ in their view concerning the ten commandments, some claiming that they have been abolished, others that they are in full force. The whole army of evolutionists deny the fact of sin, and claim that the only fall was a fall upward. Furthermore, the infidel has the same rights in the public school as the Christian, and his money, collected by the authority of the state, should not be used to teach a religion which he regards as false. The Christian method is to leave the teaching of religion as a voluntary work, to be done by those who believe in it. The teaching of religion in the public schools is impossible apart from a union of religion and government, which is the same thing as a union of the church and the state. It is vain to proclaim the purpose “not to unite church and state,” and at the same time demand that which in itself requires such a union.