Religion in the Public Schools
By Editor
The movement for the introduction of religious instruction into the public schools of this city has aroused considerable public interest. On Sunday evening, February 26, Archbishop Keane, of Dubuque, Iowa, preached upon this subject in Saint Patrick’s Catholic Church, and the same evening Dr. R. H. McKim, rector of the Church of the Epiphany, preached upon the same subject to his congregation. The Washington Post of Monday, February 27, in addition to a full report of Archbishop Keane’s sermon, printed four letters dealing with this movement. One of these letters characterized it as follows:— This movement is simply a part of the wide-spread clerical conspiracy, the headquarters of which is right here in Washington, to bind church and state more closely together—to deny the American principle of equal rights in religion. The committee of fifteen, mentioned in our last issue, has held two quite lengthy sessions, but has not yet submitted a report. Those connected with our work here feel that this situation calls for a presentation of the true principles of religious liberty as related to the school question, and have therefore arranged for a meeting to be held in the Lafayette Opera House, Sunday evening, March 12, at which the editor of the REVIEW AND HERALD will deliver an address upon the following subject:— Religion in the Public Schools—A Menace to Religious Freedom—Shall We Have a State Theology?—What Is the Proper Remedy for the Increase of Crime? We hope to be able to give the report of the committee of fifteen and other interesting matter upon this subject in our next issue.