BIBLES IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The Catholic Truth Society recently asked the New York State Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Skinner, if the Roman Catholic Version of the Bible might be read by Catholic teachers in the public schools where the reading of the Bible was required, and was told that it might. Of course Superintendent Skinner was right, but this illustrates the blundering policy of those strict Protestant religionists, who insist that the Bible be read in the schools as a daily religious service. It can breed nothing but quarrels. If the Protestant Version is read, it will be regarded as a Protestant service, which Catholics will object to, and conversely if the Catholic Version is read. It is better to have no religious service than to have a quarrelsome one. In an institution for all the people, like the public schools, there is no right or justice in imposing the religion of one fraction of the people, no matter how large, on the other fraction. There have been cases in which, in a school where the children were mostly Jews, they were required to learn and sing Christmas carols. The true rule is: No religious service of any sort in the public school. To say that reading the Bible or repeating the Lord's prayer is not a religious service is to say what is not true. Give over the care of religion to the church. —Independent.