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About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 13, 1900)
T H E TORCH OF REASON, SIL V E R T O N , OREGON, D E C E M B E R 13, E. M. 300 (1900.; 5 in it. He duly subm itted the mat- ter to the attorney-general for his opinion, and it is this opinion which m akes all the trouble. But ratio n . The reason is obvious, be- New T estam ent. C onsequently no th e le tte r a n d s p irit, w h erev er th e y a re cause otherwise the schools of th e version of the Bible is common’ to a p p lic a b le to th e q u e stio n . various places in the state would all, but is the cause of religious In his first sentence he questions vary in their program m es of edu- strife, and opposition, hence sectar- the wisdom of our law m akers over more anon! cation and cause detrim ent to th e ian. ¡education of those pupils who hap- The second question, “ whether whom the spirit of liberality hover ed, and m ethinks th at he would pen, for one or another reason, to the saying in public schools of the B ib le in th e S ch o o ls. change their residence from one Lord’s prayer, or any other prayer, gladly retu rn to ihe tim es of in to l C hanging the is adm issible,” to my opinion, m ust erance, when Jew s and other n a To the editor— Correspondence place to another. tions who did not believe in the from Salem , published in the O re -uniform and general system of be decided in the negative. It is veracity of the New Testam ent were Because every gonian, November 27, under the common schools is prohibited by not admissible. driven by force to hear C hristian h ead in g ,“ Bible in Schools,” brought section 3, article 3, state constitu- sect has prayers composed by its sermons, their children torn away A rtoruey-G eneral Black b u r n’s tiom Such an innovation is an pious men, and those who reject anti converted (m aybe by such pious opinion th a t reading of the Bible unlaw ful action of the teacher, who the divinity of Christ will most de- m aiden religious teachers); and, and saying the L ord’s prayer in ursurps the right of the State cidedly object to say or revere his theretore, he postpones the consid Compulsion to read this public schools is ,perm issible, and B oard, p ro d u cin g a co u rse of stud- . piayer. . r ___________ ___ eration of the wisdom of our law pupils failing to take part in the les o* his own, and no doubt such prayer interferes with the right of u fpunhor Luo _______ _ __ • « . - _ m akers to a time unknown. In my worship may be expelled if the a teacher has no right to waste any conscience, expressed in sections 2 hum ble opinion, they were men of p art of school time in reading te x t and 3, article 1, C onstitution of board of directors does not object. wisdom, tolerance, and true c iti W ith the greatest deference to books chosen by his or her own Oregon. zens. I beg to quote no less an How Mr. B. could not the-lcarned judge, I cannot help caprice. The solution of the third ques au th o rity than Ju d g - J. O rton (76 saying th a t his opinion on this see this point in the rule quoted by tion, “ W hether the reading of the Wis., 219). In a question of Bible question is opposed to logic, con him is more than I understand. Bible in public schools is constitu reading in public schools, he says: tradictory to the broad and Liberal j 2. Subdivision 12, of section 31, tio n al” , necesitates the definition Religion as a system of belief cannot law£ of our state constitution, and of the said rules quoted by Mr. B. be taught without giving offence to those am ong otliey things: of the phrase, “ reading the B ible.” who have their own peculiar views of re inconsistent with studies on C hris provides “ W orship,” according to W ebster, ligion, no more than it can be without of tian and o ther religions in general. “ Boards of directors shall have en W orcester, the Im perial and the fence to the different sects of religion. Tne question at issue arose from tire control of the public schools of Bible Dictionaries, means reverence How can religion, in this sense, be a fact, as stated in th at correspon their district, and the teachers em to him whom people accept as God, taught in the common schools without dence, contained in the following: ployed therein, to establish rules,” consisting in prayer and reading taxing the people for or on accoent of it. etc., but neither this, nor any othpr A teacher in one of the schools of his holy word: hence' “ reading the The only subject, purpose or use for tax section or clause gives any Board ation in this State must be exclusively W ashington County (either from Bible” is part of worship. The secular. I here is no such source and zealousy to piety or to shortening of Directors of a county school any learned Supreme Judge J . Lyon (76 cause of strife, quarrels, fights, malig the tim e of tuition) has been each right to introduce any other te x t Wis., 194), says: “ Reading the nant opposition, persecution and war m orning reading a ch apter from books than those prescribed by the Bible in the schools, altoough un- and evil in the state as religion. Let it Such an innovation the Bible and repeating the L ord’s State Board. once enter into our civil affairs, our gov accom panied by any com m ent on ernment would soon be dertroyed; let it prayer, com pelling the pupils to is unlaw ful, hence for disobediance the part of the teacher, is ‘instruc- once enter into our common schools, stand up and repeat or listen to to such unlaw rul requirem ents the tion.’...........Some of the most v alu they would lie destroyed. Those who the same. H er passionate ardor pupils cannot be excluded from made our Constitution saw this, and able instructions a person can re for Bible reading and m ania for school. ceive may be derived from reading used tiie most apt and comprehensive 3. The m atter in issue involves saying prayers brought her so far language in it to prevent such a catas alone, w ithout any extrinsic aid by trophe.” the following questions: th a t she did not even hesitate to W hether the Bible is a non-sectar way of com m ent or exposition.” The sam e may be said of our expel pupils because they would Hence the reading of the Bible in law m akers. not share her priestly exercises. ian book? the public schools is twofold uncon- W hether the saying of the L ord’s In the second sentence of Mr. The solons of the board (except the stiuitional. k irst, it tu rn s the pub ch airm an ) approved her action. prayer, or other prayers in public lic schools from a secular into a B lackburns above quoted p arag rap h he acknowledges the binding power After some appeals, the S uperin schools is adm issable? religious or theological institution ; W hether the reading of the Bible of those sections of our Constitu- tendent of Public In stru ctio n , J. secoi d, it interferes with the right H . A ckerm an, subm itted the ques in public schools is co nstitutional? of conscience. Sections 2, 3 and 5, tiotion. He is right, but bow could I h e first .question according to he arrive a t a conclusion which is tion to A ttorney-G eneral B lack article 1, C onstitution of Oregon, Mr. B lack b u rn ’s opinion is decided L. j. ju st the opposit of those laws, I burn, who rendered the quoted He goes even fur cannot com prehend. M aybe he opinion, based on the following affirm atively. ther and considers the L ord’s p ray All men shall be secured in the natur was misled by several decisions questions: al right to worship Almighty God ac th a t uphold his view, as 38 Me., W ith pathos he 1. H as a te a c h e r th e rig h t to use er non-sectarian. p a rt of th e sch o o l tim e in re a d in g to exclaim s: “ But the reading of the cording to the dictates of their own con 376; 12 Allen (M ass.) 127, and sciences. No law law in in a any cast; Whatever whatever h e r p u p ils as a school e x ercise a c h a p k i k l o o n J I k . . . , ovro.ncB. n y case te r fro m th e B ible, w ith o r w ith o u t 1 ’ repeating of the shall control the free exercise and enjoy- others: but those decisions can have c o m m e n t on sa id c h a p te r. Lotd s p ra y e r in the public schools | ment of religious opinians, or interfere no «plication to the broad and lib 2. H as th e te a c h e r th e rig h t to r e have nothing in them of a sectar-1 w**h the rights of conscience. No money eral C onstitution of Oregon. q u ire h e r p u p ils to re p e a t th e L o r d ’s ian n ature.” I beg leave to differ ■ l)e drawn from the treasury for the R ev . D r . N. M osessohn . p ra y e r, o r to re q u ire said p u p ils to with him and state th a t the Bible I benefit °f *ny religious or theological in- s ta n d w hile said p ra y e r is being re : i . • i , stitution, nor shall any money be appro- p e a te d as a school exercise? ls a purely sectarian book. Here t ,» 3 ... Mrs. Josephine K. H enry is the 1 J pnated i for the payment . of , any religious 3. M ay a p u p il be ex p elle d fro m a are the reasons: Every populated services, in either house of the Legislat- first woman now in the Liberal sch o o l fo r re fu s a l to re p e a t th e L o rd ’s p ra y e r, o r to s ta n d w hile said p ra y e r is place in the Union contains people | *ve Assembly. move and she deserves recognition. bein g re p e a te d as a p a rt of th e school of various religious convictions. a «^ i •» King James’ veraiou of the scrip- L ? -‘ requires no argum ent C aptain and Mrs. H enry conduct a ex ercise? sem inary at V ersailles, K y. She T aking ,o account Mr. Black- tores is held by the Roman Catho- . / . . T ’ ' - - - ‘«nance made a telling speech a t the In g e r b u rn ’s argum ents, I can not help lie church incorrect as a transla-L t sc 100 s no money s la e soll m em orial, th a t endeared her to . , i orawn from the treasury, saying th a t they are too feeble to tion and , incomplete. Instead, they i • , , the hearts of all tru e reform ers, as ,„1....... t . .............b P”‘‘l<n,g of the above quoted sec- stan d criticism . Now for facts: adopted the D ouay and Rheim e I ,¡ „ 7 7 , 7 ‘,l'.K «. ei , c « i i i I • , . uonb ot the s ta le vonstiuttion M r. she showed th a t she was all rig h t 1. R u le 43 of the school laws version, commonly known as “ Do- 01 11 on the labor question and on the !_____ ’ • . „ .. / I B lackburn says: (quoted by Mr. B.) authorizing uay version.” The reading of the woman question. She asked, “ How teachers to control the studies of Bible they allow only to th e ir auth- These sections are provisions in what can men be free, born of slave th eir pupils, subjects the sam e con- orized teachers. Many consider ls UrtUally termed th « “ B ill o f R ig h ts ” m others?”— [Freet hough t Ideal. tro, and s tu d i ^ t,, tie- course pre- M artin L u th er’s version the m o s t “ X « scribed by the b , a te Board of E du-¡correct The Jew s, the ow ner, of j tutionalconvention, and their mhae- T cat,on, and as neither reltg.nu, ,n-1 the Old T estam ent io the original, quent ratifleation by the electors, were stru ct,o n nor the B tb .e are entered c a .ro all tra n s la fo n s incorrect and acts o f w isdom is n o t a question which in th a t course, „ follows th at n e tth -, m ,.represented for certain purposes, can now be c o n sid ered . They „ re „ a r t er th e teacher nor the county dtrec- reject the dtvinity of Jesus and the and parcel af the organic law, a n d must to rs m ay tu ,red u ce such an tn n o -, veraetty of the facts told in the I be enforced in s tric t acco rd a n c e w ith ifo Free Thought Magazine The ablest publication of the kind in the World. Sixty-four pages. Illustrated. Published Monthly. Price »i.oo a year. For T W E N T Y -F IV E CENTS it will be mailed to any address TH R E E flO N TH S . Address FREE T H O U G H T M AG AZIN E. U> E. Indiana St., Chicago, III