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    November 14, 1905

    “Religion in the Public Schools” The Watchman 14, 46 , pp. 742, 743.

    ATJ

    (This Address given in the Pythian Temple, Washington, D. C., Sunday night, March 26, 1905.)SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.1

    FIRST ARTICLE OF SECOND ADDRESS

    IN the campaign now being conducted in Washington City to require the teaching of religion in the public schools, the ten commandments are ostensibly proposed as the basis of the whole system.SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.2

    In this connection it is pertinent to ask, What form of the ten commandments will be adopted? What copy of the ten commandments will be used?SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.3

    Will the ten commandments be used as God himself gave them with his own voice from heaven? or will they be used as they have been changed or modified by men?SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.4

    If any copy of the ten commandments shall be used that differs in any way from those commandments precisely as God gave them, then what kind of lesson in morals will be given to both teachers and children in the alteration of the law of the Creator by his creatures? If some of his creatures put into the schools an altered version of the law of the Creator, why shall not others of his creatures yet further alter that altered version—especially in their conduct? For what power is there, or should there be, to require obedience to an altered copy of the law of the Creator? And what moral quality could possibly attach to obedience to such altered law?SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.5

    To the resolutions adopted in the meeting, all the religious denominations in the District of Columbia, except two or three, are committed. This includes the Roman Catholic Church. But it is a well-known fact that there is a material difference between the version of the ten commandments used by the Roman Catholics and that commonly used by Protestants. Which of those versions will be used?SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.6

    If the version used by the Roman Catholics shall be used, then there will be omitted the second commandment, which forbids the making of images or the bowing down to them in worship; which in turn would openly countenance such use of images. But will any of these Protestant ministers attempt to justify in morals any use of images in worship?SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.7

    If on the other hand, the version of the ten commandments commonly used by Protestants is used, then there will be taught by the teachers, and studied and recited by the children, the second commandment in full, which most positively forbids any making of images or any bowing down to them.SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.8

    Then to avoid “sectarian instruction,” the teachers will be required to inform the children that the great majority of religious people do make and bow down to image, while some religious people do not. And if some inquisitive pupil shall ask, “But which of these classes is keeping the commandment?” then still to “avoid anything like sectarian instruction or influence,” what shall the teacher answer? Shall he say nothing? Shall he say that both are keeping the commandment or think they are? In either case the impression given the children is that it makes no difference, and they must do as they like.SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.9

    Please let no one think that this is either far-fetched or over-drawn, for on the fourth commandment the adopted report of the committee distinctly says:—SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.10

    “It is declared to be the wish of every member of this committee to have the utterances of the committee understood as made in a sprit which would absolutely prohibit any teaching or interpretation of the ten commandments which should fail to recognize, and to set before the children of our schools, in the most liberal spirit, the fact that conscientious differences exist as to the day of the week to be observed as a day of rest.”SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.11

    The fourth commandment distinctly, and with reasons, designates “the seventh day” as the day of rest. When this commandment shall be studied, learned, and recited by the children, then instead of letting the matter stand in the minds of the children as the commandment reads and as they have learned it, by the very words of this committee each teacher is “absolutely prohibited” from failing “to recognize and to set before the children in our schools ... the fact that conscientious differences exist as to the day of the week to be observed as a day of rest.” And when each teacher is absolutely prohibited from failing to recognize and to set before the children this fact, then, each teacher is thereby absolutely directed to recognize and set before the children this fact.SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.12

    And when the teacher shall set before the children this fact; and the children shall thus plainly be given to understand that in “this supreme question of morals that involves the existence of the nation,” the practical instruction from the words and example of the professed moral leaders is, “The words of the ten commandments are plain, but in conduct you are to do as you like.” In such a course of instruction, where is there to be found any corrective of the immorality, the vice, and the crime that are sweeping like a mighty tide over the whole land, which the gentlemen of this committee are deploring, and which by the means proposed they propose to cure?SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.13

    In answer to such instruction as that every one can justly say, “Well, when in practice we are all to do as we like, then what is the use of all this? Do we need the ten commandments of God, or any special daily instruction, to enable us to do as we like?”SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.14

    And whether or not such answer shall be made in morals, it is certain that such is the answer that will be made in practice; for this is the only result that can ever follow from such teaching. When such is the provision actually made as to the fourth commandment, the same will inevitably have to follow as to the second commandment; and the inevitable result from this will be that in practice the immoral principle will be applied with respect to all the other ten commandments.SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.15

    But that is just the trouble already. The vital mischief now is, not ignorance of the ten commandments; but that each one does as he likes as to the observance of them. and this vital mischief is only the plain result of the teaching in the pulpits of the whole nation, and this for years upon years.SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.16

    And now such mischievous results from such immoral causes results from such immoral causes, this committee seeks to remedy by multiplying and intensifying the causes! Such procedure can do nothing but multiply and intensify the mischievous results already so rife as to threaten to sink the nation. It was therefore strictly appropriate that in advocacy of this program and movement the example and times of Justinian and Charlemagne were cited. Yes, Justinian and Charlemagne and their accompanying clergy are strictly proper examples to cite in advocacy of what is here proposed. For what was done then by those men simply increased the flood of immorality, vice, wickedness, crime, persecution, and religious despotism that whelmed the world in the Dark Ages. A. T. JONES.SOWA November 14, 1905, page 742.17

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