The Choctaw Freedmen Part 57

"The schools of this state" says the state school Journal, "were founded and supported chiefly for the purpose of perpetuating civil and religious knowledge and liberty, as the early laws of the colony explicitly declare. Those laws, published in the first number of this Journal declare, that the chief means to be used to attain these objects, was the reading of the Holy Scriptures."

This enlightened policy of the Puritans, in regard to the establishment of free schools, for the general dissemination of a knowledge of the Bible and the development of a pure morality among the young, was a great step in advance of all the countries in the old world. The results have wonderfully justified their wisdom and forethought. The schools they established, having the Bible as a universal text book and basis of moral instruction, became nurseries of piety and knowledge. The very thought of excluding the Bible from schools, they had established with great sacrifice for its special study, would have been received with a shudder of horror.

"The interests of education," says Chancellor Kent, chief justice of New York, "had engaged the attention of the New England colonists, from the earliest settlement of the country, and the system of common and grammar schools, and of academical and collegiate instruction, was interwoven with the primitive views of the Puritans. Everything in their genius and disposition was favorable to the growth of freedom and learning. They were a grave, thinking people, having a lofty and determined purpose.

The first emigrants had studied the oracles of truth as a text book, and they were profoundly affected by the plain commands, awful sanctions, sublime views, hopes and consolations, that accompanied the revelation of life and immortality. The avowed object, of their emigration to New England, was to enjoy and propagate the Reformed faith, in the purity of its discipline and worship. They intended to found republics on the basis of Christianity, and to secure religious liberty, under the auspices of a commonwealth. With this primary view, they were early led to make strict provision for common school education, and the religious instruction of the people. The Word of G.o.d was at that time almost the sole object of their solicitude and studies, and the princ.i.p.al design, in emigrating to the banks of the Connecticut, was to preserve the liberty and purity of the gospel. We meet with the system of common schools, in the earliest of the Colonial records. Provision was made for the support of schools in each town, and a grammar school in each county. This system of free schools, sustained by law, has been attended with momentous results; and it has communicated to the people, the blessings of order and security, to an extent never before surpa.s.sed in the annals of mankind."

STATE OF NEW YORK

George Clinton, the first governor, in presenting the matter of public education to the first legislature of New York, used the following language: "Neglect of the education of youth is one of the evils consequent upon the evils of war. There is scarcely anything more worthy your attention, than the revival and encouragement of seminaries of learning; and nothing by which we can more satisfactorily express our grat.i.tude to the Supreme Being for his past favors, since piety and virtue are generally the offspring of an enlightened understanding."

Later, when the phrase "Common schools" had come into use, he emphasized morals and religion as their fore-most objects. "The advantage to morals, religion, liberty and good government, arising from the general diffusion of knowledge, being universally admitted, permit me to recommend this subject to your deliberate attention."

In 1804, his successor, Governor Lewis, emphasized the necessity of establishing common schools in the following words: "In a government resting on public opinion, and deriving its chief support from the affections of the people, religion and morality cannot be too sedulously inculcated. Common schools, under the guidance of respectable teachers, should be established in every village and the poor be educated at the public expense."

In 1810, his successor, Governor Tompkins, brought the matter anew to the attention of the legislature. "I cannot omit inviting your attention to the means of instruction for the rising generation. To enable them to perceive and duly estimate their rights, to inculcate correct principles, and habits of morality and religion, and to render them useful citizens, a competent provision for their education is all essential."

In 1811, in response to these successive appeals, the legislature of New York appointed five commissioners, to report a system for the organization and establishment of common schools to carry forward the educational work, that had been previously maintained by the voluntary contributions of christian people in their various communities.

These commissioners, in their report, recommending the establishment of common schools for the state of New York, expressed their own sentiments and those of the people they represented, as follows:

"The people must possess both intelligence and virtue; intelligence to perceive what is right, and virtue to do what is right. Our republic may justly be said to be founded on the intelligence and virtue of the people, and to maintain it, 'the whole force of education is required.'

The establishment of common schools appears to be the best plan, that can be devised, to disseminate religion, morality and learning, throughout a whole country."

In referring to the branches to be taught there is added in this report, as follows: "Reading, writing, arithmetic and the principles of morality (Bible) are essential to every person, however humble, his situation in life. Morality and religion are the foundation of all that is truly great and good and are consequently of primary importance."

After calling attention to the "absolute necessity of suitable qualifications on the part of the master," the report continues in regard to the Bible, as one of the books to be used:

"Connected with the introduction of suitable books, the commissioners take the liberty of suggesting that some observations and advice, touching the reading of the Bible in the schools, might be salutary. In order to render the sacred volume productive of the greatest advantage, it should be held in a very different light, from that of a common school book. It should be regarded not merely as a book for literary improvement, but as inculcating great and indispensable moral truths.

With these impressions, the commissioners are induced to recommend the practice, introduced into the New York Free School, of having select chapters read at the opening of the school in the morning and the like at the close in the afternoon. This is deemed the best mode of preserving the religious regard, which is due to the sacred writings."

This admirable report closes with these significant words: "The American empire is founded, on the virtue and intelligence of the people. The commissioners cannot but hope that Being, who rules the universe in justice and mercy, who rewards virtue and punishes vice, will graciously deign to smile benignly, on the humble efforts of a people in a cause purely his own; and that he will manifest this pleasure, in the lasting prosperity of our country."

The public school system of New York, with the Bible as its corner stone, was established the next year, 1812. Ten years later, Governor DeWitt Clinton, encouraging their liberal support, said, "The first duty of a state is to render its citizens virtuous, by intellectual instruction and moral discipline, by enlightening their minds, purifying their hearts and teaching them their rights and obligations."

STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA

The status of the Bible, in the early schools of Pennsylvania, may be gathered from the following extract from a report, approved by the National Convention of the friends of public education, that met in Philadelphia in 1850.

"In the common schools, which are open for the instruction of the children of all denominations there are many whose religious education is neglected by their parents, and who will grow up in vice and irreligion, unless they receive it from the common school teacher. It seems to us to be the duty of the state, to provide for the education of all the children, morally as well as intellectually; and to require all teachers of youth, to train the children in the knowledge and practice of the principles of virtue and piety.

"The Bible should be introduced and read in all the schools in our land.

It should be read as a devotional exercise, and be regarded by teachers and scholars, as the text book of morals and religion. The children should early be impressed with the conviction, that it was written by inspiration of G.o.d, and that their lives should be regulated by its precepts. They should be taught to regard it, as their manual of piety, justice, veracity, chast.i.ty, temperance, benevolence and of all excellent virtues. They should look upon this book, as the highest tribunal to which we can appeal, for the decision of moral questions; and its plain declarations, as the end of all debate."

It was about the year 1840, that the Catholics in Pennsylvania began to manifest opposition to the reading of the Bible, in the schools of that state. In view of this opposition the board of directors, for the Fourth section in Philadelphia, adopted the following resolutions:

(1) "That we will ever insist on the reading of the Bible, without note or comment in our public schools; because we believe it to be the Word of G.o.d, and know that such is the will, of the vast majority of the commonwealth."

(2) "That we look on the effort of sectarians to divide the school fund, as an insidious attempt to lay the axe at the root of our n.o.ble public school system, the benefits of which are every day manifested in the training of our youth."

(3) "That we will use every means proper for christians and citizens to employ to maintain our present school system, and to insure the continuance of the reading of G.o.d's holy word in all our schools."

BOARD OF NATIONAL EDUCATION

The const.i.tution of the Board of National Popular Education contains in its sixth article, the following pledge, as one required of teachers, as well as the board. "The daily use of the Bible in their several schools, as the basis of that sound christian education, to the support and extension of which, the board is solemnly pledged."

In its fifth annual report, which is for the year 1852, the necessity of a free and open Bible in our common schools was emphasized as the only possible way, in which our nation can continue to be self-governed. The Bible, for the ma.s.ses, is G.o.d's great instrument for governing men and nations. "There is but one alternative," said Mr. Sawtell, "G.o.d will have men and nations governed; and they must be governed by one of the two instruments, an open Bible with its hallowed influences, or a standing army with bristling bayonets. One is the product of G.o.d's wisdom; the other, of man's folly; and that nation that discards or will not yield to the moral power of the one, must submit to the brute force of the other. The open Bible, in our schools, is the secret of our ability to govern ourselves. Take from us the open Bible and, like Samson shorn of his locks, we would become as weak as any other people.

Take away the Bible, and like Italy, Austria and Russia, we would need a despot on a throne, and a standing army of a half-million to keep the populace in subjection."

JESUS, THE GREAT TEACHER

It was our Lord Jesus himself, who said, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not." He did not suggest, that they be sent for moral instruction to the schools of the Pharisees, or the unbelieving Sadducees, but that they should come to him, and receive his word and blessing. He saw no sectarianism in the message of love, life and forgiveness, he brought from the Father; for he described it, as, "living water," "living bread which came down from heaven," "the light of the world," and its object, "that they might have life more abundantly." He knew, it was a matter of utmost importance to every individual, to receive that message in childhood and youth.

THE BIBLE, THE STANDARD OF MORALITY

The Word of G.o.d is supreme in all matters of conscience or morality. The man, whose conscience is in harmony with the Word of G.o.d, must be recognized as on the side of G.o.d and right. Elijah on Mount Carmel, having only the Word of G.o.d, prevails over four hundred misguided prophets of Baal. When those, who were prejudiced against the gospel in the days of Peter, imprisoned and undertook to silence him and others, he gave the right answer, when he said, "We ought to obey G.o.d rather than men." Peter and Elijah, teaching the Word of G.o.d, were progressive up-builders of the Kingdom of G.o.d, while their suppressors were merely blind opposers and destructionists. The enlightened consciences of Peter and Elijah were of more value and more to be respected, than those of the hosts of souls, in the darkness of unbelief, arrayed against them.

Whilst the work of Peter and the apostles tended to make the world better, and better men of all their opposers, the work of the latter, tended to put a real check, on the cause of human progress. Those, who oppose the reading of the Scriptures in the public schools of this, or any other land, commit the very same folly.

The Bible is the Word of G.o.d to all mankind. It is his provision for our intellectual, moral and spiritual natures, as the light, air, water and food have been provided for our physical natures. It was originally written in the language of the people to whom it was given, the Old Testament in Hebrew to the Hebrews; and the New Testament in Greek to the Greek speaking Jews, in the time of Christ.

Our English version was made from the original languages in the time of King James, and it is an error in judgment to call it, either a Protestant or Sectarian Bible. There is, indeed, a sectarian version of the Bible in use in this country. It is printed in the Latin language, the language of pagan Rome, which the common people no longer use or understand.

[Ill.u.s.tration: HOME OF THE LATE CAROLINE PRINCE.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: NEW HOME, MRS. SAM HARRIS.

Representative Homes of Choctaw Freedmen, near Oak Hill.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Airy View Farm Rockwell City, Iowa, 1911 Robert E. Flickinger Mary A. Flickinger G. H. Patterson, Manager Telephone 7 on 967

A VIRGIN PRAIRIE, IMPROVED BY MR. AND MRS. FLICKINGER, 1884-1914.

At the left: Grove of maples and walnuts, orchard, grapes, garden, oat-bin, double corn-crib, house, front yard, chick-yard, bees, barn, implement shed, hen-house, pigpen, calf and pig pastures. Two and a half miles of tile drains.]

It seems a queer freak of our human nature, that those who use the Bible in a dead, foreign language, unsuited for use in our public schools, should call our English version of the scriptures a sectarian book, and then oppose its use in our public schools.

Our English version of the Scriptures is no more a sectarian book, than are the ordinary books on astronomy, geology, botany, and natural history. Nevertheless when Romanists oppose its use, others of all sorts in the community, who like them need its gracious message of light, life and love, but instead profess not to regard it as a message from G.o.d, are liable to unite with them in their unfortunate opposition.

No one has an inherent right, to exclude the Bible from the public schools of America. As the one authoritative book of G.o.d, it ought to be there. As the charter of American liberty, and the corner stone of our system of public education and jurisprudence, it ought to be there. No one has any more right to exclude the Bible from the public schools of America, than he has to exclude the sun, for both are G.o.d's own provision of light. It is intended of G.o.d to be the one unchanging standard of morality and purity, for old and young; and to be as free for all, as the common air that we breathe. Its use, at an early age, tends to develop the conservative principles of virtue and knowledge, which serve as the world's best protectors against ignorance, barbarism and vice.

RISE AND FALL OF INTOLERANCE

Excluding the Bible, from the public schools of America, is an old world innovation. In some countries of Europe, books on science, literature or philosophy have not been permitted to be published, without the previous approval of the government. "The Bible itself, the common inheritance, not merely of Christendom, but of the world, has been put exclusively under the control of government, and has not been allowed to be seen, heard, or read, except in a language unknown to the common inhabitants of the country. To publish a translation in the language of the people, has been in former times a flagrant offense." (Story on the Const.i.tution, page 263.) [Internal link: page 263.]

The popes, as early as the eighth century, condemned the circulation and reading of all writings unfriendly to the papacy. In 1515, after the art of printing had been invented, the papal decree was issued, "That no book should be printed without previous examination by the proper ecclesiastical authority, the Inquisition." The books prohibited by it included the bible in the English and German languages, and all the books published by Luther, Calvin, Zwingli and other Reformers. While the Reformers were called, heresiarchs, they proved themselves to be the world's greatest benefactors, by giving the people the Bible.