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Show MUST NOT USE PUBLIC SCHOOLS First Presidency Yields Some More. Public Sentiment Too Strong to Be Further Resisted. Re-sisted. Important Decision Reached and Announced An-nounced Concerning Religion Classes in Schoolhouses. After more than a year of protest against tho use of tho public schools of L'tah In which to teach religion clausses, the Ilrst presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has lFSueeJ a manifesto declaring that the position of the church on this matter has been found untenable and directing that the teaching of ' religion i lasses' in the public schools be discontinued Following is tho full text of the manifesto mani-festo To the presidents of stakes, bishops of warrls and superintendents of religion classes' In answer to Inepilrles that have been mado relative to our attitude in relation rela-tion to thu holding of religion classes In public school buildings i deem lt proper to put forth the following state mont To begin with, wo wish It distinctly understood that we are not In favor ..f but are emphatically opposed to, denominational teachings ln our public schools Wo are proud of that splendid splen-did system e.f schools, and do not desire that they shemlel bo Interfered with ln any way whatever For religions and devotional training, other Institutions ar. provided r.y our church as well as by other churches, and wo cannot too Strongly urge that the two systems cni-tinuo cni-tinuo to be kept entirely separate and apart. The religion classes Instituted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day S m 1 s in . .). Irrn. .1 n - n iixlllarles r.f our -church schools, In which, along with tho usual branches of learning, tho principles of the Gospel aro inculcated; incul-cated; the object being to add to. not tako from, the duration received ln sc ilut Institutions moral, devotional and faith-promoting training that cannot, can-not, and must not, bs in' luded In tho curriculum of tho public schools; but Which the Saints desire their children to receive In a number of settlements these Classes have been held ln public school-housce school-housce especially where tne population ll largely Latter-day Saints, b:t there has been no Intention to Introduce- religious re-ligious teaching In the public schoeils. 1 or ba. 11 been so Introduced The uso of the school buildings was merely for the sake of convenience, and to facllitatn the assembling of the class. -, many of whose numbers were students In the schools The question involved was .submitted to the state Superintendent of Schools; also to tho Attorney-General, and they were requested to give their opinions upon the matter of holding theso Classes In the school buildings after the schools were dismissed. Those officials wete of the opinion that the statutes gave trustees the right to let the school-houses school-houses for other thun school purposes when It wotdd not interfere with tho regular regu-lar school work. Our Instructions to those In charge of tho religion classes have always been to allow sufficient time to Intervene between the dismissal of tho schools anel tho opening of the classes, so as to avoid tiny Infringement upon tho regular school work, and give all a chance to withdraw who did not dcslro to attend the . lasses The Statn Superintendent of Schools has since expressed the view thnt the Statute on the subject of letting school buildings for other than school work Is unconstitutional, and many of our fellow fel-low citizens, it seoms have becomo alarmed lest the public schools should t ndangered by tho religion classes. While wo regard this fear as grounel-less. grounel-less. and are not consclouo of having done anything, by Instructions previously previous-ly given, or otherwise, to Imperil In the least tho Independence of the schools, we do not wish to cause our fellow-Cltlsens fellow-Cltlsens any uneasiness upon this score, and we desire, ns ever, to be in harmonv with the statutes of our State and Nation We therefore advise tho workers work-ers In the religion classes to withdraw from the public school buildings, wherever wher-ever they are being used by them, nnd hold such classes In other places that ma bo available. We sincerely hope that this win not rctird or hinder the good work being done ln these classes We. deslro to encourage en-courage tho religion class workers to continue their praiseworthy efforts to teach our children tho saving principles of tho Gospel of Christ and likewise how to "pray and walk uprightly before the Lord." Tho bishop should use their best endeavors to provide suitable places wherein these classes can meet and to make them more than ever an aid to tie spiritual and moral education of the children of tho Lotter-elnv Balnts JOSKPH F SMITH JOHN R w INDBR, A1 HON H LUND, First Presidency. |