| Show METHODIST REPORTS AND THE DISTRICT SCHOOLS THE methodia Meth odia odlat conference which was recently held in this city elty was conducted with less lesa of that vindia and anti Mormon venom than appeared as the chief feature of some pre pro previous gatherings of the preachers prea chera of methodism in utah this improvement in tone is doubt less jells due to the influence of the presiding elder of this district rey bev T 0 iliff who though an uncompromising opponent of mormon ibm lam has haa not so GO far as we are aware resorted to the low ungentlemanly and unchristian methods pursued by persons of the fibner eibner hii hil allton ton and lylord lyford stamp we can entertain feelings of respect for a consistent foe however fierce and determined may be his opposition if he Is ia sincere in his con dictions vict ions and does not intentionally depart from the truth in hll hil attacks but for the wilful lier iier and money grubbing hypocrites hypocrite who takes tabes advantage of popular errors and prejudices against the mormons cormons Mor mons to spread deception and rake in cash from the credulous we have the most profound con tempt and detestation in looking over the educational Education a report to tile tiie conference signed by T 0 T W lincoln and AW adkinson Ad feinson we leond and on ono ona objectionable statement to lich which we desire to draw attention it llis ills is objectionable because it is not true it is contain el ed in the tho annexed quotation we deplore the condition of the so called public school system of this territory as a subversion of the true idea of education in that it is exclusively sectarian in its character and we affirm that the time has come for tho the non mormon population of this territory to demand representation in thebe these schools in view of the fact that the actual i atio atlo of attendance of the mission schools to the mormon la Is one to uve nive and the ha number of mission schools to mormon is one to four tour and that a very vary large proportion of taxes levied for the support of 0 the latter are from non ngu mormons cormons 11 we declare our readiness to throw our whole influence in favor of the establishment of such a system of schools as shall be unbiased by sectarian influences whenever it shall become practicable practicable atle akle but so 80 long as 88 the present condition of things exist we believe that the maintenance of distinctively christian schools is imperative the assertion that the public school system of this territory is exclusively sectarian in its character is entirely incorrect if the gentlemen who signed the report are unaware of this it is time that they should become informed they will accomplish nothing permanent and satisfactory to themselves by creating or promoting a false impression among we the people outside of this territory they may collect a little money from the charitable and induce the board of church extension missionary society and womans comans home missionary society to extend further farther aid by foste fostering ring ning the errors that prevail in reference to the public schools of utah but hey will gain no enduring benefit and feel no inward approval byruch by such buch a course the district schools of utah are not sectarian in their character they ara are under the regulations of the secular law they are not supported by any denominational donations they thoy are not closed against the children of members of any sect or party parly the qualifications of teachers therein prescribed by jaddo not include anclade membership of any particular church the tenets of imor mon mormonism or any other fam iden are not part of the system of tuition they ar are e are necea barlly so BO because to a great extent they are supported eup cup ported by general and uniform taxation As a matter of not neb teachers have been employed in them and some are now novy under engagement who profess no faith in the 69 mormon church we are not speaking now of the policy of this but only mentioning the tho fact the signers of the report from which we have quoted may m AV A V ash ask would the school trustees employ any of our methodist preachers and teachers in the district sc hoole schools we ans answer iwer not if they had good com corm mon sense and understood their position for the employment of buch sueh persons would havn havo an tho vow varv effect of making the schools sectarian th theae these ebe ese persons have been sent here hore pur purposely I to draw the children of mormon parents away from the faith of their fathers this object la Is openly avowed by the societies which senu send them here and it Is used as a plea to obtain money by the preachers who go east for the purpose of making a raise they do not talk in that strain here but they do it there and this is their purpose as they well know for tho iho sak bak bake sake 0 of keeping the district schools then than it would not do to engage any of them as teach ersa erss therease Ther eare no purely mormon public schools in the territory except the brigham young academy at provo and the brigham young college at logan these thebe are not supported out of the public funds and are not part of the public school system they are praiseworthy in and we wish there were more of them in uenh the term Il mormon schools aj used in the report is misleading mib mia leading and improper pr in that connection because the district schools are not really mormon cormon Mo Wo rmon schools for the reasons which we have already advanced but in our lo opinion pinion there ought to be established in utah a bona fide gor mormon dormon or latter day saints school system the district schools having a status that cannot be ebl ebi eaily y disturbed could remain as they are are the public schools of the territory to supported wholly or la in part by general agn eral taxation under un er the school laws jaws W kept free from denominational denomination a te teaching and open to children of all 0 classes As of citizens they could be us used as primary schools in which the common branches of education are taught in addition to them and ranging between them and the university graden system of schools could be advantageously established establish ei under the auspices and control contro of the church not indebted to the territory or any public 0 funds for a dollar but sustained entirely by the lAtt lutter eMlay day daa saints either by a general church fund or by tuition fees as might t be determined only good faithful falth fu latter day saints should be allowed to trach tach in them and theology should forma form a part of their system of instruction the principles doc trines brines and history of the church should be taught and its spirit inculcated and those who ninish finish a course therein would thus be prepared for a university unive nally rally or collegiate course and grounded in the faith to be able to withstand those sophistries sophis tries of philosophy which in these times are tacked on to and pass under the name of science these intermediate schools would be cM mormon ormon schools in the true sense and in our opinion are greatly needed in every part of the Terr territory Itry the report which we have noticed diners differs materially from Lt everal everni pre methodist documents on the same subject in that it acknowledges the existence of public schools in utah while they deel deci declared ared that thai there were none and that tho ono ditmor man leaders were opposed to education it is not education that any of the maimona Mo imona are opposed to but that kind of teaching which would lead astray the children and plant in their tender minds minda tuo tue seeds ot ol doctrinal plants pianta which we consider erroneous and nonsensical no true latter day saint can be opposed to the spread of knowledge lon fon our religion teaches that inthe glory of god Is intelligence that no man can be saved in ignorance and that to be guided into all ali ail all truth is the great desider desideratum attim while to promote the practice ot of true principle is the main object of true religion we are glad cosce to see bee this step in the right direction and hope that thad in time our ME friends will proceed far enough to state nothing but facts in regard to mormonism and the mor imor mons 11 and aud base their controversies upon grounds that cannot bedis be disputed |
