Show READING THE BIBLE IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS THE time has come to study religion as a science an essential element in every human being differing with climate and civilization it is at least a as important in education as astronomy navigation and psychology but this science covering the whole round of human duties cannot be learned in our schools by reading the old testament containing as it does a very revolting history of tribes always at war of arbitrary rulers and of men and women who violated all the moralities in ordinary life dr andrew D white former president of cornell university unive rs ity in his new work history of the warfare of science with theology in in christendom shows that the bible has been the greatest block in the way of progress why then continue to read it in our public schools why make a fetish of a book that has thus retarded civilization and has led to the most cruel persecutions that the world has ever seen a book that makes the supposed ruler of f the universe a being delighting in in war tempest tossed with envy hatred and malice alternately blessing and cursing his supposed chosen people why frighten women and children with vivid pictures of two terrible forces of evil one called god and one called satan the one who with his omniscient eye penetrates our most secret thoughts and actions who condemns us generally as totally depraved conceived in sin in and brought forth in iniquity the other rejoicing in our vices and ever at hand to tempt us f from rom the path of rectitude 11 going 1 about like a roaring lion seeking whom he mav may devour strong men may rise superior to such visions but the multitudes of young women in insane asylums trembling before these imaginary beings and the ever present fears of children appeal to wise people to deliver us from these gloomy theologies es and to give to women and children an expurgated edition of t the h e holy book the stampede of several hundred children from one of our public schools in new york city a few mouths months since because some one said the devil was in the house should be a lesson to bible teachers Bl elizabeth alizabeth izabeth cady stanton in the june ame arena alrena we heartily concur with mrs elizabeth cady stanton in every thing that she has liere hem stated in regard to the dible bible and in addition thereto we believe the bible teaches that the institution of slavery was of divine origin an and d it leads all fair minded men to believe t that god is a firm em believer jm in the practice of polygamy y all the most blood bloodthirsty hirsty villains dij that tha have ever disgraced the name ot of mn man have been firm be librers in iia the inspiration of the s f bable because e its s teachings convey idea to them thit that they may their kamida af their y fellow T men t az and a commit iu fill 11 vz rf s ae to i inena live bif il f sa kany S a 4 sw tr teffie VV yer rast law air ft k 1 l A aft f f existence ei bucat tt ant at i that if they VR r sy S y ah ay sala are to believe that abedrop edrop oB sum t 6 t I 1 20 i I 1 IN ki 4 wash iway away all their sins they will be permitted to march on to heaven while on the other hand the bible teaches that it makes not the slightest lightest di difference how bow good any one may be unless they are willing to believe all the impossible and all the wonderful stories which it contains they will be compelled to associate with the devil and his angels throughout eternity in short we believe the bible its it a teachers and its preachers have been instrumental in retarding the progress of the human race more than alt all the other agencies combined |