o
fan into flame the slumbering embers of a quarrel, but it is a greater
folly to pretend, in the face of the common sense of the people, that
all signs of fire are extinguished or never existed where there is
so much inflammable material about and the "wind of doctrine" running
high.

This question of secular education for our public schools is in fact
one of the most difficult of solution. Chicago has met it in a summary
manner by excluding the Bible from all her free schools, but this does
not settle the question, because both believers and unbelievers in the
various creeds of the churches admit that there should be provision
made for the training of the moral faculties of the children in
our public schools. Many of them, especially in cities and large
manufacturing centres, come out of the dark alleys where intemperance,
poverty and ignorance tend to arrest the development of their higher
sentiments. For the unfortunate children of such homes the sessions of
the public school afford the only glimpse of a better life, the
only chance for moral and aesthetic culture. Protestants, as a rule,
honestly believe that the reading of the Bible at the opening of
school tends to waken and develop the moral aspirations of the child.
Just as honestly and conscientiously do Catholics disbelieve in the
efficacy of Bible reading, while they boldly condemn secular education
as a principle. Father Muller, priest of the congregation of the Most
Holy Redeemer, in his work upon public school education, published
three years ago in Boston, says: "The language of the Vicar of Christ
in regard to godless education is very plain and unmistakable"....
"Our Holy Father, Pope Pius IX., has declared that Catholics cannot
approve of a system of educating youth unconnected with the Catholic
faith and the power of the Church".... "The voice of common sense, the
voice of sad experience, the voice of Catholic bishops, and especially
the voice of the Holy Father, is raised against and condemns the
public school system as a huge humbug, injuring and not promoting
personal virtue and good citizenship, and as being most pernicious to
the Catholic faith and life and all good morals. A pastor, therefore,
cannot maintain the contrary opinion without incurring guilt before
God and the Church. He cannot allow parents to send their children to
such schools of infidelity. He cannot give them absolution and say,
_Innocens sum_."

According to the _American A