Danger in the Dark - ZseZse

DANGER IN THE DARK. 231
that; the minds and hearts of their children, they
say, might be tainted with heresy."
"Why need they have uch fears ~ Sectarianism
is not allowed in those schools; that evil has most
sedulously been guarded against. No religious tenets
are taught, none whatever. Beside, in the selection
of teachers for these schools, they are not questioned
as to their religion; they may belong to any church
or to none - may be Catholic or Protestant.'?
"It is on that ground, perhaps, tbat the Romish
Hierarchy denounce the common schools as Godless;
and contend for connecting religious instruction with
school education."
"They would, however, be very far from allowing
it to be any form of Protestant religion; infinitely
would they prefer none at all. But granting they are
right in wanting schools for their children, in which
their own peculiar religious principles are inculcated,
why can they not do as other churches do, build them
at their own expense, without asking to put their fists
into the public treasury ~ When Methodists, Presbyterians,
Baptista or any other denomination want a
sectarian school, or a school under their own particular
control and regulations, they uncomplainingly go
to work and build such a one. Not one half the
Protestants who pay school taxes send their children
to the public schools; and many who have no children
to be educated, willingly are taxed to support
common schools for the public good; but who makes
a poor mouth about it except Papi ts l who but