Part 3 (1/2)

[D] Vive le Materialisme

[E] Le Monde Maconnique, June, 1866

CHAPTER IV

EXPOSE OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

It is a fundamental principle of Christianity, admitted even by Protestants, that ion which Jesus Christ taught, and which He sealed with His precious Blood Now this fundanored in our present school systeion

The whole course of instruction is iion, without any of those occasional observations that are so necessary in our days, and especially in this country, in order to explain the see inconsistencies between scientific facts and the doctrines of faith Instruction, to be useful, must show that the discoveries of science are, as is really the case, evidences of religion It must show the harmony that exists between history and philosophy and the truths of faith Secular knowledge should be the hande of God, is perer, say an educated Pagan, enter one of our public schools; will he discover sign, symbol or token of any kind to indicate that either the teacher or children are Christians? Or suppose this Pagan, or a Turk, or Atheist sends children there to be educated, they can do so with perfect safety to their Pagan, Mohammedan, or infidel superstitions or opinions They will not, through the whole course of instruction, hear a prayer, a lecture, or a single advice, lesson, or precept of the Church; they will, as far as the State plan of teaching extends, renorant of the ”holy name of God,” or the Blessed Trinity, or the Lord's Prayer, or the Ten Cos of our Lord, or the resurrection of the body, or a future state of reward and punishht to those little ones whom our Lord loves so tenderly The teacher is not even permitted by law to explain what is meant by the term ”our Saviour,” ”our Redee-lesson, what ”our Lord and Saviour”

meant, the teacher must tell him: ”Hush!+ if you want to know that youabout religion here! We have no Lord, or God, or Saviour here!”

In reference to thisthe youth of Ao:

”The secular system took no notice of God or of Christ, or of the Church of the Living God, or, except in the most incidental way, of God's Holy Word The intellect was stiree, but the heart and the affections were left uncultivated It was a system which trained for the business of life, not for the duties of life As there were differences of opinion about Christianity, it was not allowed to be spoken of, and a knowledge of it was not one of the qualifications for a teacher A ht be a Moharaphy, arithmetic, or the exact sciences The teachers in the norht be infidels provided they did not openly inculcate their scepticisned to train teachers only, a vast majority were not Christians”

The school-books ive offence to the countless sects of Protestantism Voltaire, Paine, or Renanof God

If our Public Schools differ in any degree froreater shaht piety to ”_their Gods_;” we ignore the _true God altogether_, and bring the false Gods of the heathens down to earth to be ratifications Thus the ious void; at least, there is but a religious mist in his intellect The child even unlearns, in the society of the school, whatever principles of religion he may have learned from his parents

The present coets conteion Men trained under such a systeion as a dress which is to be worn only on Sunday, and to be laid aside during the rest of the week; they look upon religion as so which -house, but which is entirely out of place in business, in society, and in the daily transactions of life The child has logic enough to think that he is taught whatever is necessary for his future career, and that religion ht in school

And ill the child learn, in this Pagan syste passions? What precept of positive virtue does he learn? What principle of self-restraint? What does he learn in such a school to ood Christian? The co the passions of youth to take any develop to a riper age for a change for the better, just as if it were possible ”to gather grapes of briars, or figs of thorns”

In these Public Schools the whole education of children is directed to the cultivation of their heads or intellectual faculties alone The heart, with all its lected Every mental power and acquirement is intended and directed to promote their prosperity, success, and happiness in this life; at least this is what is sought and promised as the reward of study and application They are constantly presented with the bright side of the world Scientific knowledge, they are taught, will do aith the old drudgery of labor, and bring the acquirement of wealth and honor within the reach of all, no matter how poor or humble the condition of their fathers or mothers They have all, no doubt, read the Declaration of Independence, and learned that all men are created free and equal They have shared the equal bounty of the State in the way of education, and have, in the language of the day, ”an equal right on the world for a living”

I ask if this is not a pretty fair and not overdrawn statement of the case? You will bear in mind that all this tioing on; that while their studies and exercises are strictly confined to dry, secular knowledge, or such other pursuits as ination, not one line or lesson, caution or command, as stated before, is used or adht say inevitable, cry of the youthful passions claratification

CHAPTER V

EVIL CONSEQUENCES OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM ON THE MALE PORTION OF SOCIETY

Let us now suppose the young men educated under the present Public School system fairly launched into the world, and, for the first time, thrown on their own resources They are all well, indeed _over-educated_ The greater part of their families are necessarily in poor or moderate circumstances Will their learned and accomplished sons take the humble and laborious trades or occupations of their fathers? I fear not We should not expect more fro public school graduates cannot get nice situations as clerks, professors, editors, teachers, etc, etc, and the professions are all full to overflowing

You must remember that, as I have said, not one of the boys have ever been taught the first principle, prayer, orwent, perfectly ignorant of the Divine law as rule of our life; they are, in fact, but educated apes or ani man reconcile ”poverty and wealth,” ”labor and ease,”

”sickness and health,” ”adversity and prosperity,” ”rich and poor,”

”obedience and authority,” ”liberty and law,” etc, etc All these are enigmas to him, or, if he affects to understand theovernht to be reislation He will be a tyrant or slave, a glutton or hway robber, as circumstances may influence him Think you that the common ”fall back” on principle of self-interest--well or ill understood--will ever restrain such a one froence, provided he thinks it can be safely done? He will look on life as a game of address or force, in which the best man is he who carries off the prize

He will look upon power as belonging of right to the strongest; the weak, or those who differ from him in opinion, he will treat with contehts he is bound to respect In power, such a man will be arbitrary and cruel; out of power, he will be faithless, hypocritical and subservient Trust him with authority, he will abuse it; trust him with money, he will steal it; trust hian and unprincipled as he is--reat religious zeal and purity He will talk of ”_Philanthropy_” and the ”_Hureat coive the cold shoulder to the houseless pauper or orphan

The heart of such a man is cold, insincere, destitute of every tender chord for a tender vibration, of every particle of right or just feeling or principle that can be touched; on the contrary, it is roused to rage, revenge and falsehood if interfered with How is such a heart to be touched or moved, or placed under such influences as could move it?