# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1950_S1072
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

874 PARISH EDUCATION

have expressed the fear that if non-public schools “should, *
so numerous and so permanent as to constitute an institution
rival to the common public schools,” they will be a “thre
democratic process.” In deciding against “widespread enc
ment of parochial schools,” the International Council
“It would constitute a serious threat to public educ
democracy.”

This criticism is predicated on the assumption that only
schools are qualified to teach and to train for the democrati
of life. We believe that religiously motivated schools, which,
loyalty to our form of government and to the democratic ideal a
at least as well qualified for the task as are the schools w oh
no strictly religious motivation. People who are led to sa ring
in God, who are taught to love and obey God’s commandmél if
respect and aid their fellow men, even their enemies, to rete
civil government as a divine institution, will be the strongest
port of rather than a serious threat to the democratic way,

We are firmly convinced of the necessity of Christian
and we know that these schools will in no wise harm a
school system but will be a blessing to that system an
country. Three years ago we set as our goal the enro
fifty per cent of our children in Lutheran elementary schoc
shall try to attain our goal because we believe the well
our Church depends on the children’s receiving a comple te
tion, that is, a Christian education.

In maintaining a system of schools we are also helpi
maintain Protestantism in America. It was the Protestant;
that gave us our great American institutions. It is-Prot
that has carried forward the banner of civil and religious. f
We should encourage all Protestant denominations to
Christian schools, in which the Gospel of Jesus Christ
to the children.

The Romanists are determined to make America
and their power is expanding with great rapidity. Nons€
have resorted to political weapons in the effort to stop. they
of Romanism. The most that Protestants and Other
United can hope to accomplish in this manner is to- prey.
Roman Catholic Church from procuring tax moneys or;
troducing Roman Catholic instruction in the public sek
long as they ignore one of the chief factors that is. con!
most to the progress of Romanism, the Catholics will con
increase: their influence. That factor is the parochial school

Lutheran schools have helped to make our Church,
Church. Catholic schools keep Catholics with their J
A large percentage of Protestants fall away from the