Synodical Conference Convention Proceedings St. Louis, Missouri — 1900, Page 14

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14 Verhandlungen der achtzehnten Verſammlung

Bible, well and good; let that be done without comment. If, how-
ever, there are objections, let even this go. It is the business of the
parents and the churches to look after the children's religious in-
struction. The common school must really be the common school.)

Aehnlich ſpricht ſich Staatsſchulſuperintendent Kiehle von Minne⸗
ſota aus. Er ſagt in einem officiellen Circular: „Die Bibel iſt ein reli⸗
giöſes Buch und hat als ſolches keinen Raum in der öffentlichen Schule, um
religiöſe Lehren auszubreiten; da ſie aber den Vorzug großen hiſtoriſchen,
moraliſchen und literariſchen Werthes hat, ſo mag ſie wegen dieſer Eigen⸗
ſchaften gebraucht werden. Wenn dies jedoch irgend einer Klaſſe von Per⸗
ſonen anſtößig iſt, muß die Schulbehörde fordern, daß der Gebrauch der
Bibel eingeſtellt werde.“ (The Bible is a religious book, and as such it
has no place in the public schools to promulgate religious doctrines;
but having merit of great historical, moral, and literary value, it
may be used for those qualities. If, however, to any class of persons
this is obnoxious, the board should require the discontinuance of
its use. Official Circular of October 20, 1891, quoted in U. S. Report
of Commissioner of Education for 1889—90, p. 1158.)

Indem nun aber die Religion aus der Staatsſchule ausgeſchloſſen iſt,
ſo fehlt ihr — und das iſt das zweite, was bei ihrer Beurtheilung von
Belang iſt — das einzige Mittel, durch welches das von Gott
gebotene Erziehungsgeſchäft ausgerichtet werden kann.
„Zucht und Vermahnung zu dem HErrn“ kann nur geübt werden, wo Got⸗
tes Wort ſtetig getrieben wird. Daran ändert auch der Umſtand nichts, daß
ſich unter den Staatslehrern hie und da wahre Chriſten finden, welche die
Erziehung der Schüler in rechter Weiſe handhaben. Denn ſie thun das
nicht als Lehrer, dürfen es ja gar nicht thun, ſobald es irgend jemand an⸗
ſtößig iſt. Die Staatsſchule als ſolche hat die Religion nicht als Er⸗
ziehungsmittel; deshalb kann ſie auch nicht erziehen. Die Folgen unſers
öffentlichen Erziehungsſyſtems liegen ſo klar und für jeden unparteiiſchen
Beobachter ſo erſchreckend vor Augen, daß man ſich billig fragen muß: Wo
will das noch enden? Und nicht bloß wir ſehen das, ſondern auch in der
pädagogiſchen Welt, die die Staatsſchule und ſie allein auf ihr Panier
ſchreibt, fängt man immer mehr an, den Bankrott des bisherigen Er⸗
ziehungsſyſtems zuzugeſtehen.

Wie ſucht man dem abzuhelfen? Man will einen Weg finden, wie
man doch etwas Religion in die öffentliche Schule bekommen könnte. Jetzt,
meint man, wo die religiöſen Gegenſätze ſich ausgleichen, jetzt iſt die Zeit
vorhanden, wo man einig werden kann, was und wie viel von Religion in
der Staatsſchule ohne Anſtoß gelehrt werden darf. Die Bekenntniſſe ſchwin⸗
den, ſagt man, die Religion wird bleiben, eine Religion, welche jedermann
ohne Widerſpruch annimmt. Wie unklar dieſe Leute ſehen! Als ob es
eine Religion ohne Bekenntniß geben könnte! Freilich wer bei der Be⸗

14 Proceedings of the eighteenth convention

Bible, well and good; let that be done without comment. If, however, there are objections, let even this go. It is the business of the parents and the churches to look after the children's religious instruction. The common school must really be the common school.)

Similarly State School Superintendent Kiehle of Minnesota expresses himself. He says in an official circular: "The Bible is a religious book and as such has no place in the public school for spreading religious doctrines; but since it has the advantage of great historical, moral and literary value, it may be used on account of these qualities. If, however, this is offensive to any class of persons, the school board must demand that the use of the Bible be discontinued." (The Bible is a religious book, and as such it has no place in the public schools to promulgate religious doctrines; but having merit of great historical, moral, and literary value, it may be used for those qualities. If, however, to any class of persons this is obnoxious, the board should require the discontinuance of its use. Official Circular of October 20, 1891, quoted in U. S. Report of Commissioner of Education for 1889—90, p. 1158.)

Since religion, however, is excluded from the state school, it lacks — and this is the second thing that matters in judging it — the one means by which the work of education commanded by God can be carried out. "Discipline and instruction of the Lord" can be practiced only where God's Word is steadily pursued. It makes no difference that here and there among the state teachers true Christians are found who conduct the education of the pupils in the right way. For they do not do it as teachers, and may not do it at all, as soon as it is offensive to anyone. The state school as such does not have religion as a means of education; therefore it also cannot educate. The consequences of our public school system lie so plainly, and so alarmingly for every impartial observer, before our eyes that one must fairly ask: Where is this going to end? And not only we see this, but also in the educational world, which writes the state school and it alone on its banner, people are beginning more and more to admit the bankruptcy of the educational system hitherto.

How do people seek to remedy it? They want to find a way by which some religion might yet be got into the public school. Now, it is thought, when the religious differences are evening out, now the time is at hand when agreement can be reached on what and how much of religion may be taught in the state school without giving offense. Confessions are dwindling, people say; religion will remain, a religion which everyone accepts without contradiction. How unclearly these people see! As if there could be a religion without a confession! To be sure, whoever in the