mon school. Although, in accordance with the wise policy of the nation, there were but 14,000 soldiers in the regular army of the United States in the year 1860, yet it is now known that the aggregate number of the soldiers in the armies of both sides during the civil war amounted to 3,756,053 men. At the close of the war, the immense army which was reviewed at the city of Washington was a spectacle for the contemplation of the class of statesmen, throughout the world, whose faith in the resources of the republic had given way during its war. When the gigantic army of the United States was disbanded, the soldiers in an orderly manner again assuming the dress of citizens, a new and dignified exhibition of the true greatness of a free people was displayed to the thoughtful statesmen of Europe. It is true, that, during the war, the resources of the United States were severely taxed; yet in the year 1861 the citizens of the Northern States gave about sixty millions of dollars for free-school purposes. During each year of the war, they gave their money generously for the cause of education. Congress, on July 2, 1862, appropriated 7,830,000 acres of land, to be divided among the States and Territories for the benefit of agricultural colleges, and for free instruction in the mechanic arts. The schools were too valuable to be neglected, even in a time of war.

III.

THE attempt to make education universal was commenced at a peculiar period in the history of this country. At the time the system of having public schools was adopted, the vast majority of the people professed essentially the same religious faith.' It was thought a wise, and, by almost every one, an acceptable plan, to read some verses from the Bible at the daily opening of the schools. At a later period, objection was made to the custom by some of the Roman-Catholic clergy, and, on grounds of religious liberty, by even some Christians of every name. In some parts of the country, in deference to the religious scruples of such citizens, the practice has been discontinued. In regard to the reading of a few verses of the Bible in the public schools, it should be borne in mind that the theory upon which the National Constitution is formed is, that people can unite together for specified purposes — such as to protect each other from enemies, and secure certain advantages without even making any allusion to religion; just as two men unite to carry on a business, or as men form themselves into bank corporations, railway or manufacturing companies, without compromising each other's religious convictions. The written contract is called "partnership papers," or the "constitution." The people of the United

1 "With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion, manners, habits, and political principles." WASHINGTON's Farewell

Address.

States were not satisfied with simply leaving out of the National Constitution any reference to religion. In order to make it evident that the terrible system of Church and State, under which there has been so much persecution in the world, had not been, and never would be, adopted in the United States, the First Amendment to the Constitution was made, which declares that "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof." The constitutions of the States are mostly supposed to be in harmony with the National Constitution. The question which should be discussed is, not whether the reading of the Bible- the best of books-in the morning by youth is beneficial to them or not, but whether it is just, or in accordance with the Constitution of the United States and the principle of perfect religious liberty, to do so in schools supported by the public. An able volume, entitled "Religion and the State, has been published on the subject by Samuel T. Spear, a distinguished Presbyterian clergyman. The book contains an able argument against having even the Bible read in the public schools. It should be borne in mind, however, that no one need stay away from any public school in which a few verses of the Bible are read. Scholars are allowed to always absent themselves from this exercise, if they so choose. It is a little surprising that any of the Roman-Catholic clergy should object to having the Bible read in schools. The Bible belongs to them as well as to Protestants. When the essayist was a

boy, he went to a Roman-Catholic school in Paris. If he remembers rightly, the scholars sometimes read from a book made up of extracts from the Bible; such as the story of Joseph. He has been amused in recalling the fact, that some of his Roman-Catholic teachers once seriously asked him whether he had any objection to reading it. He remembers that they seemed relieved when he told them he had not.

Christians of every name should treat with tenderness the religious views of their fellow-citizens. James Madison held that "religion is not within the purview of human government." "A connection between them is injurious to both. There are causes in the human breast which insure the perpetuity of religion without the aid of the law." The words of the great statesman are worthy of being adopted as a maxim by the people of the world.

It has been claimed by some writers, that if the Bible is not read in the common schools, unless the Roman-Catholic catechism, or some other religious creed, is taught in them, the schools will be "godless." "Godless education " is a phrase that has so often been applied to the beneficent American school-system, that it deserves examination. The word "godless is defined in Webster's Dictionary as meaning "acknowledging no God, ungodly" [wicked], "irreligious." That the study of arithmetic, reading, and writing, is not considered wicked by any one, can be inferred from the fact that these branches of learning are taught, to a greater or less extent, in schools connected with Christians of every denomination, as

well as by Jews and other sects. The word "education," according to Webster's Dictionary, "includes the whole course of training, moral, intellectual, and physical." A word used as a synonyme of education is instruction." The word "instruction" has a much more limited meaning than the word "education." To instruct means to give information, to teach. The word "education," used in its fullest sense, includes a knowledge of business, the lessons of experience, a knowledge of reading, writing, history, geography, arithmetic, and of the many branches of learning desirable in life. A complete education cannot be given in a public school, if, indeed, in any school. In the common schools, instruction is given in branches of learning which every one acknowledges to be useful to men of every religious belief. The young man who works all day to support himself or aged parents, and in the evening goes to the night school to obtain the instruction that he knows he needs, and which is invaluable to him, will scarcely by any one be charged to be doing a wicked act.1 He goes elsewhere than to the public school to learn. his catechism, just as he goes elsewhere than to the shop in which he works to obtain religious instruction. That a knowledge of true religion is of inestimable importance to man is sincerely believed by all Christians. It is the privilege and duty of Christians in all honorable ways to diffuse a knowledge of Christ in the world. It is not, however, the duty or right of a government such as that of the United

1 See Appendices E and F.