Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 30.djvu/374

358 if you please, that this is true; it must also be admitted, deplored if you like, that a great many tax-payers do not believe its truth at all. But those who are represented by the writer quoted never would be willing to have the life of Jesus taught in the same manner as the life of Cæsar. They would not favor, for example, a fair setting forth of the arguments for and those against the miracles recorded in the gospels. They would be utterly horrified at any criticism of the character of Jesus. They would not allow him to be compared with Sakya-muni, as Cæsar might be compared with Alexander. The spirit in which they ask to have the life of Christ taught is that expressed by President Seelye in another part of the same article: "Why, then, on any consideration are not the gospels as proper a text-book in our schools as are Cæsar's 'Commentaries'? And if the teacher of the latter is to know them; if we make thorough inquiry respecting a teacher's qualifications for his task in other things, why not also here? If he does not, in the light of modern criticism, know that the story of the gospels is in the main true, he is ignorant; or if knowing its truth he would hide it, he is false; and in either case not fit to teach." There is an ambiguity in the expression "in the main true," which allows of wide differences. But no doubt the writer would intend to make his statement cover the miraculous events recorded in the gospels, certainly the story of the resurrection of Jesus. Now, upon this point it is to be feared that the ignorance lies on the side of the author cited. He says the historical accuracy of the gospels is "no longer doubted by intelligent persons." Who, having a tolerably large acquaintance of "intelligent persons," does not know that a considerable fraction of them disbelieve and a still larger fraction doubt the statements in the gospel record respecting the resurrection of Jesus? This is evidenced by journals, reviews, and even by religious organizations. If, now, a person who does not believe this account is not "intelligent" but is "ignorant" or "false" and "not fit to teach"; those who are fitted to teach the life of Jesus in the schools are only the ones who accept a particular "orthodox" view of Bible literature and are blind enough to be prevented from seeing intelligent difference of opinion! It is not the life of Jesus that a religious sect wants taught, but a particular theory of the life of Jesus. The Roman Catholics would like to have inculcated a similar theory of the Virgin Mary. How, under such circumstances, is it possible to teach the life of Jesus in the public schools? Until an agreement can be reached upon the platform of a thoroughly fair, critical instruction in religion, giving to believers and disbelievers alike the benefit of their views in equal degree, there is no other course open in a country of religious liberty than to interdict religious teaching in public institutions of learning.

Unless, indeed, we return to the rule of force. Listen to what President Seelye says, in concluding the article above quoted from: "Hence I say that the state should provide for instruction in the