IKE PUCE OF THE BIBLE IN EDUCATION
■ ■ __/
By Rev. Chas. H. Shute, D. D., Prof.,of Bible in Johnson C.
Smith University. . - - ,
I ; ■
(Paper read at the Annual Workers’ Conference, held at Brain
erd Institute, Chester, South Carolina.)
Since the religious spirit is
essential to the proper develop
ment of lif e and character in the
. youth, and since this spirit may
be developed through education,
then the question may be asked
whether or not the Bible should
be included.
If the answer is in the affir
mative, then what is the Bible’s
• place in education ?
I
Perhaps a feeble estimate of
the Bible would not be out of
place just here. The book that is
discussed more than any other:
of all others the most abused,
but above all others the best
book in the world; that book is
the Holy Bible.
“The first and almost the only
book deserving of universal at
tention is the Bible. 1 speak as
a man of the world, and I say to
you, ‘Search the Scriptures.’ ”
—J. Q. Adams.
Abraham Lincoln said: “I am
profitably engaged in reading
the Bible...In regard to the
great Book, I have only to say
that it is the best book which
God has given to men.”
“Hold fast the Bible as the
sheet anchor of your liberties;
write its precepts on your hearts
and practice them in your lives.”
These are said to be the words
of President U. S. Grant.
William Gladstone, England's
genius of statesmanship, says:
“There is but one question and
that is the gospel. It can and
will correct anything that needs
correction. My only hope for
the world is in bringing the hu
man mind into contact with di
me that; Hoo
any price give me that Book
of God! Here is knowledge
enough for me. Let me be a
man of one book,” says John
Wesley.
President Coolidge sums up
his estimate in these words: “If
American Democracy is to re
main the greatest hope of hu
manity, it must continue abun
dantly in the faith of the Bi
ble.”
Woodrow Wilson, twenty
eighth President of the United
States, declared that “A man
has deprived himself of the best
there is in the world who has
deprived himself of this.” (A
knowledge of the Bible.)
William Jennings Bryan, au
thor and statesman, left on rec
ord these words: “For nineteen
hundred years the battle be
tween the spiritual and the ma
terial conception of life has
raged around the Bible.”
“Search the Scriptures,” was
the command of Christ, and to
the Scriptures the Christian
world has turned ever since for
its authority.
Even the enemies of the Bi
ble must admit that as biogra
phy, history, literature or what
not, the Bible is unsurpassed.
But let us hasten to say that the
good Book does not teach these
things as such. Biography,1, his
tory, literature, science, and
philosophy are mere incidents
in the making up of the inspired
record. These ,are but leaves
which give beauty and symme
try to the wonderful tree of life.
1. Here youth may find
principles to govern every
phase and period of life. “There
fore all things whatsoever ye
would that men should do to you,
do ye even so to them” is an
excellent summary of the prin
ciples which should control all
relations and transactions of
life.
2L Unrecorded moral battles
are dearly set forth in the con
duct of Joseph, the great moral
hero of all times. But the be
coming; conduct of Joseph finds
its prototype in the perfect life
and character of Him to whom
the tempter came “But found
nothing in Him.”
Exhibition of noble deeds of
daring and deeds of human
kindnes in lives of hero and he
roine, by age and youth, are
found jn the Bible from the op
ening chapters of Genesis to the
closing verses of the Book of
Revelation.
Nothing inspires like1 inspira
tion. The spirit of holy ambi
tion and lofty purpose burns in
the breast of every individual
who ponders the pages of Holy
Writ.
3. No system of education,
no life nor character is complete
apart from the truths of the Bi
ble.
The ancient pagan world is a
striking but sad example of the
folly of building a civilization
apart from the principles of the
Bible. This element which
might have saved from de
struction the otherwise splen
did civilization of Egypt, Persia,
Greece and Rome was left out.
That ancient civilization was
cast to the mole and bat and
their gilded palaces were aban
doned to desolation and waste
and have long since become the
haunts of the pelican of the wil
derness, the bittern and the
owl.
Nations survive or perish with
the systems from which spring
their streams of life. The high
est source and highest form of
all living is spiritual. The head
water of all the streams of truth
is the Word of God.
All reforms from that of the
youthful king Josiah to the last
and most modern of our time
were set in motion by the appli
cation of Bible principles. The
man suffrage and the success
attending the temperance
cause, all have travelled ways
opened up and made possible by
the Word of God.
All that has been said and in
finitely more than can be con
ceived by the human mind or
uttered by human tongue is true
of the Book of Books.
In view of the foregoing par
agraphs there should be no doubt
of the wisdom of giving the Bi
ble a place in education wheth
er that education be secular or
religious. But as to what place
each element or phase of the ed
ucation for youth should occu
py must be determined by rela
tive merit.
II
That which is of first impor
tance is deserving of and should
occupy the first place. We are
now ready to affirm that the Bi
ble should occupy the first place
in education. In thinking of
place in the light of merit, it is
easy to write the word, first.
Like the foundation of a
building, the principles of the
Bible should occupy the first
place in the education of the
youth. The voice of prevailing
conditions is crying aloud for
Bible principles in the educa
tional curricula of this country
and the world. I say world, be
cause distance no longer exists
as a barrier. Modern means of
communication and travel have
blotted out time and space, as it
were, hence we and the most re
mote regions of the earth dwell
in the same house on the same
floor, says radio.
Therefore, what we prescribe
for ourselves should be recom
mended to Africa, Asia, and the
distant isles of the sea.
Merit has won a place for the
Holy Bible in every educational
program. In all the depart
ments of school life, from the
little tots of the kindergarten to
the highest class of the most re
nowned university of the land,
every one without exception
should major in the study of
the English Bible.
Even the professional man in
the graduate school would profit
by taking a course iii that Book
which shows men the way of
true wisdom and the road to un
derstanding.
The following is a statement
from Professor William Lyon
Phelps, American educator of
Yale University: “I believe in
a university education for men
and women, but I believe a
knowledge of the Bible without
a college course is more valuable
than a college course without the;
Bible.”
It should be the purpose and ;
ultimate aim of all education to
make good citizens. Willingness
to obey the laws and constituted
authority is one evidence. Desire
to render faithful, unselfish ser
vice is another unmistakable
mark of a good citizen. Any ed
ucation which does not produce
these ear-marks is a failure.
Purely secular education
stands in danger of producing a
generation with eyes, hands and
feet but void of heart and soul
of the right kind. There is
abundant evidence of the fact
that the Bible should not only
be first in time but that the time
for the application of its prin
ciples is now, right now.
We are living in an age of
baseless romance. Brazen-faced
effrontery knows no bounds and
modesty has fled the earth.
Waves of crime, crimes unspeak
ably horrible, sweep the earth.
-Neglected youths, like prowling
gangs of evening wolves, sOek
evil and fall an easy prey to
temptation. Too many, fartoo
many of this host, falling into
the iron clutches of the law, find
the way to our juvenile courts;
Their frequent presence in these
courts is creating one of the
most perplexing problems of the
age. But what is more, if from
some source there does not come
the influence of inhibition, self
restraint, none can tell just how
sad will be the outcome.
The bold spirit of atheism and
infidelity proclaim the absence
iftf Jilrn nljfa ifriiiffff idrniifMTJ'a^li*
the Bible in the hearts and lives
of men. The prevailing atmos
phere seems to say that the time
of the adult criminal is high
noon or past. The ray of hope
of reform, if present, seems
faint. With adolescent crim
inals it is early morn, but the
time is short, the host is large
and the laborers are few.
Statistics tell us that less than
one half of the youth of this
country are receiving any reli
gious training at all. To be more
exact, 66.5 per cent of the young
people under twenty-five years
of age are receiving no religious
instruction whatever. The fact
is that only one out of every
twenty Jews, only one out of
every four Catholics, only one
out of every three Protestants,
only three out of every ten in
the United States receive any
religious training. Negatively
speaking, of the youth receiving
no such training there are:
nineteen out of every twenty
Jews, three out of every four
Catholics, two out of every three
Protestants, and seven out of
every group of ten youths in the
country
This burden of responsibility
lies at the door of Catholic, Jew
and Protestant alike
The place demanded by con
ditions and circumstances for
the Holy Word is a place first in
time and first in importance.
Importance of place calls for spe
cial emphasis in the matter of
adaptation and presentation.
Further mention of these will be
made in the final division of the
discourse.
The holy influence of which
we have been speaking must go
along with education, secular
and religious, to serve as a sav
ing grace in the formation and
maintenance of Christian char
acter.
Therefore, let us hasten with
the lamp of life.
Ill
The final consideration is,
shall we give the Bible its place
in education ?
This question presses for an
answer. The manner in which
the State has developed the pub
lic school system challenges the
admiration of the most casual
observer. Progress made dur
the last two decades is sim
wonderful. To this progress
lere seems to be no end.
This progress has doubtless
some to conclude that the
sponsibility for teaching, or
I;'least, relating the Bible to ed
ition devolves upon the
Opinion, however, as to
Whether or not the state should
ive a hand in work of this
ind is really divided. And, in
ividing, the opinions take va
>us shades.
Henry F. Cope thinks that the
sire to have the state teach
ie Bible is another way of seek
to spread religious or secta
propaganda. Others hold
the state can and ought
have the Bible taught in the
lie school.
1. Let it be observed that
ie state school curricula, like
others, is overcrowded with
irses. To compensate for
irercrowded conditions resort
been made to the elective
item, but this does not prove
r be the cure for the ills. Over
uwded conditions call for elim
lation.
2. Again the state does not
ploy instructors with the view
having them teach religion.
oreoyer, teachers fitted to im
religious training, especial
ly the Bible, to the youth are
comparatively few.
3. The most difficult prob
lem, perhaps, would be to har
monize the contending groups by
the public school.
, Between Judaism and Chris
ity there will ever re
main an impassible gulf,
til Christendom, Catholic and
Protestant stand apart. Again
Protestant ranks break up into
nb less than 180 or 200 different
ominations and communions.
Jarring the Gary System and
manner of carrying on traiii
in New York City, about as
about as little as the state can
do in teaching the Bible in the
public school is to have it read
without any comment.
The Christian home is the
place to begin the work of Bible
training. Here the work must
be kept up. Whatever the
Church or state may do, must
be supplemented, maintained
outside the home. Outside the
home, the surest road to results
in Bible training is in the de
nominational schools. These are
educational agencies of the
Church. This, among others, is
a valid reason for the existence
and maintenance of the parochi
al school.
The world’s need cries out for
the abiding and holy influence
of the teaching of the Bible in
education. Errors committed
by past nations in neglecting the
Book sound the alarm and serve
their fearful warnings.
The need of individuals, races
and nations, in the final analy
sis, is that which the Bible alone
offers: comfort and infallible
guidance for time; and assur
ance of life and joy in eternity.
“The Bible—Yesterday, To
day and Forever.”
The Word of our God abideth
forever!
THEOLOGICAL SCHOOLS
FOR NEGROES.
Washington, February 13.—
Among the new books that are
attracting attention is a work
of investigation published for
the Institute of Social and Reli
gious Research under the title,
“The Education of Negro Min
isters.” The author, Dr. W. A.
Daniel, who was educated at Un
ion and Chicago Universities,
and who for a number of years
was research assistant at Tuske
gee Institute, reveals the aston
ishing fact that less than three
per cent of the annual vacancies
in Negro churches can be filled
by men “whose combined litera
ry and theological training
would be equivalent to three
years above high school/’
Nothing so recommends a
political boss as his ability to
get elected.
HERE AND
Everybody who
Workers' Conference 'at
ter, S. C., was amply repai
inspiration was helpful
fellowship was splendid,
erd was an ideal place
meeting. There was a strong
bid for the Conference to Jbe in
South Carolina again. . As far
as we are concerned Cheraw is
the next ideal place.
Our distinguished friend and
brother, Dr. W. L. Metz, covered
himself with glory in his very
thoughtful and comprehensive
paper on some of the early
workers of the Church among
Negroes. It was indeed a mas
terpiece and it held the close at
tention of the large crowd of
people gathered there for that
purpose. Here’s hoping that
he will preserve that for his
book. The effort and time put
forth is worth something to the
historian. We don’t know
whether it will be published
free, but at the tiige we were
leaving, the matter Was under
discussion. As ‘‘Scribe West”
says, so say we: “One of the out
standing features of the Confer
ence was the paper by Dr. W. L.
Metz.”
Dr. I. H. Russell’s apnounce
ment that he is on the job again
is a fact that has been well at
tested He preached for us with
his old-time vigor in January.
Friends w.ere glad teNsee him
take a very active part in the
proceedings of the Conference.
Dr. Russell is unique. He is full
of wit and humor, but he can
cast that aside in a moment and
become a gospel dynamo for the
kingdom of God. There are many
imitators, but there is only ope
ikt«geihw^ai!!Nie-#e spiffed iohff
for work in the advancement of
the kingdom of God.
We are glad to hear also that
the Rev. S. J. Ellis is a recipient
of a car. The brother was a lit
tle late in.telling it. In fact, it
had to be pulled out of him.
Some time we are accused, as
Presbyterians, of being too mod
est. Let us boost the Church
and the preacher. It is true that
we pay him, but an added gift
won’t hurt. We had an elder to
tell us the other day that his
church was going to give their
preacher a suit of clothes with
which to go to the General As
sembly. We think he is too
modest, too. You can say for
us that when we get a car or a
suit or a pullet, we are going to
advertise it. It may be a stim
ulant. Don’t be too modest next
time, Brother Elder. We get
joy out of the mere mention of
such things.
We heard recently that Dr. J.
A. Bonner, of Winston-Salem,
has been suffering with an at
tack of rheumatism. We hope
that he will improve rapidly. If
Dr. Bonner has ,/jver been sick
before in his life nobody knows
it. His oldest friends don’t re
call any such thing. Providence
has smiled pleasingly upon him
and he has used his time well.
Dr. Bonner also has a smile and
a good word for everybody.
We read of a birthday celebra
tion of Elder Jonn H Cowan, of
Mt. Tabor church. We have been
to Mt. Tabor church and know
Elder Cowan. He may be sev
enty-five years of age, but in
spirit he is not. Elder Cowan
seems to be fond of young peo
ple. He is progressive and he is
a warm supporter of the church.
Rain or shine he is at his post of
duty. Nothing pulls him away.
His kind is getting scarce. Many
of the younger elders have be
come elders before their age de
manded it. They are decidedly
elderly when it comes to staying
at home or elsewhere from the
church. Elder Cowan should be,
according to what was said of
him, an inspiration to younger
men as a churchman.
SIDELIGHTER.
ISB^=B!Bsa=5=aa=asa
COULTER ACADEMY NOTES
By Miss M. L. Gates
On Sunday, February 7, Rev.
J. R. Pearson, of Charleston, S.
C., pastor of Olivet Presbyterian
church, that city, was present
and preached for us at the morn
ing services. We Were charmed
by the eloquence of his sermon.
Rev. A. E. Abbott, pastor of
the Mt. Hebron A. M. E. Zion
church, who is a member of the
National Negro Historical .Soci
ety, N. Y. City, was a visitor
at our chapel exercises Monday
morning. He gave us some very
interesting facts from Negro
History. These facts were very
timely, this being Negro History
Week.
Mr. E. R. Donnelly, Manager
of the Florence District for the
North Carolina Mutual Insur
ance Co., was present at our
chapel exercises Wednesday
morning and made som4 very
impressive remarks to the stu
dent body, stressing the impor
tance of making every moment
count.
Friday morning at the chattel
hour a number of history pupils
presented a very creditable pro
gram in celebration of Negro
History Week. The program,
sponsored by Miss Wilhelmina
Gillespie, our teacher of history,
was as follows:
Negro National Anthem,
Chorus.
Spokesman of the Race, Vash
ti Brewer.
The Negro in Art—Beulah
Spencer.
The Negro Pioneer—Olethia
Wilson.
“Let Us Cheer the We
Traveller,” arranged by
Chorus.
Recitation, Lif Brown Baby,
(Dunbar) Lizzie Horne. , »;■>
ieUlaK Barnhill. (Dunbar.)
Solo—“Seems Lak to Me,” (J.
Rosamond Johnson) Margaret
Faulkner.
The Negro Orator, Lucile Da
vid.
The Negro Press, Ida B. Wil
son.
The Negro Laborer—Patsie
Harris.
The Negro Soldier—Annie
Mae Culbert.
Music—Chorus.
Rev. Abbott, with many oth
ers, was present and made
some very favorable comments
on the program.
February 12th pupils of the
6th and 7th grades rendered the
play, <‘A Dream of Queen Es
ther.” Much credit is due Miss
A. J. Pruitt, teacher in charge
of these teases, for the splen
did way iV-which these pupils
presented rais play.
Sunday afternoon at 5 o’clock
Lincoln Day Program was ob
served by the Sunday school. A
good program was had and a
collection was taken which will
be sent to the Board.
We are now preparing for our
annual contest with the'Wilson
High School of Florence, > Which
takes place February 22.! litis
contest consists of an oratorical
contest and a basket ball contest;
We are hoping to win both. 1 *
We were very glad to see Mr.
A. S. Powe, class'of ’25 now a
student at Johnson C. Smith
University, on our campus Mon
day. '!
Dr. Long is in Minnesota at
tending a meeting of the Na
tional Staff.
GEORGIA MAY RESCIND NE
GRO BARBER LAW. *
Atlanta, Feb. 13.—The City
Council will reconsider its ac
tion in passing an ordinance pro
hibiting Negro barbers from
serving white patrons. This was
assured here last week when
Councilman John A White,1 who
voted for the measure, ejiijd he
would move reconsideration at
the council’s next session.,,..
We walk into trouble through
open doors; we have to pick the
locks to get out.