Too Long; Didn't Read

But in this country, in consequence of our unbounded religious freedom, the subdivisions of sect are almost innumerable; it is impossible, in a system of public instruction, to provide separately for them all; and, unless religious instruction can be given without sectarianism, it must be abandoned. “In this country the rights of all sects are the same, and any denomination that would have its own rights respected must respect the rights of others. “The time which can be devoted to religious instruction in schools is necessarily very limited; and if there be an honest and sincere desire to do right, the whole of this time certainly can be occupied, with efficiency and profit, without encroaching on the conscience of any sect which really has a conscience. “Facts show plainly that, notwithstanding the diversity of sects, there is common ground on which the sincerely pious of all sects substantially agree. For example, the most acceptable books of practical piety, which are oftenest read by Christians of all denominations, have proceeded from[142] about all the different sects into which Christendom is divided, and are read by all with scarcely a recognition of the difference of sect. Such are the writings of Thomas à Kempis and Fenelon, who were Roman Catholics; of Jeremy Taylor and Bishop Hall, who were Churchmen; of Baxter, Watts, and Doddridge, who were Presbyterians or Congregationalists; of Bunyan and Andrew Fuller, who were Baptists; of Fletcher and Charles Wesley, who were Methodists. This fact alone shows that there is common ground, and enough of it too, to employ all the time which can properly be devoted to religious instruction in our public institutions. “All Christian sects, without exception, recognise the Bible as the text-book of their religion. They all acknowledge it to be a book given of God, and replete with the most excellent sentiments, moral and religious. None will admit that it is unfavourable to their peculiar views, but, on the contrary, all claim that it promotes them. To the use of the Bible, then, as the text-book of religious instruction in our schools, there can be no serious objection on the part of Christians of any sect; and even unbelievers very generally admit it to be a very good and useful book.