, "No preference can ever be
given by law to any church, sect, or mode of worship." This section is
often quoted as the authority and reason for excluding religious
teachings from the Public Schools; but, strange enough, it is flagrantly
violated by the present system, giving a _preference by law_ to the
_unbelievers_, and thereby discriminating against the believers of all
sects and denominations. For, after all, there can be but two churches,
or, if you please, sects, in the eye of the State--the believers and
unbelievers. To the former belong the various Christian denominations,
and to the latter those who deny and _protest_ against all religious
faith and belief. Those certainly are the last, and for that reason, if
for no other, are the _best or worst_ (as people may choose to view
them) sect. It is, then, this last product, this "_caput mortuum_" of
all sects and believers of every shade and kind, that is favored by the
no-belief system of education.

"Though the State may not give any preference to any church or sect," it
is not, on that account, authorized to ignore and reject all; but, on
the contrary, is obliged in justice to assist all or none, as, by this
course alone, it avoids giving preference to any. This is what the law
contemplates, and the only course that comports with reason and justice.
If it suits the _last sect_--the _unbelievers or no-believers_--to
exclude morals or religion from schools, all right; let them keep on as
at present. But if it suits the various other churches or sects to
modify the system to suit their conscientious views and beliefs, to
apply their own proportion of the school tax for that purpose, it is
their undeniable and lawful right.

There is one view in which the public will agree in regard to the Public
Schools: it is that they cost too much money. For the management of the
godless Public Schools there is a costly array of "Commissioners," and
"Inspectors," and "Trustees," and "Superintendents," and "Secretaries of
Boards," and "Central Officers," all in league with "Contractors," to
make "a good thing"--so-called--out of the plan. We have, now,
contractors for buildings and repairs, contractors for furniture,
contractors for books, contractors for furnaces, contractors for fuel,
contractors even for pianos, and all making money out of it. The
"Boards" that give the contracts do not make any money by way of
commissions, do they? Ah! you know full well that hundreds of th