In reading about the Cincinnati Bible War today, which concerned the debate against teaching Protestant Christian religious lessons in public schools in the 1870's, I found this interesting quote from a staunch Calvinist Presbyterian elder who was also an attorney for the Cincinnati school board. He said this in defense of his position that "the church, not the public school was the proper agency" for religious education:
"Cannot the church send out it's ministers? Or are they too busy, day after day, in their studies, preparing to dole out dogmatic theology Sunday after Sunday, to the tired ears of their wearied congregations? Cannot they send out their Sunday School teachers? Cannot they send out their missionaries?...Must we say that the church has grown idle and lazy, and can only hobble on its crutches, and therefore that our school directors must set themselves up as teachers of religious truth? No! Let the church cease to depend upon any adventitious or external aids. Let her rely solely upon the strength of the Spirit of the Lord that is in it...Here is our work to evangelize, to save the lost and perishing crowd"--Stanley Matthews--
I could site any number of local missions opportunities in this declaration that the modern church misses time and time again that would get people out of the pews... Compelling argument in my opinion.
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