COMMENTS BY LAY AND RELIGIOUS PEOPLE CONCERNING THE 1963 SUPREME COURT DECISION BANNING PRAYER AND BIBLE READINGS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Eighty percent of the American people want Bible readings and Prayer in the schools. . . Why should the majority be so severely penalized by the protests of a handful?

--Billy Graham, evangelist.

In embracing the materialistic concepts of life as the religion of man and denying the almost universal acceptance that creation was divine,and the necessary consequences flowing there from, the effect of the decision can only mean that our American heritage of philosophy, of religion, and of freedom are being abandoned in imitation of Soviet philosophy, of Soviet materialism, and of Soviet-regimented liberty.

-James Francis Cardinal McIntyre

Tocqueville's Discovery and Warning

De Tocqueville of France, over a hundred years ago, visited America.Upon his return home he wrote: "I sought for the greatness of America in her harbors and rivers and fertile fields,and her mines and commerce. It was not there. Not until I went into the churches and heard her pulpits flame with righteousness did I understand the greatness of her power. America is great because she is good; and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great."

editor's note: has this somber warning come to pass?

Letting Children Free to Develop?

Coleridge was once talking with a man who told him that he did not believe in giving little children any religious instruction whatsoever. His theory was that the child's mind should not be prejudiced in any direction, but when he came to years of discretion he should be permitted to choose his religious opinions for himself. Coleridge said nothing; but after a while he asked his visitor if he would like to see his garden. The man said he would, and Coleridge took him out into the garden, where only weeds were growing. The man looked at Coleridge in surprise, and said, "Why this is not agarden! There's nothing but weeds here"

"Well, you see," answered Coleridge, "I did not wish to infringe upon the liberty of the garden in any way. I was just giving the garden a chance to express itself and to choose its own production."