One  of  the  functions  of  the  Christian  church  has  always  been
the  education  of  the  young,  and  in  most  European  countries
religious  instruction  is  a  part  of  the  public-school  curriculum.
In  Germany,  for  instance,  the  Catholic  priest,  the  Protestant
pastor,  and  the  Jewish  rabbi  come  in  turn  into  the  school
buildings  to  instruct  the  children  of  their  parishioners.  Many
of  the  private  schools  and  colleges  in  the  United  States  give
special  instruction  in  Bible  study  and  morals.
When,  about  1840,  the  states  for  the  first  time  faced  the
problem  of  a  thorough  public-school  system,  religious  instruc-
tion was  not  included,  because  there  were  too  many  denomi-
nations in  the  community,  and  because  it  was  thought  contrary
to  the  princii)le  of  religious  freedom  for  the  state  to  inculcate
any  religious  doctrine.  The  Catholic  church  has  always  been
especially  strong  against  the  teaching  of  any  form  of  Protestant
faith  in  the  public  schools  ;  and  the  Protestant  denominations
have  been  equally  firm  against  permitting  the  Catholic  clergy  to


§  237]  Public  Libraries.  549

have  any  official  connection  with  the  schools.  The  place  has
been  to  a  large  degree  filled  by  the  Sunday  School,  in  which
there  were  11,000,000  scholars  in  1901.  Here  each  denomi-
nation is  free  to  teach  the  children  who  come  to  it  voluntarily  ;
and  in  these  schools  children  learn  both  the  text  and  the  moral
lessons  of  Scripture.
