Tuesday, June 13, 2023

instances of Church Leaders in the 19th-century stating that Latter-day Saints should not entrust their children's education to the State

The following comes from:

 

The Annals of the Southern Mission: A Record of the History of the Settlement of Southern Utah, ed. Aaron McArthur and Reid L. Neilson [Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2019):

 

John W. Young, letter dated April 11, 1874:

 

We desire to establish and sustain for this Southern Country a Normal School, at which we can have students instructed in the higher branches of learning, and in which we can give that systematic and careful training necessary to prepare teachers for our Common Schools.

 

We desire the Bishops and leading men of each Settlement to consult together, and to send to my Office in St George, the names of one, two, three, or more, whom they will send to such a school. Those selected, should be fairly advanced; and where designed for preparations as School Teachers, should possess a natural faculty to communicate knowledge; and above all, should be imbued by the Spirit of the Lord. As Latter-day Saints we should not entrust the instruction and mortal training of our children to those who are not faithful members of the Church. It is recommended that the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Book of Doctrine and Covenants be used as School Readers; thus imparting, not only increased ability to read, but also an increase of historical and doctrinal knowledge. If there is a deficiency for this purpose, of these sacred books, in any of the Settlements, report to my Office in St. George, and steps will be taken to supply what may be needed. (pp. 336-37)

 

Letter from Wilford Woodruff and George Reynolds to the St. George Stake, June 8, 1888:

 

We feel that the time has arrived when the proper education of our children should be taken in hand by us as a people. Religious training is practically excluded from the District Schools. The perusal of books that we value as Divine Records is forbidden. Our children, if left to the training they receive in these schools, will grow up entirely ignorant of those principles of salvation for which the Latter-day Saints have made so many sacrifices. To permit those condition of things to exist among us would be criminal. The desire is universally expressed by all thinking people in the Church, that we should have Schools were the Bible, the Book of Mormon and the Book of Doctrine and Covenants can be used as text books, and where the principles of our religion may form a part of the teaching of the Schools. (p. 691)

 

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