Excerpt from The Muhlenberg, Vol. 20: September, 1902

It is claimed for the ancient humanities, that they are, in a philological way, peculiarly adapted to mental discipline, and therefore especially useful in a college course. That is true. A long line of eminent men so trained proves it. We are not of those who would eliminate the Greek and Roman classics from the curriculum. Nor would we have the study of them optional, or substitute for them the modern classics, or the still more modern physical sciences. The latter should be studied, and the former by no means be neglected. But is there not a disciplinary value also in the Biblical Classics? If a knowledge of Greek is desired, we have it in the original of the New Testament, and that in the highly classical style of St. Luke in his Gospel and The Acts. Or the Hebrew of the Old Testament will afford a still sterner discipline, besides opening up the vast field of Semitic thought and civilization. Nor is it too much to say that this latter is becoming more and more of a necessity for the liberally educated, by reason of our increasing contact with the Western Asiatic peoples. That such an educational use of the Bible, especially in its English version. Has been sadly neglected and its lack is being keenly felt is apparent from the following recent action of the National Educational Association' at Minneapolis. Our public educators there declared: It is apparent that familiarity with the English Bible as a masterpiece of litera ture is rapidly decreasing among the pupils of our schools. This is the direct result of a conception which regards the Bible as a theological book merely, and thereby leads to its exclusion from the schools of some States as a subject of reading and study. We hope and ask for such a change of public sentiment in this regard as will permit and encourage the English Bible, now honored by name in many school laws and State constitutions, to be read and studied as a literary work of the highest and purest style, side by side with the poetry and prose which it has inspired and in large part formed. (lit. Dig., Aug. 9.

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