in 1905.  After an earnest discussion, resolutions were adopted indicating the importance which the representatives of the churches of America attached to the general question. 
     At the Second Meeting of the Federal Council, held in Chicago in
December, 1912, the Special Committee of the Federal Council presented a report recognizing the difficulties confronting an adequate solution of the question and providing for a more thorough investigation and discussion of the entire subject.” 
     In his report for 1909 (Vol.  I, page 5), the United States
Commissioner of Education, Dr. Elmer Ellsworth Brown, refers to this subject in the following words: 
     “Those who would maintain that the moral life has other rootings
than that in religion, would, for the most part, admit that it is deeply rooted in religion, and that for many of our people its strongest motives are to be found in their religious convictions; that many, in fact, would regard it as insufficiently grounded and nourished without such religious convictions.  The teaching of religious systems is no longer under serious consideration as far as our public schools are concerned.  Historical and social influences have drawn a definite line in this country between the public schools and the churches, leaving the rights and responsibilities of religious instruction to the latter.  It would be futile, even if it were desirable, to attempt to revise this decision of the American people.  There has been, however, within the past two or three years, a widespread discussion of the proposal that arrangements be made between the educational authorities and ecclesiastical organizations, under which pupils should be excused from the schools for one half-day in the week-Wednesday afternoon has been uggested-in order that they may in that time receive religious and moral instruction in their several churches.  This proposal has been set forth in detail in a volume entitled “Religious Education and the Public School,” and has been under consideration by a representative committee during, the past two or three years.”

An interdenominational committee, consisting of Evangelical Protestants only, was organized in 1914 for the purposing of securing week-day instruction in religion for the children of New York.  A similar committee consisting of representatives of all churches, Protestant, Catholic and Jewish, was organized in 1915 which is giving effective study to the same question.  The Lutheran Minister’s Association is represented on both these committees.

The Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America, representing thirty denominations and a communicant membership of eighteen millions, through its Commission on Christian Education is making a large contribution to the study of the problem.

The Protestant Episcopal Church in its General Convention and the Methodist Episcopal Church in its General Conference have made provision through appropriate committees for the study and promotion of the subject of week-day instruction in religion.