Letter from Reverend Robert Fillmore to President Harry S. Truman

X-1x-xq FIRST METHODIST CHURCH PARSONAGE MECHANICVILLE, N.Y. OFFICE 148 SOUTH SECOND AVENUE 7 NORTH MAIN STREET PHONE: 412 PHONE: 82 ROBERT F. MORE, MINISTER Spellman August 1949 1017 Sixth St Catasauqua, Pa. The Office of the President of the United States, The White House, Washington, D.C. Dear Mr. President: This letter relates to the recent correspondence between Eleanor Roosevelt and ardinal Spellman, in regard to the bill before Congress relevant to Federal Aid for Parochial Schools. Let me say, as a clergyman of the Methodist Church, that I be- lieve the time has come when the Protestants of this United States are called upon to take their stand upon such an issue as this, when a Church like the Roman Catholic Church so boldly and so agg- ressively attempts to link the Church and the State This has never been done in our nation, and'it cannot be successfully done' now. Whether it be the Methodist Church, with her nine million members, and her scores of colleges and universities, or the Baptist Church, or the Lùtheran Church, or the Roman Catholic Church. ISAY THIS: IF THE PEOPLE AND THE ECCLESIASTICAL AUTHORITIES OF ANY CHURCH DESIRE TO HAVE SCHOOLS APART FROM THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF THIS NATION, THEN LET them, BY THEIR GIFTS, PLEDGES, OR WHAT HAVE YOU, SUPPORT AND MAINTAIN THOSE SCHOOLS, AND SEND THEIR CHILDREN TO THEM. BUT LET NOT THE REST OF THE PEOPLE OF AMERICAB HAVE TO SUPPORT AND MA INTAIN THRU TAXATION OR ANY OTHER WAY THESE SAME SCHOOLS, COLLEGES, AND UNIVERSI- TIES. There is no reason under God S heaven why the Roman Cath- olic Church should be supported by village, county, state, or federal funds when it has some 22 millions of its own ne mbers to suppott it. If their people desire to S end their children to their parochial schools, then let them do so but why should we Protestants, e people who are not Protestants, have to pay for such schools, either by főod, transportation, books, or in any other manner? For such a Church, through its representatives, to say I ntolerence* or "Anti- 'atholicism' when such a protest is made, is simply poppy- cock" , and the sooner we recognize it as such , the better. Sincerely Yours, Pev. Robert Fi Fillmore P.S. I have just written a letter to Cardinal Spellman expressing the same views, in substance, which arein this letter.