Sparks Letter to the Editor (Full Text)

Head Note: Many citizens wrote letters to Tennessee’s newspapers in response to the Butler Act. Below is an excerpt from a letter written by a parent.

Editor of the Tennessean:

At the time the bill prohibiting the teaching of evolution in our public schools was passed by our legislature I could not see why the mothers in greater number were not conveying their appreciation of the memebers for this act of safeguarding their children from one of the destructive forces which combined with other evils if left unchecked will destroy our civilization. I for one felt grateful for their standing for the right against all criticism. And grateful, too, that we have a Christian man for governor who will defend the Word of God against this so-called science.

Then there have been a number of people writing through your paper defending the veracity of the Bible, the reading of which brings a ray of hope for the future in these times when ministers of the gospel are engulfed in material things. . . .

The Bibile tells us tha the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church. Therefore we know thre will always be standard-bearers for the cross of Christ. But in these times of materialism I am constrained to thank God deep down in my heart for Mrs. Blair and every other one whose voice is raised for the uplift of humanity and the coming of God's kingdom.

Mrs. Jesse Sparks
Pope, Tennessee

Source: Mrs. Jesse Sparks, letter to the editor, Nashville Tennessean, July 3, 1925.