The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1873-01-03
INTERESTING DISCUSSION.

during the whole of last week, the oc-
casion being public discussion upon
the Bible and Astronomy, Professor
CLANCY, of Astrological and Astromical
fame affirming that "the Bible is chiefly
q compilation from more ancient writ
i9gs," and Professor Campbell of Mon
mouth College, editor of the Christian
] Messenger, sustaining the negative.
Professor Chaney's peculiar views are
too well known Though wholly misun-
derstoodl, to need any particular
description in this place. Suffice it to
say that if the men who habitually ig-
more and snub him were but half as well
informed concerning his. particular
themes of scientific interest as he is,
they would see that their futile attempts
to affect superior wisdom and excessive
self-righteousness are silly as they are
reprehensible. We DO not say that his
theories are correct. We have no means
Of proving whether they are or not, and
our patience has been too severely
tested in the Woman Movement by the
aspersions, advice and contrary opinions
of those who know nothing of what
they denounce for US TO be entrapped
into like Inconsistency upon other sub
jects.
Professor Clancy occupied the hour
of affirmation for three evenings, urging
his deep theories, pungent satire and
unanswerable quotations from the
ancient Sanscrit-concerning which
none Of his hearers knew enough to
contradict him-preserving all the
while that courteous demeanor toward
his opponent which should ever mark
the scholar and the gentleman. His
argument was principally an attempt
to prove that the Bible is a sublime and
beautiful allegory; every word and
sentence true and deep and grand when
understood in its pristine meaning, but
in very many instances ridiculous and
absurd when interpreted and applied in
a literal sense.
Professor Campbell is fine appearing
man, possessed of much modern erudi-
ton, which his associations as teacher
keep constantly FURNISHED and ready for
use; an eloquent and argumentative
speaker with a ready flow of classic
ideas, but sometimes betraying in accent
and phrases the fact of illiterate early
associations. He claimed as the mega
tive of the proposition, that the Bible is
not, in small part or chiefly, "a COM
/ pilation Of more ancient writings" but
is direct revelation from God himself
to the ancient writers. His efforts to
praise his opinions were so wildly diff
ferent from the old orthodox interpreta-
tions and arguments which Professor
CLANCY had evidently been accustomed
to fighting, that both were sometimes
brought to what would seem to be a
dead lock in the discussion. But a few
glittering generalities would serve to
lift them over the obstacles and on they
would go, to the delight of their large
multitude Of listeners, whose deep atten-
ton was a gratifying acknowledgement
that they were appreciated in their en-
deavors to investigate the mysteries OF
the Ages.
In striking contrast to the deep inter-
est Of the people ut large in this discus
sion, We cannot refrain from mentioning
the apathy and carelessness Of our
brethren Of the clergy and the press.
Not an editor or reporter of daily OF
religious newspaper was present once.
Not book or library was rendered by
the ministers TO Professor Campbell for
his use, himself a clergyman, and not
one Of the daily papers alluded to the
discussion except one, and it merely
gave notice that the same would be
held in Philharmonic Hall, and subse-
quently said it did occur in that hall;
thereby misleading its readers and dis
appointing many who could not learn
where the meeting was going on. Our
local editor, who complies his locals
chiefly from the dailies, overlooked the
! discussion in the Fridays issue because
the dailies did not mention it, and so
the slight, wholly unintentional on our
part, as we think this column will
prove, was universal. Now, we respect
fully ask our brethren of the daily press
if they would thus ignore and snub a
runaway team, a dog fight or the doings
of the Police Court? And we in all
kindness say to them that the indigna-
tiOn Of the interested multitude whose
sympathy was with the discussion,
should be n warning to them that
it is as much their interest and their
duty to chronicle the moral and scien-
tific deeds and investigations of the
community rs it is to hold facetious
carnival over Judge Dennyis classic
levees. We cannot believe that the
people at large as so prurient and low
that they have no delight in liberal,
scientific subjects, for their deep concern
on the occasion of which we write
proves the direct contrary. Neither do
we believe the daily papers are so COM
pleteiy controlled by the clergy that
they do not dare to chronicle such news.
Tor they invariably treat or humble ef-
iorts well, and we sincerely thank them
Tor so doing. We only hope this homilv
VIII cause them to exercise a spirit of
interest and cosmopolitan liberalitv
upon future like occasions.
But to return to the discussion. Three
NHH HHHHnnH