Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-11-14
PrOctOr's Changed Views.

New York Tribune.l
BOSTON, November Prof Richard
a. Proctor OF London, whose lectures in
America two years ago, printed in full
in the Tribune, awakened such 9 popu-
lar interest, has, as many o? cur readers
already know, returned to this country,
and is delivering course Of g tjOnoml-
cal lectures before crowded audiences
sometimes as many as one thousand
three hundred heareIs-at the Lowell
institute. Since his last visit ID Ameri-
ca, however, Mr.. PfoctOI's views have
undergone considerable change, IOt
with respect to the facts OF that branch
of science which he so ably represents,
but with reference to their reistiOn to
religion and revelation. Prof. Proctor
was formerly Catholic. He was re-
| Gently offered profeSsorship OF astrOn-
Omy and mathematics in Catholic
college in England, but found that his
views were such that he could not con-
scientiously accept it. At the request OF
| friends here he has consented to give
| four Sunday evening lectures, in which
he proposes "to indicate the relation of
modern astronomy to the great ques-
tons at present agitsting the scientific
and religious wOIlds.n
Proctor in recent statement, ''has in
deed been reached by progress in one
direction all the time; but as in advanc-
ing steadily along road new prospects
may come almost suddenly upon our
view, so The steady progression of the
student of science in definite direction
may lead TO changes of view, which to
Others, WHO have not been following the
same read, may appear sudden ana sur.
pFlslng. Be this as il may, the views |
now entertain on such subjects as the
plurality OF the worlds, comic evolution,
the supervision and control of the uni
verse, the irfinities amid which We are
placed, and so forth, are altogether I'M
Ike those which / indicated in my
Other Worlds Than Ours, and others OF
10 ~ earlier works." The exact nature of
this change of view, Prof Proctor will |
indicate in these lectures, the first OF |
which was give this evening in |
Horticultural hall. The subject was the |
birth and Death Of the world" Prof |
Proctor said:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN-It bs- |
hOoVes all men who have occasion to adj
dress a wide public whether on the
platform or through the press, to indi-
cste clearly the position in which they
stand with regard to matters Of public
interest whereof they may have occa-
sion to treat-tO suffer no misapprehen-
sions to exist on such points, either
through the doubtful nature oftheir own
words, or because OF incorrect differences
from known or imagined circumstances
OF their private life or opinions. [ do Tot
think, indeed, that the student or the
exposition of science is b0und-Or even
that it would be in good taste FOR him
to make public statement Of his opinions
on religious questions. But il he should
find that on the strength OF certain sup
posed views of his about religion, psrtic-
1lar scientific opinions are attributed to
him, and especially If he should find
that he is errOneCusly supposed to hold {
3 position antagOnistic to that occupied !
by majority of his fellow workers in
science, 1t becomes his duty-not t. in {
1icate his exact opinions respecting re- {
igiOus quesiiOns-but to state definitely !
where he stands as respects those scien-
life subjects on which he is supposed 10 |
De at Issue with his fellow workers. [
must confess that within the last two .
years l have felt this duty forced upon [
ns by the very different reception az t
corded to the views expressed by /
myself at New York in April, 1873, and {
gain at the Royal institution of London I
lew weeks later, respecting the past S
history ofour earth, and those expressed {
y Professor Tyndsll, as president of the q
5rlt1sh association at Belfast, in the i
anne year. or course there is no ques- {
ion here OF priority; We each indicated c
lot rev views, but our acceptance OF 2
he views to which modern science G
oiats in most unmistakAble manner c
'rofsssor Tyndall was only Ie.enuucia- / 1
lug views which for years he had been I
nOwn to entertain, though ne now il
them in manner and under n
which caused them t. al d
,aot far greater attention than of wore, d
Tut the point to which would especial. q
7 refer is this: That that fiue address, Z
is outspoken statement of the preseDi n
ositiOn Of science Tor If you prefer It. I
ne preseut position Of the great MAORI II
Y of scientific mem, led to an OUtbuIst d
angry feeling. Though every para y
raph OF that add e5s, rightly under u
ood, was opposed to atheIsm-sye, and Y
} materialism as commonly under. ie
ood-the address was denounced as a a
efinile proclamation of atheistic anC 3;
principles. No form OF Il
ituperstion was spared, and if threats fl
personal violence were not resOited o.
}, they were adequately represented by Of
arniDgs that an eternity OF torment n
ould reward whatever as thus mis- L
nder5tood - was yet the expression ei
Prof. Tyndall's loyalty to the truth as /
3 saw it. / searched for my own part g;
vain through the address for the se- al
et of so much anger. But gradually | q
appeared that the two OH sctiOnable as
alures were, first, the statement that it
e discerned in "matter, which we, In CT
II ignorance, and notwithstanding our st
,ofessed reverence fer its Creator, have al
therto covered with opprobrum, the &c
-omise and potency # every form and 81
lslity OF Iife;" secondly, his implied II
protest against the assumption Of ~
Prospecting Deity (which Fl
ust long, il not forever, lie heyOnd Us, al
I'd the claim to which is the source 81 Oh
UGH manifold confusion upon ck
rth." 1t was here and thus that my so
ficulty arose. l remembered that IN II
ew York, on April 8, 1873, had DC
lced the origin Of every form snd LEI
lality Of life, not indeed to an absolute SD
ginning in matter for denied then, ps
1 deny now, tina. any absoiute BE- III
ming can be conceived b. us) bot t. it
after As its source, while my discourse eff
| up to and closed by the expression ' A