The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-05-11
John Jasper and GalileO.

Great merriment has been provoked
among educated people by the efforts of
the colored preacher, John Jasper, in
Richmond, Va, to prove from the Bible
that the earth stands still and that the
sun moves around it. The Copernican
discovery that the apparent motion of
the sun is due only to an illusion of the
senses, caused by the real motion of the
earth, has been so widely disseminated
by means of our common schools and
other institutions of learning that the
bare assertion of contrary doctrine
strikes most of us as something absurd,
which we do not think it worth while to
combat. That John Jasper should find
followers among the ignorant negroes is
a fact to be deplored, we think but we
accept it only as proof of their ignor-
ance, and not as affording the slightest
ground for respecting his opinion. And
yet, two hundred and fifty years ago the
position now held by him was held by
the highest dignitaries in the church and
by many men eminent for their learning,
while those who took the present prevail
ing view were regarded as foes to religion
and unsound in science.
The treatise of Nicholas Kopernik, on
the revolution of the heavenly bodies, in
which, for the first time, appeared what
is now known as the Cepernican system
of astronomy, was given to the world in
1913. The author was old and feeble,
and dared not undertake the publication
himself. The friend to whom he in
trusted the task, in order to break the
force of hostility which he saw was sure
to be aroused by the book, prefaced it
with a declaration that its doctrines were
put forth merely as plausible theories,
assumed alphabetically, and not as abb
solutely true. Thus modified, the book
was printed, and a copy was put into the
hands of its author as he lay upon his
deathbed. For many years it attracted
no particular attention. The telescope
had not yet been invented, so that there
were no means of verifying or disprov-
ing, by actual observation, the conclu-
sions to which Kopernik had arrived,
and some eminent astronomers, among
them Tycho Brahe, refused altogether to
accept them. Theologians dismissed
them with contemptuousd isdain. Luther
called Kopernik can upstart astrol-
oyer" and "a fool, who wishes to reverse
the entire science of astronomy"
Melancthon declared it to be "a want of
honesty and decency to assert such no.
lions publicly, and when Giordano Bruno
visited England, in 1888, he found him
self quite alone in his recognition of the
new theory of the solar system. At
length, however, the telescope confirmed
Kopernik, and men of science accord
ingly began to adopt his views. Then
the church reused itself. The treatise of
the deceased astronomer was, in 1916,
put upon the Inde.r Erpuugatoriats, and
the famous proceedings against Calico,
who had distinguished himself as Roper
nik's advocate, were set on foot With
out repeating the familiar story of
Galileo's trial, condemnation and alb
Duration, it may be interesting to repro
duce some of the formal contradictions
of the truth of the Copernican system,
which were made in the course of the
proceedings against him.
In 1912 Cardinal Cont writes, in reply
to letter from Calico, making inquiry
of him on the subject, that the opinions
of Kopernik appear to him to be al
together inconsistent with the Holy
Scriptures.
In 1914 the Dominican monk, Father
Caccini, preached at Florence his famous
sermon against Calico from the text,
" Ye men of Galilee, why stand We gaz-
ing up into heaven%'
For the year 1916 the records of the
inquisition at Rome show the following
entry:
PROPOSITIONS TO BE CENsURED.
Censure made in the holy Office of
the city, Wednesday, February "a,
1916, before the undersigned theological
fathers.
First-The sun is the center of the
world, and altogether immovable with
local motion.
Censure-All said the said proposition
to be foolish and absurd in philosophy
and formally heretical, inasmuch as it
contradicts expressly the teachings of
holy writ in many places, according to
the proper meaning of words, common
Interpretation, and the opinion of the
holy fathers and doctors of theology.
-Second-The earth is not the center of
the world, nor immovable, but in its
totality is moved with daily motion.
Censure-All said this proposition
should receive the same censure in phi
losophy, and in regard to theological
truth to be at least erroneous in faith.
Then follow the names Of eleven mem
bers of the holy office, one of them being
an archbishop. The following day,
Thursday, February rs, 1916, the follow
ing entry was made:
The most illustrious Lord Cardinal
Millinus notified the reverend fathers,
lords assessors, and the commissary of
the holy Office that censure had been re-
turned by the theological fathers upon
the propositions of the mathematician
Calico, that the sun is the center of the
world and immovable with local motion,
and that the earth is moved with daily
motion. His Holiness ordered the illus
trious Lord Cardinal Bellarmine to call
before him the said Calico and admon-
ish him to relinquish the condemned
opinion and, if he refused to appear, that
the father commissary make him pre-
cept before notary and witnesses to al
together abstain from teaching any doc
trine or opinion of this sort, or to defend
it, or to treat of it, and if he do not &C
quiesce that he be imprisoned.
Immediately following this entry is
one purporting to relate to the giving to
Calico, in the public manner provided,
OF the precept not 10 hold or teach the
doctrine, and his promising
to obey. According to other authorities
the monition was made privately by
Cardinal Bellarmine. Whichever action
was had, it was the last for many years.