Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1878-07-14
THE CRITICS
And the Vanderbilt NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Given by Methodist Christian Ad-
yoeate Editor for the Dismiss
sal or Resignation of
Pref. Winch,
Pref. Winchell, who is Either a Martyr,
as the Church In these Modern
Days Make them, or he Wants
to be-Which Is 1t?

Nashville Christian AdrOcdte: Prof Win
chell is determined to be martyr. He APP
peals to the pubic against what he calls
medieval prescription for opinion sake,
''the heel of priestly authority, dismissal
from Office on account of heresy, etc. 1t
will be recolected that Prof. Winchell's dis
connection with the Vanderbilt university
dates from the last meeting OF the trustees,
when the three months leetureship heretofore
filed by him was abolished Under the start
, ling head OF Science Gagged In Nashville, "
he writes to the Nashville american, giving
his story. prof. Winchell Prescribed Is
the title of an editorial in a northern paper,
the inspiration of which Is not doubtful. Inc
| professor not only assails the board OF trust
| as a "star-chamber. but would set the
faculty by the ears. In order to make case
he draws for publication upon several private
conversations with his late associates, and m
sinuates other confidential interviews still
more calculated to engender mutual distrusts,
to the extent that they may be allowed to
this be a graceful leavetaking on the
part of one who processes to have been treated
with marked kindness and courtesy In past
intercourses, or whether it be strictly profes
siOnal, the public will judge.
The history of the case is this: The school
| Of natural history and geology had been dl-
vided between Prof: Stafford and Prof. Win
chell, since the organization OF the university.
The principal work fell upon the former, who
| is resident Both were able and willing la
borers; but the three months lectureship was
| found not to fit in well; it jostled the sched-
| ule; and in order to secure Prof. Wlnchell
such hearing he deserved, classes and
| students were thrown somewhat out of Joint
| But the university derived benefit generally
from his labors and reputation. He was popu-
lar with the trustees, faculty, students and
| people; and, Notwithstanding his professor
| hiYl'' fol 70 ha nf xunn no
| interests of the university, all things consid-
cred, justified its continuance through the
second and third year. His development of
evolution and polygenism became so pro-
nounced, In the last year, as to raise and
press the question, Is Prof. Winchell's
connection with the university beneficial
to it? That question was met by abolishing
| the lectureship, and devolving all its duties
] upon the other joint professor, whose time
| had not before been fully occupied in that
| department. The board of trust were ena-
| Dled thus to make practical and needed ad-
vances in other departments of instruction,
and at the same time to disconnect the uni
versity from any responsibility for the profess
sor's dogma. This statement may be worth
something to the candid and hasty critics who
profess to see indirection in the trustees.
'Why not" say they, dismiss or refuse to
reappoint HIM or vacate his chair, instead of
resorting to the pretext of abolishing his
chair?' Because they meant to get rid of
both, and took the shortest and least often
sive, because impersonal course. Prof. Win
chell details an interview with the president
of the board, Just before its meeting. Bishop |
M'Tyelre had informed him that his ''ad
vanced views" were giving trouble, and he
might relieve them of embarrassment. The |
professor was slow to understand. This is |
from his account:
''On repeating his request that l would |
relieve the board of an embarrassment, [ |
declared that did not understand his mean
ing, and he then explained that he thought l |
might. considerably decline reappoint- |
ment.'
Are professors subject to annual appoint
ment?' asked.
"Well, yes; special professors are,' ne |
NO. said 1, with Indignation and scorn,
81 will not, on such grounds, decline a re-
appointment. If the board have the man
illness to dismiss me for cause, and declare |
the cause, | prefer they should do it. No |
power on earth coald persuade me to decline;
but the action which YOU foreshadow will be
unjust and oppressive, as well as dscrediting |
to the university; it will reooii upon it's
authors"
The general reader will not be surprised to
learn that he claims, like another Calico, to
have been the victim of ecclesiastical pro-
scription,' and makes the usual dings at
Orthodoxy"
The same general reader will understand
that polygsny means that there are more
species of men than one. The professor holds
to the theory of several distinct adams" 1t
is only justice to add that he believes in the
one Christ-mediator between God and man.
Whether or not all the progenitors of the diff
ferent species fell and whether He that was
born In the race of one OF them is a savior for
all human beings that dwell on the face of
the earth, we need give no opinion. The
professor says this doctrine of races is con-
sstent with christianity.
We quote again from his report:
The redemption of man." | replied,
Christ to races older than Adam, as from
Christ to Abraham or Adam"
am not offering any objections myself"
replied the bishop, "but our people are COM
planning, and the university will suffer, and
l thought, perhaps, you might relieve US of
will be In session in a few minutes, and they
will meet again after your lecture
Well might the bishop be excused from
arguing against that sort Of logic!
The professor s complacent statement, that
''the great body of scientific men" hold his
views, is not upheld by the best authorities
The unity of the human race as against polyge-
ny Is generally accepted, and in teaching po-
lygeny he is behind the age. We cannot af-
ford to let these advanced scientists have
all the dogmatism on their side. For bold
assertion, TOR assurance, they beat the me-
di@val theoogians We all bow to facts.
Christianity is a great fact, and must be con-
sistent with all other facts. To mere specu-
latlons, theories, that are mischievous and
irreconcllable with christianity, we owe no
such Difference.
Prof. Winchell's attack on Vanderbilt uni
versity has given the opportunity never neg
lected by certain class of editors. Let the
incumbent of an evangelical pulpit turn Uni
versallst or Unitarian, and when the church
authorities give him the privilege of holding
forth elsewhere-ln a word, dismiss him I
these gentlemen of the press raise hue-and-
cry about persecution and gageing conscience G
The athelstlc, materlalistic, antl-church, and L
anti Methodist, elements have been G
forward In Offering their sympathy for his
grievances under the ''heel of priestly au-
thorlty." For the comfort of these gentle t
men we say: First, the board of trustees is v
made up of twenty-eight persons, half of C
whom are laymen-farmers, doctors, law I
yers, Judges-duly representing their class L
p. Secondly, this evident wish and effort to |
damage the university give its friends not il
the least concern. The people-'our people" Il
have no objection to orthodoxy. Parents c
who have sons to be educated prefer the safe
ty of that atmosphere to genteel infidelity. v
Let anti Methodist critics rage-Vanderbllt u
Is safe. No other Institution of o
learning in America, at the end of three e
years, ever stood SO high and so strong a
Those who are in charge of it know what p
they are about. v
Some of these editors inform the public t
that Vanderbilt university has abolished the Ii
chair Of natural science! A former unsuc-
cessful applicant for position in it publishes
A piece in WHICH he gravely says that science
IAN do better without the Vanderbilt than G
5he Vanderbilt can do without sciencel n
These and all others are informed that no 81
institution IN the land is better prepared with
men and apparatus to teach natural science
han Vanderbilt university. 1t is almost A
speciality, so full and strong is that depart q
nent. Prof Winchell himself testi6es con- 4
,erning the faculty which he has left behind
n the literary and scientific depxtment: 81
'egard them, without exception, worthy of
hairs In the first universities of the land"
The Alumni association of Syracuse uni a.
yersity, New York, recently considered his +
dismissal" and adopted unanimously three t.
audatory resolutions. Before he left here 81
We think the Vanderbilt authorities would d
have adopted the same. The d
syracuse Alumni, however, are careful not to a.
ay word about the material point. From ce
he same paper we learn that while the re-
Alumni were thus employed, the Syracuse
university is complimente6 hv the Rochester