The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-07-26
APPLETONS' AMERICAN CYCLOPE.
DIA
Leading Men Pay Their Respects to it but
Deny the Blight

The malicious and unprovoked attack upon
the American Cyclopadia and its publish
ers which appeared in the columns of the
PRESS last Saturday, and the challenge, Of
fered in terms such as one might expect to
hear from prize-fghter would indicate that
the writer was in desperate strait to gain
notoriety for himself and his book. He &C
cordingy thrusts himself before the citizens of
Portland and insults their intelligence by tell
ing them that the American Cyclopadia,
which they have placed upon the shelves of
their public libraries and which fills an indis-
pensible place in the homes of more than
three hundred of the most cultured families in
the city is "a black fraud "a worthless
poison" This comparatively unknown man
has the infinite assumption to attempt to an
initiate by one fell blow the well-matured
convictions and preferences of those who own
and highly prize Appletons' American Cyclic
pRdia.
Let us examine briefly some of the state
ments and insnuations made by A. J. John
son & Co. in the article alluded to above;
First. he charges D. Appleton & Co. with
employing "Jesuit Priest to manipulate the
articles on ROmanism in the interests of the
Catholic Church and to the positive falsiica-
ton of history" and quoted Joseph Cook to
prove the charge. In this are two misstate-
ments of fact. Dr. O'Reilly, to whom he re-
fers, is not and never was, Jesuit, and St
Bartholamew's massacre, which Mr.. Cook
specially alludes to, was written by DR.. Gurn-
sey, a Protestant, as indeed all the articles
that have been criticised for unfairly leaning
toward Roman Catholicism, were from
Protestant sources.
Probably all will admit that the only way
in which trustworthy cyclopeda can be made
is to assign its subjects in all the different
fields of knowledge to those most competent
to do them Justice. OF necessity this principle
is followed in science, art, history and litera-
ture, but there is equal reason for extending
it to the treatment of religious topics. In fact
there is the greater need hold firmly to the rule
here, in order to guard against imperfect and
prejudicial statements. Accordingly, the
down to the present, have had their articles on
religious denominations and their distinctive
doctrines written by representative men of
those various beliefs. Appletons' was made
than the new. Twenty years have passed
since its first appearance, and no one had
found Jesuitism in it, until the Argus eyes of
Mr.. johnson. on search for a battle-cry with
which to rally the illiberal and narrow mind
ed, and make sale for his own work. made the
marvellous discovery
But how was it with Johnson's Cyclop9dia?
The same general rule was adopted by its ed
itors, and continued seemingly, until the ex-
igencies of his '.,car to drioe Appleton from
Presbyterian Church was assigned to Presby-
terrain ID; his article on Methodism was
written by Methodist DID,; the Lutheran
Church by Lutheran, the Baptist by Bap-
fist DID,. Congregationalism, Unitarianism,
Universalism, Episcopacy, Shakerism, Spirit
ualism, and SO on through the whole realm of
Professionalism, are severally written for his
cyclop9dia by representative men of these diff
fering faiths.
But Catholicism, how is it with that? Who
treated the Roman Catholic Church in his cy-
clopBdia? An important subject indeed, and
deserving candid and impartial treatment, for
he tells us in his publishers Announcement
that no trace of secta1idn bitterness disfgures
its pages. Surely, if there is any just reason
why Presbyterianism should be written by
Presbyterian, Methodism by a Methodist, or
Unitarianism bya Unitarian, there was, at
least, equal reason why Catholicism should
have been written by Catholic. But at this
point Mr.. johnson repudiated the principle of
entrusting each topic, in religion, as well as
ether subjects, to those whose positions were
a guarantee of the best treatment and doubt
less had reason for it. To have continued it
would have lost him his valuable battle-cry
No Popery! Doacn aCith the Cdtholicsi and the
patronage of those to whom such watchwords
are the shibboleth of patriotism and religion.
And the article Roman Catholic Church, Pin
Johnson's Cyclopedia was given to an enemy,
Presbyterian Doctor of Divinity Also those
of Immaculate Conception, "Infalibility
of the Pope,' Reconsideration, Council
of Trent" and several others upon Catholic
theology were prepared by the same hand.
All these articles are tinged with Protestant
prejudices and blurred with dsparaging and
Insulting terms applied to Catholics-just such
as the Protestant divines might have applied
to each other. if they had been allowed to
write up the denominations which they hate,
aud inst uoh as hOul6 hn Y,arrnitto6 t0
appear in reputable cyclopedia.
APPLEToNs' cYCLoPEDIA NOT JEsUITIzED.
From the late Bishop Gilbert Haven, of the
Methodist Episcopal Church:
"Appletons Cyclop9dia is impartial to the
extreme of impartiality. For pursuing this
course it has been severely, criticised: But if
we would give to others what we ask for our
selves, should not this course be pursued.
What Methodist would like to have vehe-
ment opponent of his Church describe it's
prominent men? What howl would arise
through the great Baptist body, if the enemies
of Roger Williams had boon invited to write
his biography. Would Congregationalists en-
joy having Samuel Peters describe them? or
Episcopalians enjoy portrayal OF themselves
by Presbyterian?
advantages. 1t is also the more safe, since all
these articles are under the supervision of DR..
| Conant, the eminent Baptist scholar, who per-
haps was selected as being a representative of
the church that boasts of being the parent of
| freedom of religious thought and action. Ger
| tainly nothing very badly biased can get his
approval.
work. 1t stands in the way of no rival, if rival
there be. 1t is an honor to American scholar
| ship and American enterprise"
The Rev. T. j. Conant, whom Johnson's
Cyclopedia extols as an accomplished
| scholar testifes as follows:
"MEsSRs. d. APPLETON & Co.,
a.
| lean Cyclopadia were sent to me for examin-
| alton, and were carefully revised by me.
| Nothing appeared in the printed articles that
| had not my full approval. ~The charges of re-
\ ligious fagoritism in the cyclopedia toward
| any division of the Church are utterly ground
| less and scandalous."
Did space permit we might quote columns
| from such scholarly and sturdy Protestants as
| President Porter and DR.. Leonard Bacon of
| New Haven, Bishop Williams of Connecticut,
| DIR. Henry M. Field of the New York Evan
| gelist, lions Herald DR.. Bright of the Exam
| liner and Chronicle, a leading Baptist organ at
| New York; Rev. DIR. De Normandie of Ports
mouth, N. H., and many others, all of whom
| pletons' Cyclopadia has been manipulated in
| the interests of the Roman Catholic Church.
| The f0llo,Cing ShO1cS hOaC that is =
'To ID. APPLETON & Co., Publishers, New
York: Preferring 'Appletons' American Cy-
| clopadia to Johnson's Cyclopedia, for which
we are subscribers, you will please supply us
with the former, complete in 16 volumes, and
receive in exchange the latter, we paying you
| the difference in price of the exchange when
| delivered to u.s." Signed by so names in New
Haven, largely those of professors in Yale Col
lege, or in the learned professions; 100 in New
| York, and some 40 in Newark, N. j.
The reasons for such exchanges will appear
| from the following letter of Rev. John E.
! Todd, Pastor of the Church of the Redeemer,
New Haven, Conn:
Having owned Johnson's Cyclopedia for
several months, and having satisfied myself
| that for my purposes it was useless, l have ex-
changed itfor Appletons' american Cyc'opedia,
and after careful examination of this latter
work, am prepared to say that for the uses
| which have occasion to make of a cyclopRdia
| it is superior to any work of the kind with
| which am acquainted"
While not perfect for what human produc.
ton is-Appleton's Cyclop@dia stands impreg
| nable nnder alllthe assaults upon it as the work
| of its kind for Americans. While Johnson's
| has its good points, App etons' has uniformly