Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-12-27
A GREAT PAPER.

luc lOllOWibB PcRNN
clear, resonant tone of voice, before the
Academy of Science and Pugilism at Erin
Prairie last month, and IS | have been 80
continually and earnestly importuned to
print il that life was no longer desirable,
submit it to you for that purpose hoping
that you will print my name in large caps,
with ~sstonishers at the head Of the arll-
Giles, and also in good display type at the
close:
o FEATURES OF EVOLUTION.
No one could possibly, in O briet paper,
do the subject of evolution full justice. 1t
is a matter Of great Importance to our lost
and undone race. 1t lies near 10 every
human heart, and exercises a wonderful
influence over our impulses and our ultl-
mate success or failure. When we pause
to consider the Opaque and tathomless ig'
norance OF the great masses of our fellow
man on the subject OF evolution, 1t Is not
surprising that crime is rather on the in.
crease, and that thousands OF our race are
annually filling ~drunksrds' graves, with no
other visible means of support, while null
titudes of enlightened human beings are al
the same time obtaining a livelihood by
meeting with felons' dooms. .
These | would ask in all seriousness and
in a tone Of voice that would melt the
s~toniest heart: "Why in creation do you
do it?" The time is rapidly approaching
when there will be two or three telons for
each doom. | am sure that within the
next fifty years, and perhaps sooner even
than that, instead Of handing out these
dooms TO Tom, Dick and Harry as former
", every applicant Tor q teion's doom will
have to pass q competitive examination, as
he should do.
1t will be the same with those who de-
sire to fill drunkard' graves. The time
is almost here when all positions OF profit
and trust will be carefully and judiciously
handed out, and those who do not fit
themselves for those positions will be left
in the lurch, whatever that may be.
It is with this fact glaring me in the
face that have consented to appear before
you to day aud lay bare the whole hypoth-
esis, history, rise and fall, notifications,
anatomy, physiology and geology Of evolu-
tons. 1t is Tor this that have pored over
such works as those OF Huxley, Herbert,
Spencer, Moses in the b~uirushes, Ansxgor-
as, Lucretius and Hoyle. 1t is for the pur.
pose OF advancing the cause Of common
humanity and TO jerk the rising generation
out of bsrbarism into the dazzling eful-
gence Of clashing intellects and ierment.
ing brains that | have sought the works Of
Democritus and Eplurebus. Wherever !
found q book that bore upon the subject OF
evolution, and could borrow it, | have
done SO while others slept.
That is o matter which rarely enters into
the minds OF those who 90 essily and care
lessly through life. Even the general sup
erintendent Of the academy OF science and
pugilism here in Erin prairie, the hot bed
of O free and untrammelled, robust Democ.
racy, does not stop to think OF the midnight
and other kinds Of oil that have consumed
in order 10 Gil myself full OF information,
and TO soak my porous mind with thought.
Even the O'Rei!ly college Of this place, with
it's strong mental faculty, has not informed
itself fully relative 10 the great effort nee.
essary before a lecturer may speak clearly,
accurately and exhaustipgly OF eyolu'ion.
And yet, hcra in this place, where edu.
cation is rampant, and the idea is pstted
on the back, as ! may say, here il Erin
prairie, where progress and some other
sentiments are written on everything, here
where | am addressing you o,night Tor "
dollars and feed Tor ny sofse, ! met a little
child with G. bright ana cheerful smile,
vice did not know that evolution consisted
10 a progress from the homogeneous 10 the
heterogeneous.
So you see hat you never know where
ignorance turks. The hydra headed upss
tree and bette noir Of self acting progress, is
such ignorance ss that, lurking in the very
shadow Ct magnificent educational ~iustitu-
( tons and hard words Of great cast. Moth
ing can be more disagreesbie 10 the scien
fist than a kete 2oiF Nothing gives Rim
greet.r satisfaction than 10 chase il up 9
tree or mash it between TWO shingle2.
For this reason, as | HAYS said, it gives
me great pleasure to address you on the
subjsct OF evolution and TO 20 into details
in speaking Of it. l could go on for hours
as | have been doing, deliahting you with
the intricaeieG and peculiarities Of evolu.
ton, but | must desist. Ii would please me
to do SO, and sou would no doubt remain
patiently and listen, but your business
might suffer while you are away, and so |
will close, but ! hope that any one within
the sound Of my voice, and within whose
breast a sudden hunger for more light on
this great subject has sprung up, will feel
perfectly free TO cali on me and ask me
about il or immerse himself il the numer.
Gus tones that | have collected from
friends, and which relate TO this matter.
In closing | wish to say that ! have
made no statements in this paper relative
to evolution which | au not prepared 10
prove; and if anything, ] have been over
conservative. For that reason i gay now,
that the person who doubts q single fact as
| have given il &c. night bearing upon the
greet subject Of evolution, will have 10 do
so over my dumb remains.
And a man who will do hat is no zen.
tlemsn. | presume that many Of these
statements will be snapped up and sharply
criticised by other theologisns and many
Of our foremost thinkers, but they will do
well to pause before they draw me- int a
controversy, for | have otEes SGciG in rela.
ton TO evolution, sa6 some personal remi.
nisceucea and family history, which | an
prepared TO introduce, if necessary, togeth
er With ideas that | have thought up my.
self. So say 10 those who may hope 10
attract notice and o5tain notoriety By
drawing me Ito a controversy, beware.
1t viii be to your interest 10 beware
ruroF.r errn RI ,-ra.r,,r