, 1889-01-10
Samuel P. Putnam and His Version of
Recent Occurrence.

Recently the above named gentle
mau, who is editor OF a paper pub
lished in San Francisco, called the
FTeethOHght lectured in Port Town
send. Because of his glaring state
ments concerning science [ chal-
lenged some of his positions. An in
terchapge of authorities was the re-
suit, in which at least six to one was
found to favor my position Mr..
Putnam has reported the occurrence
in his paper in the following Ian
guage:
"Fhe Methodist clergyman of the
place, Il learned and liberal gentleman
was present and made some criticism in
a friendly spirit upon my discourse, in
regard to my statements, founded upon
HuxIey's, that the order of creation Civ
en- in Genesis did not agree with mod
ern science. As it was a question, not
of personal knowledge but of scientific
authorities, it was agreed that we should
both give our authorities the succeeding
evening, which was done. l found that
the only possible way the defenders of
the Bible could reconcile its account OF
creation with modern science was called
the great whales reptiles. I'D AS Pro-
fessor Huxley says, the pliancy of the
Hebrew language in the hands of exc
getes Is marvellous. All must admit that
reptiles came before birds, but Glad
stone says that Moses did not take note
of the reptiles, as they were "fallen
race" According TO Principal Dawson.
Moses did not uotice them, but labeled
them great whales" or as the Revised
Version puts it, great sea monsters
Huxley says that beyond doubt they
we're mammals, and of course not rep
tiles. According to science, mammals
succeed birds, but according to Genesis
they come before (2) According to science
reptiles proceed birds, but according to
Genesis they sIcceed birds, for creep
ing things were made on the sixth day(3)
The discussion was q pleasant one, and
l thank our reverend friend for his lib
eral and brave spirit"
l have interjected some figures in
pa-enthasis in the above because l
desire TO call attention to the state
ments therein made.
As to the cordial and appreciative
spirit of the extract, appreciate it
fully and make kindly bow to Mr.
Putnam, yet ! am not all pleased
with his statements as he therein rep
resent the entire matter.
In the statement preceding O,
Mr.. 2. says he learned that the only
possible way defenders Of the Bible
could reconcile modern science with
the Bible was to call the ''great
whale" reptiles. Now Mr.. p did not
learn of any such thing from me
for that is not the position l took
Neither is it the position of any de-
fender of the Bible with whom l am
acquainted.
In the statement preceding (2),
MIR. Putnam says: According to
science mammals succeed birds"
Now that is exactly my position.
When Mr. Putnam affirmed that
birds succeed mammals challenged
his statements and affirmed that sci
ence taught that mammals came last
into order of creation both accord
ing to science and the Bible. Mr..
Putnam affirmed boldly that the Bi-
bic was colossal lie because it
taught that The order of creation was
water animals, then air animals, then
land animals, while science affirmed
that the order was sea animals, then
land animals, then air animals. This
was the point at issue and the posi-
ton of debate. / claimed that the
Bible order of sea, air and land cre-
alton was the position of universal
modern science which / proved. Now
| comes MIR. Putnam and tries to steal
away my position. ard takes the
same position as his which I took in
the controversy. Had Mr.. p been
honest enough to acknowledge his
error in position L should have been
glad, but he takes my position in
suct a way as to leave this impress
sion that I was on the opposite side,
teaching that mammals were created
before birds. In this he does me
great and Intentional injustice. Then
he declares that the Scriptures teach
that birds succeed mammals, This
is the very position that he said in
his lecture the Bible did not take
and he called it '0ollossal lie'' be-
cause it did not teach this.
Is this the method of FreethOught
Il is brave and chivalrous to misrep-
resent in such q way, because one
thinks that his adversary will not see
these statements7 Does any one of
the followers of Mr.. Putnam Justify
him in such Misrepresentation? We
would like to ask Gen. Smith or Mr.
Seavey or Mr.. Vincent or any one of
the liberals of Port Towns end if this
line of tactics fairly represents their
system? We have believed always
that truth is the greatest of jewels
and We are deeply panied at the
misrepresentation of Mr.. Putnam.
Again Mr.. z, says t9,that accord
ing to Genesis creeping things were
made on the sixth day" Now is
Mr.. Putnam ignorant that Genesis
alsodeclares that creeping thiDgswere
made on the fifth day as we'll and that
SO far from Genesis emitting reptiles,
as he affims, there are two distinct
creations of reptiles put before us?
The one creation, was evidently, ma
rine vertebrates. The other land
reptiles. OF this we do not complain
as MIR. Z. is not supposed to be BIZ
BILE scholar but concerning the fors
mer we do enter our protest.
JOHN n. DENlsoN,
Port Townsend, December %, 1883.
Vancouver sand Lighthouses.