The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-12-30
PRAISE FOR JORDAN
Stanford University President
Speaks on Science and Evolution.
Holds. with Darwin, that Man Is
Brother to the Apes and that Relig-
ion Has No Part in Science.

A very remarkable occurrence took place
in this city Wednesday night, one of the
most remarkable in the city's history. The
newspapers have not been excited by it,
for evidently its Importance did not strike
them. The chief beInish of the average
daily paper. indeed, is not the matter 1t
publishes and of which the press reformers
complain grounds of decency and taste,
but In what ii omits to publish. In San
Francisco. Journalism takes scant notice of
the news in the domains of science, litera-
ture and art There is mighty little pan
dering to the better element" So this &C.
currence that L speak of has been allowed
to pass with perfunctory mention. In fact,
1t has been idiotically unsupported in the
very newspaper which was directly
sponsible for the occurrence.
Some months ago the Rev. Mr.. Hobart,
Baptist preacher of Oakland. went up
against Professor lie Conte. of the State
University, and fell upon him for his in
fidel teachings the same consisting of his
lectures to the students on evolution. The
Examiner took the matter up, opening its
columns to a discussion of the whole ques-
ton of the conflict between science and re-
ligion. Among the contributors was Prof
David Starr Jordan, president of the STAN
ford University. He stood by the general
principles of evolution. but had some kind
words for those who think that Christiani-
ty must tumble If the theory of special
acts of creation be destroyed. The Exam
iDer asked the Professor 10 say In one Of
his public lectures whether ne agreed with
Darwin and Huxley that man is hairless
ape, or with the theologians that he is de-
Scelqant or Adam and a wanderer from the
Garden of Eden.
on Wednesday evening Professor Jordan,
n lnafn -l-,@s-
responded TO this invitation at Golden Gate
Han which was filled by an audience more
nleingent In appearance than one ever
sees When fashion or politics or the drama
Is the attraction.
Jordan's answer was that man is not
only an ape, but hairy one, cousin to the
6oiAid ana Orang, and in his body brother
10 all animals.
AGREES WITH DARWIN
MS ADDRESS, which lasted an hour and q
hall' was a particularly clear exposition OF
the oeVeiopmental hypothesis. He did not
pretend that he had new things to say but
SIMPLY desired TO set forth the facts and
conclusions of science. Indeed, he said that
since Darwin wrote his Origin of Species"
nothing really new had been said on eyolu-
t Son.tnat subsequent progress had been
put the working out and confirma ton of
Darwln suggestions in that great book,
every objection TO whose main contentious
nad peen more strongly set forth in its
It's publication" Taking Up the particulars
| IN which man differs from others of the
| ape a family. Professor Jordan showed that
tnese dl1erenceS are not SO great as those
winch exist between the higher and lower
monkeys. In reference to the intellectual
| gulf between humanity and the ouadr1-
| mana, the Professors belief is that il is
| uue wholly TO the influence of environment
ana natural selection. In that he is more
| dlScerns IN monkeys an intelligence differ
| emf IN KIND from the intelligence of other
a ahiIas dogs that VII worry rats or any
| monkeys, recognizing in them something
| human The roots of intellect are ali
| apparent in the simianS His idea is that
| the remote form from which man sprangN
| whether an offshoot from the lenur or a
| branch on the tree higher up-had the adj
| vantage over all its allies of being nomadic,
| and was, therefore, slowly developed by a
| variety of experience denied other men,
bers of the family. In short there is no
| evolutionist living who accepts more un-
reservedly than Professor Jordan the es-
sentiaI solidarity of all things living. Sec
| for man and his brethren.
| AS TO the religious bearing of all this the
lecturer was not disturbed. Quite frankly
| he grappled with that question first and
said the business of science was to ascertain
facts, arrange them and let them force their
own explanation. If there were some other
method OF getting at results-if we could
outside of nature for an explanation
of things-then there would be nc
| uttQ Vi lOuSOiIlc investigation or Phenomena,
gone. But science knows of no such source
1t knows of no special acts OF interference
with natures laws. 1t is upon the assump-
ton that there has never been such an inter.
ference. never break in the continuity oil
| ceedS and must proceed. 1t is not the pro
per business of scieuce TO bring its findings
4 into harmony with preconceptions whatever
| those preconceptlonS may be. 1t know!
nothing of explanations by revelation. Al
that is extranatural is foreign to it's meth
DDS and genius y class of books has beer
written for the purpose of reconciling relig
ion with science. Some do this by bring
ing religion into harmony with the facts
| others gloze or distort the facts TO brlne
| them into harmony with religion. The bes
of the first class of such books that tn,
| lecturer knew was Professor lie Conte'!
work on Science and Religion" Early II
| the next century, Professor Jordan believed
| all the churches will stand where lie Contt
now does, and when that has been achieved
there will be no necessary hostility between
HOW TO BE REGARDED.
This lecture would not have been re-
markable had 1t been delivered by a Hulk.
ley or a Tyndall to a scientific society
for. as I have said, it set forth nothing
| that is not familiar enough TO students and
others who ere informed in modern science
But coming from this speaker to such ar
audience, coming at this time, wher
the pulpit is aroused by the dan
/ University of even so hating an evolution
ist as Prof. lie Confetti was startling In
it's significance. Prof. Jordan is the heaC
| Of an educational institution which, though
but now i'm its infancy, is already an equa
rival Of the Berkeley University. and by
reason Of it's prOdigious endowment anf
progressive spirit, is destined to becom,
national in its Importance. He is still
man in the prime of life, of Astounding en-
ergy and great abilities. His energy anC
enthusiasm are controlled however, by
singularly calm and wel-balanced mind
No one could doubt that who listened [,
his extraordinary lecture, even tenn
pered strong and iudicious was his man
ner. Besides his scholars knowledge Prot
Jordan knows the world. and therefor
was perfectly aware of the responsible,
he took in discoursing on creation with
out much a. mentioning the Bible. an
in quietly giving the clergy 10 understan
that their hostility to evolution is trifl
, which is beneath the dignity of science {
take into account. He knows that tn
| churches embrace in their membership an
| connections the great mass Of respectable
| well-to-do people from among whose son
and daughters the students of universitie
| are recruited and that as an admins
| traitor OF great educational trust he wa
| crossing the desires, antagoniZing tn
beliefs and affronting the prejudices Of hi
| university's clientele.
Ii an immensely courageous thing I
do. In manner he had been publicly cha
| lenged to speak out and it is not in such
| man TO shrink from accepting a challenge
| But there was something better than CON