The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-22
SMITHSONIAN REPORT SUPPRESSED.
some Uuorthodox Utterauc,- OF scientiac
Lecturers Expure.tsd.

some Uuorthodox Utterauc,- OF scientiac
Lecturers Expure.tsd.
WASHINGTON. Jan. 2l.-Ths entire edition OF
the annual report OF the Smithsonian Institu-
ton. numbering 1000 copies. will have to be
eGpurgated before the report sees the light Of
day. 1t was discovered. Just before tho report
was to be placed into the hands Of the binders.
that 1t contained matter that would shock the
national idea OF orthodoxy.
The Objectionable matter was found In two
lectures by well-known Washington scientific
men-one by Prot W. G. MCGEE OF tho Geolo-
glcal Survey. and the other by Prof. Lester
Ward Of the Smithsonian Institution.
They were taken from the winter course OF
Saturday lectures at the National Museum.
and the offence ini each was trenchng on the
teachings OF the orthodox Church. They were
accordingly eHpurgated.
The lecture by Prof. Ward was on the "Physi-
illogical Man." Prof. Ward. in com on with
number Of modern scientific men. Is Of the
opinion that all mental exhibitions are the re-
suit OF physiological action. a rrateriallstic
cord with tho theory OF a distinct indweing
soul principle.
In this he does not go much further. Il any.
city. but in his National Museum lecture he
launched into speculative flights that. in the
shock the national propriety.
Prot McGees lecture mas more OF q popular
maturity and decline through the ages. as
parallel OF the life OF an individual: but the
general tenor was to cast some doubt on the
idey OF a special creation. and showed decided
leaning toward the theory of evolution, not an
uncommon heresy IN these days. and one OF
which Prot Langley himself has been sup
posed to be guilty, Some OF the particularly
offensive paragraphs Of the lecture suggested
the possibility that the theory OF evolution
would be one day universally accepted but one
OF the browning Offences. which seemed to
have caught even the eye OF the copy reader,
was the spelling Of Creator with small " G."
The paragraph in question concerned the
In the beginning OF biology human knowl-
edge was a chaos OF isolated facts concerning
living things whose relations were not per-
ceived In the later system these living things
were grouped in a hierarchy or orderly sys-
tenn Of species, general. families and orders,
the lovly and simple to tho higher and
complex. and this arrangement WAS inter-
preted as the expression Of a preternatural
and admirable plan. and n long line Of high
priests OF the gospel OF special creation ex-
toled the works Of the creator. Here was
Then came Spencer Darwin, and Wallace.
with the doctrine OF eyol ution. and it was per-
ceived that living things represented not
merely u hierarchy. running from low to high.
but a generic series. in which the higher sprung
from the lower through the operation
OF natural forces planted in the cosmos
at the beginning and thus residing In the
earth. and thereby new and noblsT plan OF
creation was recognized. and the modern high
priests extolled more exalted theme than the
There we're about 125 octave pages Of these
lectures killed. The lecturers are In high
dudgeon. but will not talk for publication Just