The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-03-14


in view of the article elsewhere
printed on the Roentgen rays, we may
mention the fact that Professor A. E.
Dolbear, the noted physicist of Tufts
College, is said to have anticipated
Roentgen's great discovery. The state
ment is made that as early as May. 1892,
Professor Dolbear had performed many
Photographic experiments by the aid of
the same agent as used by the German
professor, and obtained results quite as
remarkable. He went still further and
succeeded in photographic through
wood an inch in thickness by the ether
waves set up by the simple sparkling of
static electrical machine. The Professor
published the theory on which his re-
markable results were based in the sci
ence department of leading monthly
magazine in April 1894, under the head
ing Electricity and Photography
This article gave proof that Professor
Dolbear used exactly the same process
as did Professor Roentgen, and the iden-
tical results of Professor Roentgen,
were proved and given to the world in
May, 1892, though first recorded in public
print in April. 1894. II these facts can
be established, it is unfortunate fer
Professor Dolbear that attention WI
not directed to his discovery at an earlier
day. Roentgen is so far ahead in tt Q
race that it is not likely he can be over
taken.
"A protest, in which ministers of the
Baptist, Methodist, Congregational,
Episcopal, Presbyterian, Universalist
and other denominations joined, has
been made in Brooklyn against holding
funeral services at the grave when per-
son is about to be buried. The house,
these ministers say, is the proper place
for the religious services, and additional
exercises in the cemetery impose need
less strain, not only on the strength Of
the officiating clergyman, but also on
his time, for which there are always
many other demands. The same thought
less demand is often made on clergymen
in this city, but thus far no organized
protest has been made against it. We
agree with the Philadelphia Ledger
when it says: 1.-THE protest is certainly
proper from hygienic point of view.
The disastrous effect of open air funeral
services, especially in bad weather, is
expressed in the popular saying that
one funeral makes many and as it is
merely custom. with no good reason to
recommend it, the sooner it is abandoned
for service no less solemn and sacred
but much more sensible, the better"
500
Remarks the New York Tribune:
Every one who reads religious journals
has been struck by the fact that all SER
mons or addresses reported are charac
terized as 'able." eloquent" "instruc-
tive" etc. The use of such adjectives is
venerable tradition of religious iourn-
alism; but Bishop Huntington, of SYRIA
cuse. seems not to like it, for in his do
cesar paper he remarks; IF it could be
understood that all sermons and ad-
dresses on our public occasions are able
eloquent earnest interesting mas
terly,' impressive thoughtful bril-
liant and remarkable it would save
the printer time and labor" THE UNI
vERsALIsT uses the blue pencil frequent
ly to erase complimentary adjectiyes, but
many escape into our columns. In the
final evolution of religious journalism
this venerable tradition" will undoubt
eddy disappear.
The London Daily News recently
said in an article on Mr.. Lecky and the
Dublin University election: "Freethink-
ers have in all ages, and for obvious rea-
sons, supported the principle of ecclesi-
astical establishment. Establishment
and endowment have. in their eyes. the
transcendent merit of putting down en-
thusiasm, of keeping religion in its
pIOpoA pidSo' 1uto may 10 tAuo III
European countries, but we doubt it. IL
the rule held good with reference to &C.
clesiastical establishments we would be
likely to observe an application of the
principle to church organizations as they
exist in this country. We have not no
ticed any unusual anxiety on the part of
Freethinkers to support organized and
established churches as a means of keep
ing religion away from secular interests.
500
Since the article on the Curfew
Bell on our first page was written, the
bill in the Iowa Legislature reviving the
old Norman custom has been defeated
Some other measure, more in consonance
with modern times, must be adopted in
the future to keep the youngsters out of
the streets o nights.
500
The review OF the Methodist minis
ter's discourse on Universalism printed
on the second page. is worthy of atten-
ton. Mrs. E. V. Whitney is not PRO.
fessional," but she makes very credit.
able defense Of the faith.