The herald., 1897-03-10
Directors Form a Committee to
Effect Incorporation
ORTHODOX AND hETERODOX
The Two Great Divisions Ia the Pursuit
Of Science
W. A. spsldinR's Paper Before the Society
Last Night-Tbe Conservative
and the Aggressive

At the regular meeting of the Academy
Of Sciences last night at $50 IL South
Broadway, the eleven directors were
elected and a committee to proceed with
the incorporation of the society in ac-
cordance with the bylaws and constitu-
ton read by the secretary.
The eleven directors elected are as
follows: w. A. Knight. president; DR..
a. Davidson, DIR. w. II. Fales, A. M.
Shields, Dr. l.. A. Prayer, John d.
Hooker, f. N. Jones, George II. Bar
ber. B. r. Baumgardt, secretary, James
a. Foshay and Abbot Kinney.
The following new members were
elected: F. G. Leonard, VIM. Kerkhoff,
Mrs. II. W. r. Strong, II. e. Gage. John
r. c. Hood o. e. Godsmark, DR.. o. e..
Swales
After this business was transacted, the
paper of the evening was presented by
VIM A. Spalding. The paper was en-
titled, Science, Orthodox and Hetero-
dox"
Mr.. Spalding opened his paper by re-
marking that some philosopher has said
that politicians are divisable into TWO
classes; thee"ins" and the "outs'-those
who are out struggling to get in, and
those who are in, struggling to keep in
The speaker applied a similar classih-
cation to the great body OF scientists
who have filed in procession down the
ages, and to those who now occupy the
field of intellectual activity; the men
who are content to travel in beaten
Paths and accept without questioning
the popular orthodox doctrines. These
men are the 'ins;" they have acquired
their information from their forefathers,
they are our college professors, our
writers Of accepted books and treatises,
the men on whom the age lavishes It's
honors and its emoluments.
There Is another class OF men with
certain mental characteristics quite diff
ferent from those just described; they
are the iconoclasts, the breakers of tie
golden calf of science, the so-called
cranks and heretics of the age. These
are 1.-THE outs"
After a picture of the lack of recogni-
tion OF the latter class, their lack OF
honors and emoluments. the speaker
said he believed that both classes were
absolutely necessary to the protection
and propagation of scientific truth; the
first to formulate, to classify. to protect:
the second to reform, to revolutionize, to
invent.
Out of strife and turmoil comes ad-
vancement in all things, intellectual.
spiritual and material. The "outs" of
science often after waging an unequal
warfare all their lives, sink at last into
unknown graves, others fight the good
fight, and sometimes overstep the wall
of prejudice and occupy honored places
among the "ins." Some die and are for
gotten, while others fall into the ditch,
and their bodies serve the purpose of
bridge for others to. trample over to
reach the goal.
Copernicus lived to be 20 years old and
died the day his first published book on
the "Ptolemaic Theory" was shown him.
Johann Kepler was subjected to perse-
cution. His "Epitome of the Copernican
Astronomy was placed by the Inquisi-
tion on the list of prohibited books. Cali
leo took up the conflict with Kepler and
constructed a telescope when the won
ders of the heavens were unfolded to
him. But Calico bent before the great
pressure, though he did not break. Sir
Isaac Newton was brilliant example
of an aggressive and epoch advancer in
scientific knowledge. He was a man of
the 'ins," but in presenting his demon
stration of the laws of gravitation he
placed himself in the position of an
"out."
The speaker showed how the corpus
cular theory of light. endorsed and am
plifed by Newton, is now conceded to
have been erroneous, and the fact was
emphasized that even the great Newton
was not infallible. Further. the idea was
advanced (Which called out much dis
cussion later) that Newton's theory of
gravitation, which has endured the test
of ages and which Is now accepted in it's
entirety, Is not complete, being faulty
IN at least one important respect. Other
examples of the 'outs" of science were
given, and the speaker said at this very
day the merry war still goes on; only
the methods of waging the war have
been somewhat changed.
my object in this paper Is to give
In conclusion Mr. Spalding said:
something of birds eye view of the
whole field upon which the never-ending
conflict of ideas Is waged and to be-
speak for the hard pressed outs" a little
more OF your kindly consideration. Pre-
5udice, bigotry and indifference are
not fair weapons in this strife. When
man has new idea to present he
should be encouraged to a certain ex-
tent, because the idea is new. There are
not enough new ideas in the world. But
when presented let this thought be
weighed by the standard of truth and
reason and by that standard alone let
Its fate be determined. would be toll
Grant to the last degree as to the pre-
sentation of fresh thought, but would
ask for 1t no mercy IL 1t is proven false
would not condemn too harshly the
crank who presents it, even If he Is
proven to be in error, for, as somebody
has observed, 1t Is the cranks who make
the world go round. When you ignore
or sneer at new ideas you may be
olighting the man whom the next CEN
tury Will delight to honor"