The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1900-02-01
That Controversy" Again,


taken up and answered by Mr..
Prunty of Haydenyille, o. Mr..
Prunty's article was carefully read
by me, and deserves my kIndest
regards. The question about the
10Th and goth centuries is this: Did
the 2Oth century begin Jan. 1st
1900 or will we have to go one full
gear more before it begins?
For the convenience of my read
ers, L will divide the arguments in
to Affirmative and Negative
sides. The alternative declares
that the Goth century began Jan.
1st 1900. The Negative declares
that the Goth century will not be-
gin till 1901. Now here is fair
statement of the question, compre-
hensible to all. The following will
make both sides plain, and show
cur negative friends their error:
FIRST. Il will give you rule
from Prof Ray, how to compute
time. Ruie.--Find the date when
thing began to exist, and take II
from the date you wish to count to.
The result. in every case, will be
the exact time The thing has exist
ed. / affirm that the Goth century
began January 1st 1900. Now let
US apply the rule, and we will find
the exact age Of the Christian Era,
to the above date.
l9nOvrs. lmo., Ida. lend of time counted to.)
0 yrs, lmo.. Ida. beginning Christian Era.)
1900 0 o
This gives us 1900 years even.
Now let US find the exact time the
18th century ended, by the same
rule. The 10Th century ended Dec
3lst 1899, at midnight. And the
10th began one moment after. Let
us see.
1899 yrs, l2 mo 3lst day Nast date gwen
1899 II 80
Now this only lacks one day to
complete the 1900, and that day
was already added when we got
out of bed the next morning, and
marked on our doors aud steps.
Now why do we take the prior
from the subsequent date, to find
the age of the Christian Era? The
reason is abvious. Because the
first date only marks the com.
mencement of time, and marks no
time. We will give you an exam.
pie. A child was born May Goth
1890, and died May goth 1898. How
old was it.?
Birthday May Goth 1890
Birthday again May goth 1871 One year old
Birthday again May 10th 1892. Two years old
Birthday again May goth 1893. Three yrs. old
1t died on its last birthday. Now
you see the child was only three
years old from first to last. and yet
we have four birthdays, This
shows US plainly why we take the
prior from the subsequent date, be.
cause it marked no time in the
childs age. Thus; prior date May
Goth 1890 from subsequent date
May goth 1893 and we have three
years the exact age of the child, al
it's death. And just so with the
Christian Era, or anything else.
My friend w. laughed at me las
bSunday, when told him the frs
date of the Christian Era was Jan
lst without any year. First month
and First day. He says we mus
say first year, first month and frs
day. And it is from this stan(
point our negative friends make
their mistake. There is no year il
our first date, and cannot be till on,
year of time has passed. (This i
where Col. Taylor gets his 0 year
and he il right.) Now from thei
own stand point, we will soon Sc
where they get the idea that W
must add one full year to 1900 be
fore the goth century begins: an
so they must; for they took off on
whole year in the beginning. No,
for their theory. Their prior dat
is first year, first month, and frs
day. Ours Is first month, and frs
day only. because no year had ye
come. Only one had come and W
took that away In our subtractio
and only lacked one day in our ou
come, and it was supplied last Ne'
YEARS. day, and hence, must run
along to 1901, before the Goth Ger
tury begins. No wonder, as tn
following solution will show fir:
year, first month and first day tai
en- from the last date given, 1900.
l900-l-l
ILL
| l890-0-0
Now Cur negative friends too
one year off In the start, of actu,
time, and must put il on at the en-