The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1901-01-19
Only One Year Too Late.
To The Free Lance:

To The Free Lance:
No effective attempt has been made to
answer the argument which proves
that the Twentieth century OF the
Christian era commenced on the first
day of January. 1900, and that the GEN.
tury had passed through q full year Of
its duration on the 1st day Of January.
1901. The argument is very simple
and strictly mathematical in Its ma
ture. and has already been voted as
conclusive by tho Kaiser Of the Great
German Empire, and his imperial cab
met have officially adopted IL, and the
hfty-five millions Of intelligent people
Of the German Empire. and at least
two hundred millions more Of the peo-
pie of Ohristendom have recognized
the trush of this argument. Neverthe-
less large number Of people Of the
United States have shut their eyes
against the soundness Of this argument,
and like large aOck Of bewildered sheep
madly following few rams who have
broken through the hedge that always
sorrounds the fold Of truth and made q
deplorable breach therein. they con
tinue to fall one year behind the be-
ginning Of this Twentieth Christian
century.
The argument applicable to the sub
ject is plainly thisi The Christian era
began. not with zero. which is moth
ing, and not four years before the &C
cepted time-a theory without sound
historical basis and distinctly contra.
dicted by Luke in his inspired Gospel.
The Christian era began or started
from the moment when Christ, our
Lord and Saviour, was born into this
world. The Christian designation OF
the year meant the end Of one yesr
from the birth Of Christ, and the next
moment was In the second year. On
precisely the same principle the desig'
nation 10, meant the end Of ten years
from the birth Of Christ. and the next
moment wus in the eleventh year. And
on the same mathematical principle
the designation 100. meant the end OF
one hundred years from the birth OF
Ohrist-that is, IL was the end of one
century from the birth Of Christ, and
the next moment was in the Second
century. This being admitted 1t neces'
sarily follows that the designation A
d. 1900 meant the end Of the Fifteenth
century, and the next moment was In
the Sixteenth century. and the desig-
nation A. d. 1900, was the end Of the
Nineteenth century. and the next mo-
ment was in the Twentieth century.
No answer to this plain mathematical
argument has ever been publicly given
except such answers as were so weak
as to be beneath contempt. Yet the be-
wildered sheep have continued to gal
lop after the erring rams through the
breach in the fence Of truth.
And they have grossly oontradicted
the statements Of authentic history.
Doctor william Robertson, in his very
title page. assumes that Charles Y. EN-
peror Of Germany and King Of Spain.
was born in the Sixteenth century.
And yet he also states that Charles '
was born on the 24sh day Of February.
A.D. 1900. Therefore the sheep ell
insist that DR.. Robertson was wrong,
and that Charles V (being born prior
to January 1, 1901 was not bonn In
the Sixteenth century And these sheep
all deny the fixed conclusions Of Amer
icsn hibtory that the visit Of Mrs.
President John Adams to the .Inewly
buiIped "White House." in Washing
ton, in the summer Of 1900. and the
meeting of the United States Congress
In Washington city on November Of
that year were events Of the Eighteenth
century
This false basis has been openly built
upon since the first day Of January
1901. Evidently some of the bewil
dered followers Of the rams are so
charmed with 1t that they have made
parades over Ii.
The Central Presbyterian Of January
9th. 1901, contains long oommunica.
tion under the title: " How we vel
coined the Twentieth century in Louis
ville," in which we have q narrative
how all the Presbyterian churches
in Louisville followed the invitation
and lead Of the Warren Memorial
church in that city, and how their
ministers and congregations assembled
in the Warren church at 10 o'clock or
the night Of December 3lst, 1900. ant
closed the services few moments after
midnight. and how they had orgar
music and the hundredth Psalm: "Al
people that on earth do dwell" ant
J several addresses, and poem on th'
, "Twentleth century" by some poe
not named, and how afterwards q
midnight drew near the lights wer'
turned low and few minutes o
silence followed. and when some on
stationed outside informed them tina
the ''stroke Of midnight" sounded. hov
the lights flashed up and the orgal
pealed and she halleluish chorus san
By the whole congregation sonnde'