New-York tribune., 1902-12-20
a failure here to obtain relief compels a trans
ference OF the case to Albany.
FREEDOM 0E RESEARCH.


dom of scientific research 1t has for. some
time past been sort of storm centre OF theo-
logico-scientifc controversy because Of certain
investigations which have been conducted by
a member of it's faculty, Professor Atwater.
That gentleman has himself been violently de-
nounced for promulgating theories said by his
critics to be contrary to the doctrines OF the
Methodist Episcopal Church, and the unlVer-
sty ITSELF the senior Methodist college in this
country, has been taken to task for tolerat1ng
him in its faculty. It has even been int1mated
that If Wesleyan wishes to be considered an
orthodox institution it must either compel Pro
fessor Atwater to recant his teachings or dis
miss him from his place Amid such Utter
ances the courageous words of President Ray
mond in this city the other day. honorable alike
to him and to the university, are welcome.
There u.s." he said mo restraint upon freedom
of scientific research in the university" That
is the spirit of a true educator. 1t should
equally be the spirit of the true theOlogian
The head and front Of Professor Atwaters
offending has this extent, and no more, that
he has declared, as the result Of years of pa
tient and painstalting Investigation that In some
circumstances alcohol has certain food value.
That, his critics aver, is contrary to the teach
ings of the Methodist Episcopal Church. With
out assuming to interpret and expound the
Book of Discipline, we must express surprise
at that statement and even question Its entire
accuracy. We have always supposed the
Methodist Episcopal Church to be a religious
and moral organization, not class In chem
istry, and its Book Of Discipline to be manual
of faith and practice not a scientific TEXTBOOK
That Book of Discipline forbids the use of In
toxicating-that is of alcoholic-beverages. 1t
does not, so far are able to perceive, ana
lyze the chemical constituents Of such drinks
nor describe their effect upon animal tissues.
Its prohibition Is directed against the sin OF
drunkenness and against any da1iance with
that sin 1t forbids the Of alcoholic drinks
not because alcohol is or is not food. but De-
cause Of the evils of drunkenness. With those
evils the question Of the food properties OF al
cohoi has simply nothing to do.
1t does not strengthen the position of the ad-
vocates Of total abstinence to insist that alcohol
Is not and never can be food. and would not
strengthen 1t IL that contention were proved
true There are many drugs which are not
foods and which poisons, yet which are
valuable as medicines and are used as medi-
cines by Methodists and by total abstaners as
much as by any one else. Opium eating, for
example is a monstrous evil, comparable with
drunk enness, and 1t has been earnestly de-
nounced from the pulpit deadly sin. Yet
the most orthodox Methodists do not on that
account refuse to take laudanum or morphine
when II is prescribed by a physician. Opium
eating is vice and q sin, but one contends
that it is sin TO take opium in a cough mixture
TO administer morphine to patient suffering
from peritonitis. The fact that opium is one Of
the most valuable of medicines does not in any
degree lessen or excuse the evils OF opium eat
ing. Neither will the fact-if II be established
as fact-that alcohol is IN some circumstances
food make in any degree less reprehensble
the Incorporate use Of IL as a beverage.
AS we understand It, Professor Atwater has
not entered the lists against total abstinence
He holds no brief for the users of strong drink
He does not say that because alcohol is a food
all people should use II freely. He does not dis
pute the wckedness of intemperance. He is
simply trying by scientific means to determine
a scientific fact The question of morals, of
temperance or Of religion is no more involved
In 1t than 1t is In Professor Dewar's liquefac
ton of air or In Mr.. Marconi's wireless teleg
raphy. II Professor Atwater's conclusions are
false all that is necessary is for some one scien-
tifcally to demonstrate the fact That VIII dis
pose OF them. and of him, far more effectively
than any ecclesiastical communication But
If his conclusions are true they will stand in
spite of all the denunciaton and excommunica-
ton In the world. Moreover, If they true
no church afford to deny them or to be
afraid Of them. The great Methodist Episcopal
Church has FOR generations stood valianty for
education and for freedom Of thought and OF
conscience, and has borne its witness against
the odtme bigotry which condemned Calico
for announcing scientific truth. 1t surely will
not in these latter days of grace attempt to re-
strain freedom Of scientific research nor shrink
from facing and accepting whatever truths such
researches may reveal.