The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-11
Trustees Intimate That 1t Is a
Personal Matter.
EVOLUTION QUESTION
DIR. Countermine Says 1t Is
Taught at Washburn.
DIR. Fisk Teaches 1t and 1t Is
"Terrible.''

/ papers, has now thrust his probe into
| Washburn college, and in a sermon
| preached Sunday night at the First
| Presbyterian church he declared that
| the college was doing much injury, by
| permitting The teaching OF the theory Of
/ evolution.
| The professor Of social sciences at
1 Washburn is the Rev. d. M. Fisk. late
pastor of the First Congregational
| church. DR. Fisk is the one who there
1 fore bears the brunt of Dr., Counter
mines attack DIR. Fisk and DR. Coun-
| termine have had several open conflicts In
| the past, and it is charged by some of
4 the trustees of Washburn that DrCoun-
i ternineS attack is a personal one on
1 DR.. Fisk, in the hopes of causing DIR.
1 Fisk to be discharged from the employ
! of the college
When asked today to make a state
! ment for publication, DR.. Fisk at first
refused, but finally consented to write
| the following concerning DR.. Counter
/ mines attack:
! There is no necessity for me to say
anything. To those who know the ultra
| conservative point of view of the speak
! er, the attack on WaShburn will amuse
rather than irritate. The temporary IN
| jury done to the college will be trlf1ing.
Wisdom will be justified by her chill
dren.' Truth is resistless and all efforts
to sweep back the awful incoming tide
1 Of Gods fuller truth have been found
] futile, not to say ridiculous. 1 have
| nothing to say because there is nothing
| necessary to say. The world moves be-
cause we have living God in 1T. 1t IS
| hard to fight against God
WHAT DIR. COUNTERMINE SAID.
When asked this morning for a state
ment concerning his sermon, DR.. Coun-
| terlnine said:
| ST did not say, as has been reported,
| that WaShburn college is not a fit place
| for a young man. 1 did not denounce
| WaShburn college. / denounced the
| things taught there. / did not preach
a sermon against evolution week ago.
l simply referred to evolution at the end
| of a sermon on Man. In my sermon
| Sunday night I used Washburn college
as an illustration of what is going on
at other UNCONVENTIONAL colleges. l did
not say that L believed in the evolu-
| tionary theory as applied to lower AMI
! mails. I do not believe in any form OF
| evolution. L believe in what the Bible
| teaches. 1 am opposed to all eVolu-
| tionary theories. There is no evolution
! without God in it. l an a friend OF
| Washburn college. and hope to do some
! thing for it's good. But 1 am opposed
| to evolution
DR.. Countermine, in the course of his
sermon, told a story about man ne
met on the train. He said that he saw
a man weeping and tried to comfort
him. He found that the man was a
Congregatio minister who had a son
in Washburn college. He inquired what
was the matter with the minister, and
the minister replied that he was afraid
his son was being led away from the
faith of his fathers by the teachings OF
evolution at the school,
Those who heard DR.. Countermine'S
sermon state that it was a very radical
attack on WaShburn, calculated to turn
away from the school the support OF
Christian people, on the ground that the
theory of evolution is wrong and should
not be taught.
Dr. Countermine said: 'Our denoni-
national colleges are growing to be al
6ea6 &c aIIT <tof 70 m
AT Washburn college young people are
being taught things which will neces-
sarily overturn their belief in the re-
ligion of their fathers, and I think that
the people of Topeka ought to do some
thing about it,
TRUSTEES DIVIDED.
The same opposition which manifested
itself to DR. Fisk in the First Congrega-
tional church is to some extent apparent
in the board of trustees of the college.
Some of the trustees believe that Or.
Fisk is too advanced" and some of the
conservative ministers of the Congrega-
tional church in various parts of the
state have protested. to the trustees
against the retention of DR.. Fisk. They
say he is f1amboyant, and stirs things
ul too much for the good of the church
More progressive people, however, are
attracted by DIR. Fisk, and it is admitted
that he is scholarly man. Many peo-
pie well known in Topeka, formerly not
church members, Joined the First Con-
gregational church while Dr. Fisk was
kind of advanced ideas which DR.. Fisk
DIR. FIsK's POSITION
DR.. Fisk is not a "Darwinian'-he is
at Washburn that the theory of evolu
ton is the true demonstration of the ex-
istence of God and Jesus Christ In his
words, Evolution simply spikes down
the truths of the Christian religion"
DIR. Fisk says that every scientist of
any consequence now believes in evolu
scfe- -r,1r IN
the details of the theory. On the other
hand he holds that very few now ac-
cept the Darwinian theory that man is
directly descended from a monkey. DR..
Fisk is said to base his religion on three
things: Christian theism, evolution, and
higher criticism. Some of these things
are considered heretical by conserva-
ANSWERS SOME QUESTIONS.
After making the written statement
previously quoted, DR.. Fisk was asked
some questions by the State Journal re-
porter, and answered them.
rs your theory of evolution taught at
other Christian colleges?"
1T is taught at all Christian colleges"
said Dr. Fisk yale. williams, Am
herst mbia-they would not have
man in their corps who does not believe
in evolution"
DO you believe that man is descended
from an ape2"
Il do not. The line of descent divid-
ed according to my theory of evolution
Apes are on one line OF descent, man
ON another. God is in all evolution"
DO the Congregational ministers OF
the state agree with your
Il don't know. / suppose that some of
them do not. 1 know that many of
them do
rs this a personal fight which DR..
Countermine is making on you?"
Il don't believe It is. DR.. Counter
| mine is sincere in his opinion. OF course
| / suppose that Prof Grinsley and my
| self represent the object eff the attack,
because we teach the evolutionary the
ory at Washburn-
Prof G. P. Grimsley. the teacher of