Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-10-14
RELIGIOUS BELIEFS
CAUSE DISMISSAL
OF MERCER TEACHER


osy, whose resignation has been re-
quested.
The letter states the action was
taken because the instructors reli-
gious belief "are so radir y and ut
terly opposed to those + ID by Geor-
gia Baptists that it rs impossible
| for him to continue as teacher IN
their university"
The resignation Of DR.. Fox was
called for by the two governing
bodies of the university, the eXecu-
tive committee of the board OF trus-
tees, and the administration com
mittee OF the executive committee
of the Georgia Baptist convention
the letter asserted.
II regret that the judgment OIL
these two bodies, the one possessing
the moral right and the other the le-
gal right to control Mercer uhlVer-
sity. should not be favorable TO your
continuance until the termination OF
your contract next June, Dr. WeaV-
er's letter read. LAS l endeavor to
| interpret the reasons which nave leo
| t. this judgment, I am persuaded
| that 1t does not involve the ques-
! ton of evolution"
Did Not Teach Evolution
"You have not taught the theory
! of evolution as an established fact.
| In yCur class room work, you have
always represented it's hypothetical
| character. This theory is one which
| every student in science must know,
and I m glad that in your presen-
| tation of it you have never shown a
ds,gmatic or arrogant spirit.
Therefore, am led to the conclu-
sion that the real reason for the
! course taken by our two governing
bodies is the statement of your be-
liefs made to a committee appointed
i by the board of trustees, in which
it seemed to this committee that your
attitude toward certain basal evan
gelical beliefs would prevent you, in
| giving any instruction, from present
! ing the facts Of science in such way
as to strengthen the faith Of the
! students in these doctrines which
| evangelical Christians hold to be
most essential
Thanked For Services
In concluding his letter, DR..
Weaver thanked the professor for
his faithful services as a teacher,
for the splendid record your stu.
dents have uniformly made in the
medical schools of the nation, for
your high scholarly standards, and
for the irreproachable life you have
lived among US"
A meeting of the convention com.
mittee was held in Macon on Octo.
Der 8, and resolutions relating tc
Of 10
board of trustees committee also
passed resolutions calling for the
resignation of DR.. Fox, and the Mer-
Ger student body has protested the
request for the instructors resig
nation.
Text OF Letter
The full text of DIR. Weaver's let
ter follows:
Or. Henry Fox, Professor Biology
Mercer University, Macon, Ga:
"My dear Mr.. Fox: Mercer uni
versity is controlled by a board o
trustees, elected by the Georgia Bap
fist convention. The property of tn,
institution is held by a corporation
other than Mercer university, the
members Of which are appointed BY
|
each year report of Mercer
university is made to the Georgia
Baptist convention at its annual ses
sion, while frequent reports =
made to the executive committee O.
the said convention.
1.-The control of this institution by
the denomination is complete.
"As the servant OF the board O
trustees of Mercer university, ant
through them, the servant of the
Georgia Baptist convention, / trans
nit to you the following resolutions
the one passed by the administra
ton committee, representing thu
executive committee of the Georgia
Baptist convention, meeting in At
lanta, Ga, on October 10, and tht
other by the executive committee o.
the board of trustees of Mercer uni
versity meeting in Macon, Ga, or
October 9.
Administration Resolution
"Resolutions by the administration
committee of the executive commit
tee Of the Georgia Baptist conven
ton:
AT a session of the administra
ton committee of the Georgia Bap
fist convention, your communication
was read, in which you stated tha
the board of trustees of Mercer uni
versity had referred to you, with
power to act, the question of DR.
Henry FoX's continued connection
as professor Of biology in the univer
sity, and in which you requested Us
to advise you in the premises.
1--WE also had before US a state
ment of DR.. FoX's religious beliefs
written and signed by DR.. Fox him
self, and we have given both com
munications our careful considera
| ton.
In compliance with your Off
cial request. we unanimously advise
you as follows:
First that DR.. Fox's religious
beliefs, as frankly stated by himself
in writing, in our opinion, are sc
radically different and utterly OPP
posed to those held by Georgia Bap
lists that it is impossible for him tC
continue as a teacher in their uni
versity.
1--WE believe that II ne should sc
continue and our people become
acquainted with the facts, his fur.
their connection with the institution
would seriously cripple, if it did not
utterly wreck both your administra
ton and Mercer university.
Liberty of Opinion Granted
eve grant to DIR. Fox, of course
a perfect right to liberty of opinion
in the matter OF his religious be-
liefs. but we do not think he has
either the legal or the moral rIgh- to
hold to the beliefs he claims, and, at
the same time, teach in Mercer uni
vers ity.
1--WE. therefore, recommend to
you: first, that DR.. Fox be request
ed to resign his professorship in
| Mere er university at once: second. ii
! he dAc10oS So roSio0 reccr1-