Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-11-01
CUSTER At MERCER
BLOW At REL. IGIOUS
FREEDOM, SAYS FOX

:
ton constitutes 20 reputation Of
the entire principle of academic free
dom and an attack on the funda-
mental Baptist principle of the reli-
gious freedom of the individual DR..
Henry Fox, former professor of
biology at Mercer, answered his crit
les in a lengthy statement received
Wednesday by The Christian Index
for publication in its next issue.
This statement by DR.. Fox is the
first expression shat has come di-
rectly from him since the board of
trustees of Mercer instructed DR..
Rufus Weaver, the president, to ask
his resignation.
Dr.. Fox S statement contained an
attack on the committee for publish
ing without his knowledge or con-
sent the statement of his religious
beliefs prepared solely for the per-
sonal use of President Weaver" and
| declared that many people VIII find
it difficult to reconcile this action
with the common idea of courtesy"
MY position as regards science
and religion says the statement in
part lis one in which, to paraphrase
a familiar Scriptural quotation, we
ought to render unto science the
things which properly belong to the
realm of the intellect, and unto reli-
eion the things that spring from the
heart. Questions of fact and of In
depreciation. in my opinion, belong
to the realm of the intellect"
Criticizes Committee
Dr.. Fox also criticizes the commit
tee for its statement that primarily
the responsibility for this trouble
lies with DR.. Fox. inasmuch as he
knew when he entered Mercer how
utterly his beliefs were at variance
with those Of the Georgia Baptists
employing him. declaring that at
the time he entered Mercer no effort
had been made "either by personal
consultation or through the usual
avenues of information" to impart
to him any idea of the religious ten
cts of "the particular Georgia Zap
fists" employing me-
Before I had any idea that l
would ever come to Mercer says
the statement, 81 joined the Baptist
denomination, although not without
hesitation because at that time I felt
reasonably certain that from
strictly doctrinal standpoint my
views would not be acceptable to a
majority of it's members.
"I was given full assurance, how
ever, that in accordance with the
time honored principle of individual
religious liberty, which L was in
formed the Baptiats always had and
probably always would maintain, the
Individual member would have full
! liberty to formulate the generally ac'
copied doctrines of the faith in any
form which he believed to be con-
sistent with his knowledge and his
sense of moral values, and that he
would under no conceivable circum-
stances be constrained to fashion
! his beliefs in harmony with the
finite expressions of that faith as
voiced by any individual, committee,
board, synod, convention or creed.
1t was because of this larger free
dom that [ chose the Baptist in pref
erence to all other evangelical de-
nominations.
Had Clear Conscience
1.-THE administration committee Is
disposed to criticize me because /
lid not disclose to Georgia Baptists
my doctrinal opinions previous to
my election. Will the committee
kindly favor it's readers, most OF
whom are as puzzled as l am, by in
forming them how they expected me
to do this? So far as l am aware
no candidate has ever been known
! to take the rather absurd step Of
: issuing a sort of notice to the con-
stituency of even a denominational
institution setting forth his personal
| opinions in a field in which he Is
not an authority. If such inofrma-
ton is desired it should be obtained
| through authorized official channels
and my impression is that the initi-
alive should be taken by the govern
ing body.
From the foregoing, 1 think 1t
must be perfectly clear to the can
did reader that in accepting the chair
of biology at Mercer, did so with
clear conscience and with no idea
that in an institution of the grade
| that Mercer is supposed to represent
ones purely personal opinion on mat
ters of theological import would ever
be called in to question or that ones
qualifications to teach his subject
WOu1u NC upOll SIOuhNS OILOh
than those which obtain in other in
situations of equal rank, namely,
faithful and satisfactory service.
| high scholarly standards and a type
of personal life, which would be
generally acceptable as consistent
with loyalty to the. ideal exempli-
fled in the life Of the Master"
Approves Mercer Ideal"
Dr. Fox stated that the only pub.
lished statement of the religious doc
trines of Mercer that he ever saw
was THE Mercer University IdeaP
in the annual catalogue, and declares
that SO far as he is able to judge
his views are Sin thorough accord
with this published statement"
In a passing reference to the sub
ject of evolution, DR.. Fox said:
IF. like the great majority of BIZ
ologists, L accept the theory of or
ganic evolution as expressing the
most probable method whereby the
various forms of plant and animal
life, including man, have come into
being. it is clear that l cannot hold
to any theory Of Biblical inspiration
that would preclude my acceptance
of that view.
But from what I can learn from