Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-07-14
The Scopes Trial and
Evolution

Means and reaTnS have been
wIitten-and more is yet to
come - on evolution and the
Scopes trial There are almost
as many opinions as are minds.
Many arguments, pro and con,
are from highly prejudiced
minds and therefore of really
little value.
To our mind, the most illumi-
mating article on life subject
came from the pen Of DR.. Ashby
M. Jones, D. D.. Presbyterian
minister Of Atlanta, and one Of
the South S greatest orators anc
writer's. In a recent issue of the
Atlanta Constitution, DR.. Jone,
said:
The most remarkable fact
about the trial Of the Tennessee
teacher for violating the legisla-
tive prohibition against teaching
evolution is the nationwide in
est which is has aroused. Of
course there have been contribu-
tory elements OF sensation, such
as the engaging Of Mr.. Bryan and
Mr.. Darrow as opposing counsel,
but neither of these two profess
sional spotlight" artists would
ever have entered the case had
there not already been a world
wide interest. Why has this uni
versal interest been aroused in
a case which, in its final analysis,
must prove to be one Of consti-
tutional law? Of course, r am
simply giving my own interpre-
tati0n.
The Tennessee legislature enact
ed a law prohibiting the teaching
in its state schools of certain
theory Of physical science. This
in itself was so sensational in it's
novelty that it raises the question
whether it is a sound public pol
Icy to admit the right of law
making body to pass upon techin-
cal questions of scholarship, and
TO dictate to teachers what is cor
rect and what is erroneous in the
realm Of learning. Even deeper
than the question Of competency
of the average legislator to be-
come the judge in this realm, is
the question as to whether the
government shall be allowed to
decide what its children shall
know and think. If the govern
ment has a right to forbid the
teaching of a certain theory of
physical science, has it not the
right to forbid the teaching of
certain theories of political econ
omy or sociology, or to dictate
what shall be taught as true in
history? This, in essence, was
the Prussian method, That gov
ernment, by vigorously standard
laing its st7te school, in three
generations was enabled to weld
the empire into a militaristic men
ace to the civilization of the
world. Thus, | conceive the is
sue involved to be one, not of
constitutional right, but one of
good public policy.
But this Tennessee legislature
doesn' t stop there. 1t forbids the
teaching of evolution on the
ground that it conflicts with di-
vine revelation as made in the
Bible. In doing this it necessari-
" establishes, by legislative en-
actment, the Bible as a religious
authority. | have not read the
Tennessee constitution, but to my
mind this is clear violation of
the constitution of the United
States, and of every other state
whose constitution I have read,
and is an invasion of the funda-
mental American doctrine of re-
ligious liberty. This deeply Of
tends me as an American citi-
zen, but it is deeper offense to
me as a representative of the
Christian religion. My Ameri-
anism insists that religion must
aot be imposed by legislative au-
lfority, and my Christianity in
sis.s that religion can never be
advanced by force.
But, as is inevitable when leg
islatiYa bodies begin to legislate
ID matters religious, the lawmak-
ing body, after making the Bible
a religious standard, proceeds to
interpret the teaching of that
book. In declaring certain
scientific theory to be a contra
dction of the teaching Of the BIZ
bic, it is necessary to first declare
what the Bible teaches. If we
admit the right Of a legislature
to declare what the Bible teach
cs in regard to creation, why
Snail they not have the right to
are what the Bible teaches in
regard to baptism, the atonement,
the second coming, and predesti-
nation
Mr. Bryan, to whom all ques-
uoHs are quite simple, declares
chat # is merely a question "of
The right Of control by employers
OF their employees" Even stated