The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-07-10
Monkey Trial
Comment by
Preachers
Indianapolis Pastors See
Little Effect Upon
True Religion.
= INDIANAPOLIS ministers

CAAO ChNOAJ VI OFOAOC1O1A ohA Cl1C
Scopes trial, testing the Ten
nessee law against the teaching
of evolution, opening in Day
ton, Tenn. Eight ministers re-
fused to be quoted.
These views were expressed:
THE REV. MATTHEW F.
SMITH, pastor of the First Presby.
terian Church: "The Scopes trial will
in no way affect the truth or falsity
Of the evolutionary hypothesis
Neither will the decision in the case
mean the end of either Christianity
Q1xsvolution. What is done in Day
Tenn., will have little effect on
either religion or science. They will
move serenely on, as they always
have moved in the past"
THE REV. JOSEPH D. ARMS
TEAD, pastor of the Downey Avenue
Christian Church: THE Tennessee
law against the teaching Of evolu-
ton, in my judgment is not only
foolish but will prove to be uncon-
stitutional, since it is aimed to pro-
tect a religious creed. The Bible is
not to be regarded as a book of
science, but as a book of religion.
It's very religion, from the begin
ming to Christ, was an evolution, a
development from the lower to the
highest"
TT HE REV. GEORGE S. HEN
NINGER, e. Tenth St. Nj.
E.. Church: "Personally,
my position is that of the Bible
statement: And God said, "Let us
make man in our own image
/ consider the Dayton trial will
prove nothing, and is most un.
fortunate. l always have had the
greatest regard for William Jen-
nings Bryan, but / believe he is
building up a straw man to be
knocked down. He has raised an
issue that was dead"
-
THE REV. PAUL JUDSON NOR
RIS, Emerson Ave. Baptist Church:
sret that such a thing as this con-
troversy is taking place; that the
church ever lis placed in opposition
to scientific progress. The average
liking man has no difficulty in ad-
ling his religious faith to scien-
t1fic progress. There is no conflict
except an imaginary one. Great
scientists are profoundly religious
men.
'If Bryan would stay in politics
he would be all right. He is en-
t1rely out of his element"
So
THE REV. THOMAS r. WHITE
Meridian Heights Presbyterian
Church: 1t is joke that we should
have a man tried for believing a
theory accepted by a vast majority
of the scientific men of the world
today. 1t is another of Mr.. Bryan s
bids for publicity"
THE REV. o. A. TRINKLE, Engle.
wood Christian Church: $50 far as
science is concerned, am a believer
IN true science. But when it comes
to theory and speculation, such as
evolution, there is nothing to it. Evo-
luton is just a theory; there is no
science to it. There are too many
questions it cannot answer 1t de-
nands miracle itself. If evolution
demands a little miracle, why can
we not accept big miracle?"
THE REV. w. l.. EWING,
Irvington NJ. e. Church:
0 Science and theology are
aids to each other. They are like
the two rails of the railway; each
bears up its share of the respon-
sibility for the ongoing of civiliza-
ton. They do their work well if
each remains on its own side of
the road. When they attempt to
Anxoss each other, as has happened
Tennessee, then we have cat
astrophe. The train is ditched.
1.-THE theologian has no business
in the scientists laboratory. How
business in the theologian's labo.
ratory. They do we'll if they strictly
mind their own business.
In the present controversy the
anti-evolutionists would do we'll If
they studied more and talked less.
whereas, those who are agitating the
evolutionary viewpoint. doubtless
would do we'll if they put more heart
Into their work.
I'm our present dilemma we have
two extremes-one group with too
much head and not enough heart;
the other group with too much heart
and not enough head"
THE REV. C. c. BONNELL, Gar,
field Ave. M. E. Church: For more
than thirty years 1 have been a
quiescent evolutionist within certain
limits. At the time 1 first gave
careful thought to this most dis
cussed. but often misunderstood,
theory of the perfection of all forms
of life, was able to accept many
of it's facts without any violence to
scriptural accounts.
Man is but an animal; but the
highest type, however. / am not
greatly concerned whether the AL.
mighty made man, soul and all, in
a period of thirty minutes in our
present time, or evolved him from
lower type of animal life through
the ages. and at certain time.
called creation, endowed him with a
and called this completed
Wl&oduct. man. Either method suits
me-
Il am more concerned with man s
present status and his recognition
Of the soul life and our final destiny
than with our original send-off
IT think the evolutionary theory