his professorship, and has honored itself by maintaining him in that position, where, unhampered, he has ever since been able to utter his views in the midst of the largest body of students on the American continent.
Disgraceful as this history was to the men who drove out Dr. Winchell, they but succeeded, as various similar bodies of men making similar efforts have done, in advancing their supposed victim to higher position and more commanding influence.[1]
A few years after this suppression of earnest Christian thought at an institution of learning in the western part of our Southern States, there appeared a similar attempt in sundry Southeastern States.
As far back as the year 1857 the Presbyterian Synod of Mississippi passed the following resolution:
"Whereas, We live in an age in which the most insidious attacks are made on revealed religion through the natural sciences, and as it behooves the Church at all times to have men capable of defending the faith once delivered to the saints;
"Resolved, That this presbytery recommend the endowment of a professorship of Natural Science as connected with revealed religion in one or more of our theological seminaries."
Pursuant to this resolution such a chair was established in the theological seminary at Columbia, S. C, and James Woodrow was appointed professor. Dr. Woodrow seems to have been admirably fitted for the position—a devoted Christian man, accepting the Presbyterian standards of faith in which he had been brought up and at the same time giving every effort to acquaint himself with the methods and conclusions of science. To great natural endowments he added constant labors to arrive at the truth in this field. Visiting Europe, he made the acquaintance of many of the foremost scientific investigators, became a student in university lecture-rooms and laboratories, an interested hearer in scientific conventions, and a correspondent of leading men of science at home and abroad. As a result he came to the conclusion that the hypothesis of evolution is the only one which explains various leading facts in natural science. This he taught, and he
- ↑ For Dr. Winchell's original statements, see Adamites and Pre-Adamites, Syracuse, N. Y., 1878. For the first important denunciation of his views, see the St. Louis Christian Advocate, May 22, 1878. For the conversation with Bishop McTyeire, see Dr. Winchell's own account in the Nashville American, June 16, 1878. For the curious reply from Dr. Winchell's colleague, see the Nashville Christian Advocate, July 12, 1878; and for the further development of the matter, see the Nashville American of July 19, 1878. For the further course of the attack in the denominational organ of Dr. Winchell's oppressors, see the Nashville Christian Advocate, April 26, 1879. For the oratorical declaration of the Tennessee Conference upon the matter, seethe Nashville American, October 15, 1878; and for the "ode" regarding the "harmony of science and revelation" as supported at the university, see the Nashville American, May 2, 1880.
