Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 85.djvu/108

104 who reply, only three are decidedly adverse—prelates in the Catholic and Greek churches—though several protestant clergymen write guardedly. The identification of Darwinism with the doctrine of organic evolution in the public mind is unfortunate, for when a scientific man argues that Darwin's theory of natural selection is not an adequate causal explanation of the origin of species, this is distorted to be a "confession" that there has been no organic evolution.

Sentiment among the churches against the doctrine of evolution, especially in the south, is widespread. A curious exhibition is given in a statement recently made by a committee on behalf of the Galveston (Texas) Ministerial Association, which reads as follows:

We wish to say to the public in general, but to the fathers and mothers of the children of Galveston in particular, that we, the committee appointed last week by the Ministerial Association to confer with the state superintendent of public instruction, with reference to the expurgation of certain statements in Tarr's New Physical Geography plainly teaching the Darwinian and atheistic theory of man's origin, have done so, and with most gratifying results.

Referring to our letter to him, Mr. Doughty says: "In reply thereto, permit me to say that the copy of the book to which you refer is of the unrevised edition" (the one now in use in the schools—Committee). "Soon after assuming the duties of this office on September 1, 1913, an objection to this paragraph was referred to me as chairman of the revision committee on the adopted text, and I immediately took up the matter with the publishers and succeeded in securing a satisfactory revision of the objectionable paragraph. . . . It is my desire to do everything within my power to give the children of this state wholesome instruction, and permit me here to say that I am in hearty accord with the ideas and purposes of the Christian faith."

These are noble words on the part of our state superintendent, and in them we have the pleasing assurance that the new edition to be placed in the hands of our children next fall will not contain the Darwinian theory of evolution—and this is all we have been contending for.

, of Montreal, distinguished for his work in Archean and mining geology, with Mrs. Barlow, was drowned in the wreck of the Empress of Ireland. We regret also to record the deaths of Jesse J. Myers, assistant professor of physiology and zoology at the Michigan Agricultural College; of Dr. Paul von Mauser, inventor of the Mauser rifle; of Mr. Robert Kaye Gray, an electrical engineer, active in the promotion of scientific research in England, and of M. Paul Louis Toussaint Heroult, known for his work with aluminum and the electric furnace.

has been formed in France, under the patronage of M. Poincaré, president of the Republic, for the erection of a monument in honor of J. H. Fabre, the famous entomologist. The idea is, not only to erect a monument at Serignan, but to preserve and to convert into a museum the estate of Harmas, the dwelling of the great naturalist. Subscriptions are asked from naturalists all over the world, and may be sent to the president of the committee, M. Henri de la Paillonne, mayor of Serignan (Vaucluse), France.

, professor of botany, has been appointed president of the Iowa State University by the State Board of Education.—Dr. S. J. Meltzer, head of the department of physiology and pharmacology of the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, has been elected president of the Association of American Physicians in succession to Dr. Simon Flexner.—The Franklin Institute, Philadelphia, on May 20, presented its Elliott Cresson medals to Dr. Edgar Fahs Smith and Dr. Orville Wright.

additional endowment has been provided for the Rockefeller Institute for Medical Research, for the establishment of a department of animal pathology. It is to be organized and conducted by Professor Theobald Smith, of Harvard University.