e are not
descended from Adam. His desire was to reconcile science and Scripture,
and he was now treated by a Methodist Episcopal Bishop in Tennessee just
as, two centuries before, La Peyrere had been treated, for a similar
effort, by a Roman Catholic vicar-general in Belgium. The publication of
a series of articles on the subject, contributed by the professor to a
Northern religious newspaper at its own request, brought matters to a
climax; for, the articles having fallen under the notice of a leading
Southwestern organ of the denomination controlling the Vanderbilt
University, the result was a most bitter denunciation of Prof. Winchell
and of his views. Shortly afterward the professor was told by Bishop
McTyeire that "our people are of the opinion that such views are
contrary to the plan of redemption," and was requested by the bishop to
quietly resign his chair. To this the professor made the fitting reply:
"If the board of trustees have the manliness to dismiss me for cause,
and declare the cause, I prefer that they should do it. No power on
earth could persuade me to resign."

"We do not propose," said the bishop, with quite gratuitous
suggestiveness, "to treat you as the Inquisition treated Galileo."

"But what you propose is the same thing," rejoined Dr. Winchell. "It
is ecclesiastical proscription for an opinion which must be settled by
scientific evidence."

Twenty-four hours later Dr. Winchell was informed that his chair had
been abolished, and its duties, with its salary, added to those of a
colleague; the public were given to understand that the reasons
were purely economic; the banished scholar was heaped with official
compliments, evidently in hope that he would keep silence.

Such was not Dr. Winchell's view. In a frank letter to the leading
journal of the university town he stated the whole matter. The
intolerance-hating press of the country, religious and secular, did not
hold its peace. In vain the authorities of the university waited for
the storm to blow over. It was evident, at last, that a defence must
be made, and a local organ of the sect, which under the editorship of
a fellow-professor had always treated Dr. Winchell's views with the
luminous inaccuracy which usually characterizes a professor's ideas of a
rival's teachings, assumed the task. In the articles which followed,
the usual scientific hypotheses as to the creation were declared to be
"absurd," "vague and unintelligible," "preposter