Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1871-08-26
For the Whig and Tribune.
SCIENCE HAS BUT FEW VOTA-
RIES.
Import of the Term---Its AdVan-
Iages.
By J. B. CONGER.

An idea thrown out by a divine
from the pulpit, some time since, is
a truism worthy of note, yet one
that is realized by very few persons.
After discussing the inspiration of
the Holy Scriptures, and descanting
upon their agreement with the
works of nature, whose principles
originated with the same great first
cause that inspired the writers of
the Bible, and that consequently,
true science and the Scripture will
ever harmonic, the preacher sub
stantialy remarked:
"The number of persons who
study and understand science are
but few, compared with those who
read and understand the scriptures"
Although this is not generally as
sented to by literary men without
scientific knowledge, nevertheless,
nothing more true ever emanated
from the sacred desk. Persons hav-
ing but a smattering of some Of the
sciences, are apt to conclude that
knowledge of the sciences is much
more general than it really is, or
than in after years, with a more
thorough knowledge, they find it to
be. The number of men of science
in any community are few, and
those not often duly appreciated, for
literary men seldom know or appre-
ciate the advantages of science, or
even understand the import of the
term. But what, then, is science?
Science is defined to be Certain
knowledge" ''the comprehension
of truth by the mind;'' ga collection
of the general principles relating to
ny subject;" ga system of rules
built on principles" Hence, as all
truth and certainty are of God, and
as principles exist in nature which
originated with Deity, and are i'm
mutable and uniform under similar
conditions, science IS kHOlUIedge
Of the idlcS Of nature by achicb cer-
tain phenomena are produced. All
the arts and sciences are necessarily
built on the inventions of man, or
the immutable principles of nature.
If built on mans invention, it is an
art; if on the principles of nature, q
science. Men without a knowledge
of science have but vague idea of
what it is. They usually conceive
it to be knowledge acquired by OBJ
servation and experience, which,
however, is not science, but simply
an art.
"Authors are not always careful"
saws Mr.. Webster, ''to use the terms
art and science with due discrimina-
tion and precision" Mere literary
writers often confound the terms,
or, rather, use the term science,
when that of art is indicated and
should be used. Scientific writers,
however, understand by the term
art, that knowledge which depends
alone on practice, and by the term
science that knowledge which de-
pends on abstract principles which
have been established on independ-
ent evidence. knowledge acquired
by the exercise of that peculiar fac
ulty of the mind by which, when
properly cultivated, the relations
existing between cause and effect
are mentally determined, and their
connections traced to their sources,
or, rather to where they rest in
Deity. Scientific men are those
whose minds are stored with prin-
ciples, facts and truths, drawn from
precepts, observation and contem-
plation, by which they can mentally
determine the causes producing GER
tain effects, and the results that will
follow certain causes, without hav-
ing previously witnessed such phe-
nomena.
Man is designed, by his Creator,
as a social being, individually en-
dued with separate gifts, variety of
intellect and bent of mind, that each
may fill a certain sphere and form a
part "of one stupendous whole"
wherein each are dependent on each
other for the enjoyment of life and
happiness. All things are properly
ordered for mans happiness and en-
| joyment, would each individual but
move in their proper spheres and
nos mar the harmony that would
otherwise prevail, by assuming po-
sitions they were not designed to
fill. Notwithstanding the fact that
but few men have the gift and bent
of mind to study and acquire thor
Ough knowledge of science, never
/ theless their number were sufficient
to raise mankind to a lofty eminence,
fwere it not that the world is filled
with persons who assume to under
stand science, and whose insidious
views are spread broadcast over the
land-and inasmuch as the sophisms
of pretenders appear to the nniniti-