New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-25
MODERN SCIENCE.
ADDRESS OF PRESIDENT J. L. SMITH At
PORTLAND.

vancement of Science. OF which the following are
the most significant portions. was read by Prof. tut
man, the Secretary. on Friday. the President being
absent in Vienna
| DARwIs's THEORIES.
not my object 20 criticize the speculaons OF any
one or more OF the scientists who baye carried
their Investigations into the world OF the Imagination;
n fact II could not be done discourse 80 limited ~
this aud one only intended prologue to the present
meeting. But order to Illustrate this subject OF
method more fully will refer to Darwin whose nams
has become synonymous with progressive Developments
and natural selection, which had thought had died
out with Lamark 80 years ago. In Darwin we
Of those philosophers whose great knowledge animal
and vegetable life is only transcribed by his magma
| ton. In fact, he is to be regarded moro meta
physician with highly wrought imagination than =
scientist, although a man having most wonderful
knowledge of the facts Of natural history In England
aud America find scientific men OF the profoundest
ntellects differing completely in regard 10 his logic.
analogics and deductions and in Germany and France
the thing-n the former Of these countries some
spectators saying that his theory ia our starting
point" and France many OF her best scientific men
ranking the aDors of Darwin with those OF pure
science Darwin takes up the law OF life and runs Is
into progressive development. In doing TINS ne seems
| to to increase the embarrassment which surrounds
looking into the mysteries Of creation lie Is not
satisfied leave :he laws Of life where he finds hem or
pursue their study oy logical and nductye reason
Ing. His method OF reasoning VIII not allow NM 20 TO-
main at rest be must be moving onward IN DIS unno4
animals and brought them through their various stages
OF progressive development until he supposed nc mao
touched the confines OF man; he then seems 10 nave
recoiled and besitated TO pass the boundary which
separated from the lower order OF animals but ne
there so man was made from the ape with which no
one can find fault If the descent be legitimate) This
sbborn pushes him still further and he must ma
connecting link between that most remarEapi,e
property Of the human face called expression 80 us
tse on that subject. Yet still another step must De
taken in this linking together man and the lower oraer
| of ala. Ia I'M
fore long 1G is not unreasonable 10 expect ahCther py
ect the connection between the language oil man
and the brute creation.
DARwIss METHODS APPLIED.
| Let us see for moment what this reasoning from
analogy would lead us TO. The chemist has as much
right to revel in the imaginary formation Of sodium
from potassium, iodine and bromine from chlorine.
by process Of development and call 1t science. for
the naturalist In many OF mis- wild speeulatons.
or for the physicist who studies the stellar space 70
| imagine IL permeated by mind as well as light-mnd
such as has formed spoet. the statesman. tho
philosopher Yet any chemist who would quit his
Method OF investigation OF marking every 1901 OF BIS
advance by some ndelble imprint and go PACK 10 tns
speculatiOns OF Albertus Magnus, Roger Bacon, ana
other achemsts Of former would soon be dropped
from the list OF chemists and ranked Win dreamefs auo
| Spectators.
What have said is, in my humble opinion, warranted
by the departure Darwin ana others nave mace rom
true science in their purely speculative studies ana
neither he other searcher afer truth expects 70
zard great and startling opinions without at the same
time counting and desiring criticism; yet dissension
| from his views In no way proves nun wrong-n only
shows how his ideas impress the minds OF other men
And lust here let contrast the daring OF Darwin win
the position assumed by one OF tho great French naur
OF the present day, Prof Quarreiases ~ Ieeens
discourse Lis the physical character OF the human
race In referring to the question OF the nrs Origin o
belongs not to science; these questions ale ueaeu ~
theologaas and philosphers Neltner mere n9l az tne
Museum am l. do wish TO be, either theOogan or
philosopher. am simply man OF Silence anu ~ Is IN
the name Of comparative phySoOg Gl IN Gb 6e
OF the laws which govern man as wen as anisis
and plants that have always spoken" Ana sIudYlhs
man az scientist he goes on 10 say: IL Is estaDiisnea
that has two grand faculties OF when We nhu not
even trace among animals He alone has the lnorn
sentiment OF good and evil he alone believes Ia future
existence succeeding this natural NE nc atone Des
beings superior to himself that he hs never eeh snu
that aro apabe OF influencing his lie Tor good or ey
in other words alone Is endowed with moraLty ahs
Prof 1ga ow to sseory
in the same positive msaner, anu WIZ. ,ti erteisms
by his speaking OF It as mere mine OF assetsos
and the danger OF stretching differences from few OBJ
servatons 10 q wide aeld;" and he is called upon 10
collect real observations TO dlsprOVe te e'outIon
| hypothesis" would here remark IN defense OF my
distinguished friend that scientific investigation wiz
assume curious phase when ITS votsres are required
10 ocoupy time in looking up facts, aud seriously AZ
tenDths 10 aisprove any aud every hypothesis based
upon proof, some OF 1t not even rslnB 10 tne uSu "
| lrcumstantial evidence.
| RELATIONS oFsscIENCE AND RELIGION.
now come to the last point TO which wish to cah
the attention of the members of the association III the
pursuit Of their Investigations, and the speculaons
that these give rise TO in their minds Reference mas
already been made 10 the tendency oil quitting the
physical to reve in the metaphysical which. however.
Is not peculiar this for il belonged as well 10 tho
times OF Plato and Aristotle it docs 70 ours More
special reference will be made here TO the proevty OF
the present epoch among philosophers ana theologans
TO be paradng science and religion side by sde talkag
of recOncing science and religion as II they nave ever
bean uprecOneed Scientists and theolOgans may have
1uarreed but never science and religion AL Dinners
they toasted in the same breath ana cas NIUE on
elergymen to respond for fear of giving oense or
Lac king fire and hrmne6s OF ST. Pau, utter Nsss
OF patitudes about the beauty OF science anu
III, truth Of religion, trembling in their shoes al the
time, fearing that science falsely soeaed NAV ke
AWAY their professional calling, instead or utterng ina
voice of thunder like the Boanerges OF the gospel that
the world by wisdom knew not Cod: AnS II n stt
will Our religion is made so plain by the lgnt OF LAIN
that the wayfaring man, though iooi' cannot CIR
| therein. -. A.. 4, -, o
| nection between science and religion than there Is
between jurisprudence ard astronomy ana Tue soones
this is understood better will be for both Religion
Is based upon revelations rs gwen To US III oooA. o
Of which are never changed ano OF mne
was first given except so far as man has
book more or less perfectly undeIsto0a oy no
the relation of man TO his Creators book that anords
directions but no theory; book OF facts, and
ppnt ~ areumens; book that mas damaged more
by heol0gisns than by all the Panthests ana ATHEISTS
that have ever and turned their nyecttyes against
it-and no one OF mischief on the part Oh heoo
CLANS greater than that Of admitting the proiounu
hrsstb attempting some sort OF explanation OF these
mysteries The book is just what Richard Whaely says
Vet the philosophy Of the divine itself, but
THAT which ia properly reigionl the relation anu anu he
has and will DO for u.s. ana what we are 70 Se IN
unadulterated science and leave to religion IHnss
which pertain TO 1t for science ana rehgioh o Ao
two mighty rivers flowing toward the same V5ean ana
before reaching 1t they will meet and mlnSe thelr pure
streams flow together into that vast ocean OF ,usn
which encrcles the throne Of the great AusnUr oa a
truth, whether pertaining 10 science OF 70 rehgion
And will here in defeUse OF science assert mat thero
greater proportion OF us S as psood nv
the Christian world, than that OF any other Oh tho