New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-17
THE RELIGIOUS WORK OF SCIENCE

BY PROF. y. J.. NOUMANo.
have been asked TO speak on this occasion
rpon the important subject Of Religion and Science.
Much has been said concerning it. and much Will
have said before the public duly instructed
~ the relation they bear to each other have had
time 10 prepare anything at all worthy the greatness
aud interest Of the topic, and only offer you
rough suggestions very hastily drawn up, concerning
ono OF aspects, The Religious Work Of Science
There is deep meaning in the phrase revolutions Of
thought" for the advance OF opinion ideas not only
dyerge but they 60 round TO opposite positions: trey
are only modified but reversed. aud propositions long
hold often turn out be not only erroneous but
opposite OF the truth, The earth fos example
was first supposed to be fat It is now known TO be
round it long believed 10 be stationary, II il now
known 10 te in rapid motion; 10 was long considered as
Of recent org1nt IS now recognized as having had
iuCdcuabe antiquity such total diversions OF belief
10 the past course Of thought and are des
tined suspect 10 become sim more numerous In the
future. think " will turn out that our present subject
furnishes another illustration OF 10. Science has long
been regarded and Is sim widely believed 10 be the
tagonist Of religion; the time IA not distant when ~ VIII
accepted It's most powerful ally and best friend.
by science understand that knowledge which is gained
by the intellect OF the order or Things around us, OF
which form part, ana OF the laws by which that
order IL governed. Religion understand essentially 10
be the feeling entertained tOWald ulit lnnnite Delng
Power Cause, by whatever name called. OF which al
things are manifestation and which Is regarded aud
wOrshped a. the creator and Ruler oil me UniVeIss.
f. the Office Of science TO explore the works OF COD OF
religion 90 deal with the sentiments and emotions which
20 Out toward the Divine Author OF these works.
But II praise ana adOfauOu are que 10 the
displayed IN the creation are not tney working
- distinctly religious ends VINO reveal 70 us
these grand characteristics Of Divine achievement. To
whom are We Indebted Tor koWedge OF the OIuef that
God has instituted In the unvcrsef IL IS to the men
appreciation of has been high that they have
given their lives to the discovery OF its truths; aud
these truths are divine is not the research III pre-
ie known OF the operations OF nature that nothing
ike general order or system OF laws was suspected
TIE natural In fact was not d' rentated IN conception
FROM tho supernatural Tue whole scheme Of things
bcdded 10 superstition and mysticism, and the human
mind given over TO the cOncelts ana Az
snrdities OF an unbrilled imagination. 1t only
With the rise Of modern science in the recent cen
dawn upon the world OF thought COpernicus
led the way by destroying the geoceutrc astronomy,
grown up around II. His theory OF the planetary mo-
lions opened The door TO the conception OF their true
laws add causes keper and Calico VeThed and ex-
tended his work. and prepared the for Newton, who
struck out the universal law Of attraction, which ex
scientific epoch by the establishment OF the principle OF
natural order throughout But II the order of the
universe prevails through space must 1t not also prevail
through umei Inquiry now took new direction the
current wGened new sciences arose aud another cen
tury Of research revealed the grand truth that the sys
Ieu order aud law and perfect in its time
relations a. IL had been shown TO he IN the relations
of space. This mighty revelation OF the workings OF
Ihe In6nite Power we owe. to those who devoted
'hemse,es professionally to the exposition OF the paus
geitbcr eympathy cooperation from that class In
fher whole course from the beginning OF research the
scientific students OF nature encountered two orders OF
obstacle Tue hrSt pertalned TO the character OF the
work. The discovery of tDIth Is easy thing;
n il precious To be mad for the asking Under
The beat methods ~ IA difficult, painful and uncertain
pursuit. while the methods themselves only attain
able through long experience. Nor Is it given 10 every
earnest devOee OF science TO add TO the stock OF original
truh while thousands but few secure the prizes
Moreover early investigators embarrassed and
constantly defeated by the Inherited Of and
preiudIces by which Judgment was warped and the
mental vision Obscnred The idea that law Is niiexi
aud universal throughout nature was long unrecOguzed
and the special students Of science went further than
10 assuIEe 10 In their own fields OF Investigation.
Added To these difficulties was the widespread
and deeply-rooted feeling among the ignorant
yuassas which this respect comprehend almost
everybody. that existing knowledge was sumeieh aud
mai 10 pry into the mysteries OF nature was lde II not
rfeverenf and presunptuOus. Such were some OF the
necessary obstacles which scientific men mad 10 over
their religions task OF 11iolant ane uivihe
truths which the Creator had embodied IN the cons1
world But they had dlHcuIIles 70 encoutt
of another kind The crude pIlmuve iioeas' Uy wH
the powers above nature were supposeu W Do ~
interfering with It's operations, were OOrne uO"n Te
current of tradition aud conforming 70 the genera DC
lefs systematically maintained ana deiehueu hne
fbe0ogiaus who claimed 20 be authorized expOuhueis
the divine policy insisted not Ony thdt , GU
interruptions OF the natural order occurred, pu ey
tse Creator H. 20 be most cOnspicsOusly ana lmpIes
siyeIy seen Holding shat the normal pnenonehs are
Intervention, they left IT 10 the scientists 70 wOh
out the natural order 10 Ito Completeness and 70 Yhd
cate tho Almighty, Whose wisdom 10 witnessed hOt ~
the yiOlaIiOns, but IN the protection Of His WORKS.
THEOLOGY THE FOE SCIENCE.
Certainty science has not the enemy OF religion
On th but Il is equally certain that theology has been
che adversary OF science That Copernicus did pub
1lsh his book ON Tue revolutions OF the planets until
after he dead and that calico, less cautious, got
Into serious with the ecclesiastical powers by
publicly maintaining the views OF COpeThcus are Out
SPECIAL facts OF which the whole history OF science Is
full showing the hnderances which theology has put In
the path" Of those researches which nave leu 10 our
knowledge Of the order the harmonies ana tue Roies
have not gone for nothing. Every inch Of the ground
Las been fought over with des"er@rs esrneslneSS. 1t