Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-11-19
Prof. TyndaiI Not an Atheist.

| On the 2Sth ult. Prof. TYNDALI
dellyerd one of a course of lectures tt
workingmen at Manchester, Eng Hi.
subject was Crystalline and Molecu
lar Forces In the course of his lee
ture he described the mental process:
by which the present notion OF force
had been acquired, and the extension
of that notion to the movements Of
planets and the vibrations of atoms.
He exhibited by means of the electric
light the crystallizatien of sal ammon
lac and acetate of lead experiments
which were among the most snowy OF
those presc nted 10 American audiences,
he referred to other marvels of nature
in the following words: The way n
which atoms build themselves together
is to me perfectly astounding. You
have here a play of power almost as
wonderful as the play of vitality itself
Perhaps | may have expressed myself
too strongly in calling this beautiful ex-
pertinent astonishing. Still | must
say, although | have seen it, to speak
moderately, hundreds and hundreds OF
times, l have never looked upon IL
without ceilings of astonishment.
And depend upon it, trust me, that
the revelations OF science are not In
the east degree calculated to lessen our
feelings vi astonlsnment. We are sur
rounded by wonders and mysteries
everywhere. [ have sometimes, yes
often j in the springtide watched the
advance of the sprcutlng leaves, and
observed the general joy OF opening
lite In nature, and | have asked myself
this questlou-can it be that there is
no 5cius. or thing in nature that knows
aiuGc ayodt t.i3se matters tnau / 10
Do II n,y ignorance represent the
h.EGels kAyw.eGge Of these :niugs *
js,:.4 il this universe. ladies ana
gentlemen, the man who puts that cues
ton to himself, il he be not shallow
nlaD, ii he be man capable oi being
penetrated by 4 profound tnougat, viii
never answer the question By profess
my lnc creed Of atheism, winch has
been SO lightly attributed to ne. /
Will only detaln You one moment more.
Everywhere throughout oar planet we
notice this teneency of the ultimate
particles of matter to run into svmmet-
rc forms. The very molecules appear
Inspired with desire for union and
growth, and the question OF questions
at the present day is, and it Is one |
fear which will not be solved in our
day, but Will continue to agitate and
accupy thinking minds after we have
dc; arted. This question Of questions
is how far does this wonderful display
Of molecular force extended. Does it
give the movement Of the sap Of trees!
l reply with confidence, assuredly it
does Does it Civ us the beating of
our own hearts, the warmth Of our own
bodies, the circulation of our own
blood, and all that thereon depends ?
This is point on which | offer no
opinion tonight. [ have brought you
to the edge Of a battl efeld, into which
| don't intend TO enter, and from
which | have barley escaped, some
what bespattered and begrimed, but
without much loss of heart or hope.
1t now only remains for me not to en-
ter this battle field, but to point out
to you the position Of the contending
host. You can pass on by almost i'm
perceptible gradations from this won
derfuI display of force that [ have
been able to make manifest TO your
eyes here to night, to the lowest forms
of vegetable life. You pass from them
to other forms higher. and so up to
the highest. / have spoken of con-
tending hosts, and their position is
this One class of thinkers supposos
that these actions of crystals that you
have seen formed before you, the pas
sage from that crystalline action to
the lowest forms OF life, and from them
TO higher forms up TO the highest
say one class of thinkers regards this
as the growth of single natural pro,
c,ss They grasp. as it were, this act
OF lie, this development of life, as an
iadissoluoly connected whole. one
great organic growth from the beginn
ing. Others again say that it is not
P ssI0ie to pass from inorganic, as wt
are pleased to call it--ior remember il
Is only human language we can use
from the inoryautic 10 the organic
without distinct creative act and 81
with regard tc the forms that we OBJ
serve not only in the fossil world
these forms, 1t is alleged, or considered
also require for their introduction
special creative acts ere there are
Two perfectly distinct positions. and II
you lock abroad you will find men o.
equal honesty, equal oaraesJnass, equa
intelligence. ranging themselves on I've
/ tapgoalte sides in reiafleE 10 tnls ques
Fuo0. y hica are right and which ars
wrong IS [ submit, a..qUestion fol
grave consideration, asd not fur abuse
and hard names an afraid thai
many OF the fears that are now enter
tanned on these subjects really HaR'
ahelr roots in a kind 0i slseptcisu
| 1t IS not always those who are charged
With skepdci5m that arc the real skep
tics-and | confess It is matter o
some griefto ne to see able, useful
| hnd courageous men ruGaint to AMI
| fro upon the earth. wringing thel
hands tyer the threatened destruction