New-York tribune., 1874-11-23
THE CHALLENGE OF SCIENCE.

Redeemer Fourth aud Pacifc-sts, Brooklyn is
constantly Increasing In numbers preached yesterday
with unusual esrnestness and feryor the defense
which Christianity should make against the assaults OF
Dfdelity and skeptlcsm. His text was: BE ready
always give to every man that a3keh you
reason FOR the hope that Is you. with meekness and
fear."-I Peter hi.: v.
favorite taunt OF Professors Huxley and Tynda tho
two ines OF the present day. Is that neither
clergy people are well enough instructed In the
great truths OF nature ana science 90 giyo reasonable
account OF the faith bela throughout Chrstendom."
Having taken strong and well llde1ned grounds against
religion, having made accusations against hcr ana
against her priests aud followers, II certainly would be-
quite weak her woud-5e champions IL VIC fall 10
30 according the text have cited, answer"
such denlnt chaenGsrs that shaii sasfy ourselves
OF old, doctrines o. the Chutc OF TIE Living COD
Aside from this broid and sweeping assertion, which
viii not recOgnze Intelligence OF Jho uaitit idos To
day who both Instruct and receive instruction. thefes
ter tIislty IN the statement and again
have these attacks met gTappIed with. and over
thrown . manner that needs 10 coDmenliry 70 w
prove and explain. Tne Church has by no means geea
asleep during the advance OF modern so calleu phio
sophca thought. but she has been vide awake 20 he
issues at hand through the teaching OF her hgbe.
schools, through her clergy who In srvera,
marked instances arc snh through tbs
educated among ai.y mas suecessvcy spd sue
cessfuy maintained the fundamental truths OF her dl,
vine deposit protecting and preserving the same against
her craitIest an form1 enemies AS prHcti
ca illustration Of this statement let me but refer You 70
an earlier period when the great Bishop Butler wrote
his powerful and inconroyertible argument agaln,t
skepnclsln ana lnhaei le 4maCsy ane 1i api
course OF nature;" and then 10 our own day wnen,
able and renowned divines both in Great Britain and
in our country arose in this common cause 70 de-
are all such denlals OF fact and tney are consistent
only with the entire pian OF TINS wlsdoM falsely so
apology always prepared" Ia the infancy OF the
Christian Church 1t was customary ior Ino iao1r'. &
doctrines they held. Tney were simply defenses ani
arguments setting forth the principles whicn .aey
were elective in mitigating the rigorous seyel %
ties OF persecution and In bringing converts f osGr
mention et the REMARKABLE apology OF Justin Mary.
to the Emperor Tra AS being stu extan a
who are called upon to be real defenders OF the ia.'
And not alone the clergy and leaders DID TINS KNOW
edge of the doctrines aud tins opposition 70 mere
ses and PHILOSOPHERS belong but 10 All the ioowes o
the Gross there was an intcgence comcernisi C5Nt
OF the present generation. an not speaking az ran
tue almost godlike aspect OF those muudes OF faith
ful saints. who not through undue excitement or sum
ulated Imagination gave replies to their prosecuting ac
cusors VINO them for the nope that was
in Them See the huu5le and patient deacon 81. Sf,
phen defending with his boy life the belief he had
espouscd see the heroic st. Paul standing before King
hgrppa or the Court Of Nero win most lntegeo1
reason for all who questioned Turn the page OF prIm
tive history and inquire how the holy ond de-
disciples whoso name Is legion, because they were
great Uand-' the noble army OF martyrs Sho gave
M their lives readily wsely stupidity for the love OF
Jesus and for the vinocaton OF HIS holy doctrines.
robed m9titHde bearing witness to ths blossed
faith giving good and sufficient fur tneir higa
conGuerne in and for the name Of God And then. with
Che Church of to-day so full OF men and women OF cu
Enowisigs IN ali departments OF research pvcssa
tion. OF sanity courage, and OF unhagying zeal say
with such phalaDx OF power, 20 see one Or Two, OF
dozen superior nfde scholars stand cefIing the very
@Ee1 Q, Of e ,th coDceedy aud afroganiy shaking ais
spear in OF jehovah who holdetn tae sas In
tent band as very Mte thing. Indeed, this BioIcai
Illustration mighs we'll be carried to It's conclusion
Cd Who In tbe puny and iusis nlhcans person of
SUI ping shepherd lad unable TO wear tho coscet ond
Smooth stone fim brook. aud DESTROYS the mighty
giant by very simple method. GOD saasrs much at
ali for some good purpose docs he prrns
the wd YSs and 70 csnuo 90 for the time Ds on@s
stand Divine policy which thus guides the uorAn.s
OF shat they may eventually turn to the praise o.
his Maker. But Gs t1o past has produceJ very
notable examples not only In Bilical os secular hls
ing God and time aud truthahidins Charrh in
midst. just may We e of the oyerD I ming pro-
the milestone of holy writ shah break in pieces all VINO
fall theroupOn, and snail grind TO powder every
wretched ono upon whom 10 wrath it 10 over urnei.
At the last General Convention tnore several very
eloquent illusions mado 10 tho terrible growth u sep
from the House Of Bishops set fortn tho
in very earnest and unnlstakahio worir. WnIie DO
desk and OF God all scientific theories winch
clash with religion, since tho lectnre-Ioom is more
prudent, aud more, 1t Is the boanden duty Of the
whoa w ana che
la In Jesus. That science Is and must DO
the twin sister OF rSig,on, Is become wen known @ prov
Word OF God She has and she does ard she will mako
pat pah ner a aa %Uad Se sssed to the Many
theories OF creation. many OF the unknown
Gncb Ga'S o. ane bygone eeDerons u scho aud d.
have been explained made well known aud solved
or soars OF evolves. In her onward progress. All nail
to her In the things she holds belore gze In
ah ta0f all hall IN larfn
the blessed She IS proving ami testing so thor
oughy and so successfully IN her cells In her aor
and Christian investigator indeed boon TO auy race:
but is cipOled. debased, outraged. oelcd by
l.me oy VINO arc neither spiritual nor lnellneito
edge right here among those whom l loved
in M things divine 1 have bad sad experiences.
say. that mpels me to speak thus plainly aud earn
traning with no OF deep aud skfui research and
surely with very extended opportunity Tyr read
ana is very easily led astray rom tue true fold by false
Shepherds who lure with silly strains aud false en-
statements which make our God q distant aHd By tols.
ration. directing power which teach that He has cny
chinery OF nature and man. anu not for the resu
since matter 10 eternal and taere can be no cessation
or end theroof-such man Is hearkening to very dan
gerous docrine, and may well take heed now aud what
he hears" He who listens 10 the idea that the Bible 10
fableis inconsistent IN It's statements Disconnected
matter winch tends only 10 deHJralIze-s
accepting Ignorance, anu Pitce VI
well proved facts lie learns that Jesus CHRIST
deceyer and apostles imDosters. VINO permits he
religion to he called enthusiasm, dream. myth
and contrary TO sound reason. Is himself approved se
to that blessed gospel. and Is q moral coward.
deserving reproach aud Indignant reDuke from
his brehren whom he thus would stutify himself.
and yet argument OF the popular theories Of modern
inrde thought Is Just about with the suggesuosi
have briefly cited. Utter denial aud abrogaOD OF u
thatithe centuries have cherisbed entire Opposition
to the faith of millions dead gone. and miloM
who labor and love. Is IL that the generdus
or the old aud dispensaton have beeu 80 entrey
and col
now revived faacies OF Emcurs and Lucretus, OF soy
rates and Plato, of Pythaeoras. o Aristotle ana De
rifIia iaua au aIl lY Inn