New-York tribune., 1874-12-04

fnrmatores penitentaries asvlums the treatment OF
unancs paupers. criminals nothing OF ,ne re
ports: nothing Of the Invention OI seleoNpnR pcao
nv chlorine. the coton-cn or OF the nrseIos co1.
triyauces with which cotton mills are hlled-con,
triyanccs which have given us cheap clothing anu
therefore added 10 cleanliness. coiori, healt nohng
of the grand advancement Of mcdcine aud surgery OF
Of the discoveries In physiology, the cultivation OF tho
hne ars. the improvement OF ngeu.uro mma rura, d
farm machinery. have not referred 10 the mnnufac-
turc OF iron aud its vast affiliated industries; 10 tnoso
Of textile fabrics TO tho collection OF museums OF nat
ura history, antiquities curosltts. nave passci uh
noticed the great subject Of the manufacture OF md
Chlpory by itself-the invention or Tue sd-reSt, mo
panlng-machinc aud many othcr cOhTNahces ny WhiCn
engines can be constructed WIN almost ma'neua,iual i
correctness. l have said nothing adequate about lhe
railway system, or the electric ttgraph hot aoot wy
calculus or thocapy te or tno and more
than hundred asteroids; the relation OF hleteofio
streams TO cOmcs nothing 0i tho ehpeoltions Oy lau
and that been sent orth ny various Governments
the determination of important astronomical or geo
graphical questions; nothing OF tue eoSy ah accurate
they have caused 10 be made Tor the ascef
tainmcnt OF fundamental ph'sical data' nave Oeeh
unjust to our own century tbat nave maze no anu
sion ITS greatest scientific tlunphs us grand
pOus IN natural history ts uls'oNtres III ulg,
nctsn aud electricity ITS invention oi the beautiful
art of photography lis application OF spectrum dhhN-
sis Its attempts 10 bring chemistry under the tnree
laws OF Ayogadro, OF BOYLE aud Marotte, and OF
Charles its artificial production Of organic subst ttnces
from Inorganic material, Oi winch the phosophlc'i con
sequences of the utmost Importance ts rcconstruc-
tion phS suloEy nv laying the foundatlOD OF tnat
science on chemistry ITS improvements aud adHances
III typographical surveying, ana IN the correct repro
scnatOn OF surface of tue globe. have said moth
ing about rned guns aud arnored shp nor o The rev
outon tna nea been made IN the art OF war; noinag
OF that riit 10 women the se"ingIIachne nothing ol
the no aud triumphs OF the arts o. peace
the industrial exhibitions and worlds fairs
What "a catalogue have We hore' ana ye now lnper-
feet II gives merely Random glimpse at an ever-ln-
crcasing intellectual commoon-I mention or thlnSs as
tby casually present themselves L. view. How striking
the contrast between TINS literary thls scientific ACTIVITY,
and the sagnation Of the middle ages!
In regard to the prospects OF the future. Dr.
Draper believes in the approach OF great religious
crisis In Germany, the national party IL arrdylng
itself against the ultramontane party. In France.
the men of progress are struggling against the men
of stationary IDEAS In Italy, Rome has passed into
the hands of an cXcOmmunicatcd King The pope
Eliminates his anathemas from the Vatican, and III
the midst of manifold errors, asserts his infabty.
Catholic archbishop declares that the whole civil
society of Europe seems to be Withdrawing its
public life from the influence of Christianity But
the Roman Church is the largest and most
powerful organization of all modern societies.
1t is far moro political than rclig-
ious combination. 1t asserts that the divine cOm-
mission under which it acts comprises civil govern
men, and that even in Protestant countries it is not
merely coordinate authority, but the SOW
ereign power. Even in Protestant cormuni-
ties 1t claims that tho Catholic bishop Is
the only lawful spiritual pastor. The vast major
ity OF professng Christians thus Catholics. In
surveying the present condition of Christendom,
therefore, regard must be mainly had to the action
of Rome Its movements are guided by the high
est intelligence and skill. Catholicism obeys the
orders of one man, and has therefore unity and
power which no Protestant denominations possess.
But this mighty spiritual torce has declared itself III
hostility to science. Their respective claims are IN
compatible with each other. Mankind must make
its choice for ii cannot have both. Such is the
issue as regards Catholicism. Bat with the Prot
estant Church the case is different. Ii that Church,
the author afms. the reconciliation of science with
religion is not only possible, but easy. All that is
necessary is the adherence to the maxim of Luther,
of the right of private Judgment Apply that prln-
cple TO the Interpretation Of Nature, the Reform
ers applied it to the Interpretation of Scripture and
a foundation is laid for intellectual liberty in mat
ters of science as well in matters of religion For
the reconciliation Of Catholicism with science, there
are formidable obstacles in the way. But there are
none 10 the achievement Of that great result by con-
sistent Professionals In the one case, there is
mortal animosiy to be overcome, in the other only
a friendship be restored. We trust DIR. Draper is
not too eanguine in thus taking counsel of his hopes
Many of his readers Will think that the present
aspect of the Protestant Church shows little for
their encouragement But at all events, his own
wise and suggestive writings cannot fmi 10 help for
ward so desirable a consummation.