The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-01-17
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OUR BOOK TABLE
The HISTORY OF THE CONFLICT BETWEEN
RELIGION AND SCIENCE. By John William
Draper, NJ. D., LID, author of the Ellis.
tory of the Intellectual Development Of
Europe;" "Historv of the American Civil
War;" etc. New York: D. Appleton Co.
From r. G. Eyrich, 100 Canal street, New
Orleans.
Conflicting as may, and doubtless will be,
the judgment passed upon the arguments and
conclusions of DR.. Draper, in the present vol
ume, there can be but one opinion as to the
value of the immense array Of historical and
scientific facts upon which these arguments
are based, and from which his conclusions
are deducted.
Prof. Draper is an indefatigable student Of
history and of nature; a deep and close
thinker, accustomed to the comparison of
conflicting statements and the adjustment Of
conflicting claims; vigorous writer, we'll
known to the literary and scientific world as
the author of many very valuable contribu-
lions to the worlds knowledge which
already rank among the standards. Perhaps
no man living is better qualified, by thorough
knowledge of science, history, theology and
politics, to trace the history of the birth
and growth Of science, Of the rise
ure the ever widening divergence between
their respective paths. And yet he claims
here to have furnished but the preface to the
body of literature which will inevitably be
called forth by the widespread and rapidly
increasing departure from 'the faith of the
fathers Characteristic of the present gener-
alton. and notably of the giant intellects Of
the age-the thinkers of the world. This
secession can neither be treated with con-
tempt nor extinguished by force. By inevi-
table necessity it must soon give rise to Sc
rious political questions.
The history of science is the narrative of
the conflict between the expansive force of
the human intellect on one side, and the COM
preston arising from Evolutionary faith on
the other.
The object of the present volume is to set
forth, clearly and without shrinking, the
claims, views and pretensions Of the two par
ties in the great strife. It is long history,
dating back to the first open struggle, the
Southern Reformation" and the rise of Mo-
hammedanism, by which much of Asia and
Africa, with the historic cities of Jerusalem,
Alexandria and Carthage, were wrenched
from Christendom and the doctrine of the
Unity of God established as against the Trim |
ity and the worship of the Virgin.
In the second great conflict, in regard to |
the nature Of the soul, the theorists Of Ema-
nation and Absorption attained great promi-
nence, although the Inquisition succeeded in |
excluding them from Europe.
Through the cultivation Of astronomy, geog-
raphy and mathematics, third conflict arose |
between the facts of physical science and the |
Il teral Interpretation Of scripture, concerning |
the size, shape and relative Importance Of the |
earth, and more recently through the devel-
opments Of geology, Of its age, the issue being
the overthrow of the Church on the questions
in dispute.
Then came the "Northern Reformation"
the contest respecting the standard or critic.
rion of truth, whether found in theChurch or
in the Bible. Here. again, intellectual free
Roman Christianity and Professionalism estab-
lished.
The present controversy respecting the
government of the universe is but q renewal
Of the discussions of the tenth aud eleventh
centuries, illuminated by the light of modern
science. Creation or evolution? The reign
of arbitrary caprice, or the reign of immut-
able law? Incessant divine interventions,
prompted by human intercession, or the
laws, the issue of mathematical
necessity? Such are the points in dispute in
the present controversy.
The questions "what has science done for
humanity ?" and "wnat has religion done for
humanity? are answered, the former by the
of the intellectual and economi-
cal influence of science on modern civiliza-
lion, and glowing catalogue Of mechanical
md physical inventions, and their effects on
the human race; the latter, by the recital Of
the encyclical letter and syllabus of Pope
Plus IN, confirmed by the recent Vatican
Council.
"History repeats Itself" Is the history of
he downfall of Paganism prophetic OF that
If Christianity Already many striking
are apparent. Witness the his =
DRY of the death of the Grecian Mythology. :
. At first, the public, and particularly its !
eligious portion, denounced the rising /
doubts as Atheism. They asserted !
hat what had been believed by pious men
n the old times, and had stood the test of i
Iges, must necess ,rily be true. Then, as the ]
opposing evidence became irresistible, they Z
we're content to admit that these marvels were /
llegories, under which the wisdom of the {
ncients had concealed many sacred and mys- .
erious things. They tried to reconcile, what
low in their misgivings they feared might be t
myths, with their advancing intellectual a
tate. But their efforts were in vain, for /
here are predestined phases through which. t
N such an occasion, public opinion must s
lass. .
'Wnat1t mas received with VeneratlOn IL De- a
ms to doubt, then it offers new interpreta- q
ions, then subsidies into dissent, and ends n
nth rejection of the whole as mere fable. p" Z
In the history of Christianity, hardy pio- b
GERS have already reached the point of IRE b
,ction of the whole as mere fable ;" large | h
lumber follow close behind in the fields of h
the whole Christian world has &C. q
epted the ''new interpretations. doubt" is s
lmost universal those who receive the +
hole "with veneration" are comparatively a
w in number and, as rule they are found =