The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-11-22
The Book Of Nature and the Book OF
yS Revelation.
rBy Rev. j ohm E. Edwards, D. Dl

The God of the Bible is the God of ma
ture aud not only Of nature as 1t presents
itself to the uneultiYated eye and the UNTIL
tored mind, but the God of, nature as un-
yelled in all It's diversified phenomena to the
iuuuiripg mind of the scientist who pushes
his Investigations to the utmost point at
which he can elicit q response to bis interro-
gatories.! And IL biology, ethnology, archie.
ology,: anthropology, apaleontology or any
other oloay, shall reveal well established
and inquest enable fact or phenomenon ID
the domain Of nature that contradicts our
present Interpretation Of the Bible let, us
pause and inquire whether it contradicts the
true intent and meaning of the text, or only
|contEdicts the ordinarily-recelyed interpre-
tation of the text in question. " .'.."r
10 the infancy of geology it was believed
by a large portion of the best biblical critics
that its alleged revelations came in direct
collision with the Mosaic account of creation
az contained in the book Of Genesis.
But. long since, the Interpretation, With
out any invalidation Of the sacred record,
has adjusted it, elf to the revelations Of that
science. And so, if We be patient, will we
fiud harmonious adjustment Of all that now
appears irreconcilable between revelation
mad other sciences, many of which are Still in
their comparative infancy. '' =
The two volumes are one-nature and
reyelation-and their Interpreters should
work in concert and harmony. The facts Of
science, when we'll established, should be re-
mitted to the theologian and biblical scholar,
and he, in bis turn, with as much patience,
and llbor, and research as led the scientist or
philosopher to the discovery, should pursue
his investigations and inquiries till he sees
how aud where the new leaf in the volume
of science may be bound up with the volume
of revelation without involving the great
author in any contradiction. If this cannot
be done, then it is idle to get in passion and
denounce the author of the discovery In
science. The asserted fact of science
must be invalidated and set aside as
fact, or, In default of this, we must,
by fair biblical criticism, reconcile it
with the written word. II this cannot
be done at present, we must still believe it
can and will be done by able men ia the fu'
ture; and In default of this we must accept
the Issue that infideiity makes with the Bible.
1t is useless "to kick against the goads."
Science has not yet demonstrated beyond q
reasonable doubt that man sprang into being
by any other mode or process than that re.
yeaedin the word Of God. Nor has science
as vet demonstrably established the fact of a
plurality and diversity Of species In the
genus homo. A revised and corrected chro-
nology may yet solve all the problems In re-
iatioa to what are now called the, prehistoric
races-the ages of stone, and bronze, and
iron-apd all the questions that relate to
the very high antiquity of the human race
on this globe Iof ours. " He that belseoeH
shall not make haste" as sss
There is profound significance in that
text in this particular connection. The az Is
belong to the Great Jehovah. With him " a
thousand years are as one day, and one day
thousand years." -. A.. u {
Huxley, and Typdall, and Darwin, and
the like Of them, are great men intellectu.
ally. They are doing O great work fol
science. Preachers. in the pulpits or through
the press make themselves fools BY calling
these great thinkers and great workers fools
We should rather regard them as mighty
pioneers, blazing the way, tupnelIing the
mountains, bridging the chasms, and level
ling the hills, and thus preparing q highway
for the grand md sublime car of the gospe
| to roll down the ages. Science is the hand.
maid OF religion. Let her deyotees and yo
taries work on without molestation. They
furnish the facts that give the clergy some,
thing 10 do besides dogmatizing and dealing
out stale platitudes to inert and listless hear
eIs. .fs;2g yE ,ssszg
The demand of the age is for msnin tbs
pulpit whe are fully abreast with the stir
ring times in which we live. We neee
Z" workHen who need not he ashamed, y anG
not worknaen who by their stoitdity make
theirSeongregations ashamed. 4ss..s4 d
There Is a class OF good men. Of fair ave.
rage iuteiIect and Of fair capabilities OF use
fuIness, wba.really damage the cause OF reii
gion with men and women Of high culture
sud great, breadth Of brain by their futile
lattempts to reconcile, the later discoveries
Bible. It were better for the cause OF Chris
3'tianity chat such men land there are many O
tbem) should eoDfiHe themselves exclusively
| 20 that class OF topics la their public minis
trations that lie within the sphere OF .thei,
fTAarning ana eapspiiltfes. God never made
fheMste grappies with scientific and philo,
ISophicai questions. They are beyond theil
reach. Somebody has we'll = sid that
preachers should be careful bow they
state any L of the popular objections
to Christianity and the Bible In preaching
for the reason that the objections win be re.
penbsred WIDEN the answer is forgotten.
SO In relation to che apparent difficulties
arising between Science and religion, or the
BIBLE. A feeble and un2atisfac attempt
to reconcile the two Always inurss to the
disadvantage OF the Bible ia the estimation
OF Intelligent and thinkirg rhen, &c man in
:the pit Destroys hIs capabilities az usefui.
Ipsss 81 gs1eppliDg With questions that he
pnf fhay, 4 =, -, "a Il, e