, 1876-12-23

uCation; no astronomy, no chemistry, no
biology, no geology, no igher mathe
matiCs, no comparative anatomy, and
nothing severe IN logic. In fact, of
special preparation for the discussion Of
such Il theme as the origin OF life on
earth, there docs not appear to he in the
ordinary course Of our divinity schools
the smallest trace.
We then said to ourselves, But min
isters are modest, trrthtul men; they
would not knowingly pass themselves
off MS competent on II subject with which
they were entirely untitled to deal.
They are no less candid and sclfdis-
trustIul, for instance, than lawyers and
/ doctors: and lawyer or doctor who
ventured to taol<te a protesScd scientist
on scientific subject to which he had
gwen no systematic study, would be
laughed at by his professional brethren,
and would suffer from 1t even in his pro.
fcssonal reputation, AS it would be taken
to Indicate a raw and untutorcd state of
mind, and dangerous want of self.
knowledge. Perhaps, then, the training
given in the divinity schools, though it
does not touch special fields Of science,
is such MS to prepare the mind tor the
work ofinduction, by some course of in.
tellectual gymnastics. Perhaps, though
| it does not iNmimrize man with the
facts Of geology, and biology, and as
tronomy, it so disCplnes him in the
work OF collecting and arranging facts
Of any kind, and reasoning from them,
that he will be master in the art Of
proof, and that in short, though he may
not have II scientific mans knowledge,
he will have his mental habits.
But we found this second supposition
as far from the truth ms the fist one was.
Moreover, the mental constitution OF the
young men who choose the ministry MS
profession is not apt to be Of II kind well
fitted for scientific investigation. Rev.
erence is one OF their prominent charac-
teristics, and reverence predispoSes them
to accept things ON authority. They are
inclined, too, to seek truth rather as
means of rcpose than for lis own sake,
and to fancy that it is associated closely
with spiritual comfort, and that they
| have secured the truth when they feel
the comfort. Though last not least,
they enter the seminary with strong
bias in favor Of one particular theory Of
the origin of life and tie history OF the
race, and their subsequent studies are
marked out and pursued with the set
purpose Of strengthening this bias and
Of qualifying them - defend and spread
it, and of associaing in their minds the
doubt or rejection Of it with moral evil.
The consequence is that they go forth,
trained not as investigators or inquirers,
but as advocates, charged with the de-
fence against all Comers of view of the
universe which they have accepted
ready made from teachers. A worse
preparation for scientific pursuits of any
kind can hardly be imagined. The
slightest trace of such n state OF mind in
q scientific nlan--that is, OF disposition
to believe thing on the grounds of feel
ing or interest, or with reference to prac.
tical consequences, or to jump over gaps
in proof in order to reach pleasant con.
clusions-discredits him with his frl.
lows, and throws doubt on his state
ments. We are not condemning this
state OF mind for all purposes. Indeed,
we think the widespread prevalence OF
the philosopbic way Of looking at things
would be in many respects a great mis-
fortune to the race, and we acknowledge
that rigidly-traned philosopher would
be totally unfit for the most OF q min.
ister's functions; but we would only
have to describe II minister's education
in order to show his exceeding uniitness
for contentious such as some of his
brethren are carrying on with geologists,
and physicists, and biologists. In fact,
there is no educated cali whose menl-
bers are not, on the lole, better
equipped for fighting in scientific fields
over the hypothesis of evolution. Our
surprise at seeing lawyers and doctors