The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-02-04
Science and Religion.

The extreme utility oil all conttoVer-
sizes upon all subjects relating to religious
belief is so generally recognized that it
has become proverbial, and the fact that
the decply.rooted prejudices or coqvic;
tons OF mankind are but rarely affected
by arguments seems to be equally well
established. Still, rs feel IN interest in
the subject recently discussed in your
paper by your correspondents "Harmon
Sinsel" and a." and as there is con-
tanned in the concluding paragraph OF the
latter's communication an implied gen.
eral challenge to all who differ With him,
venture TO offer few suggestions on
the matter.
That the plain, straightforward ac-
count Of the creation Of the universe
which is contained in the book Of Gene
sis is no longer believed by men OF sci
encc il a statement which no yell-in.
formed person can doubt. The time OF
i,s creation, the order OF its creation and
the mode OF its creation, rs there set
forth, are alike disproved by astronomy,
paeontology and geology. astronomy
reveals to rs the existence Of "other suns
ihon ours" so distant that millions Of
years arc required for the transmission
Of light 10 our planet, thus indicating
that they have been created at least that
long. Paleontology shows US in the
earth's strata the fossil remains OF plants
and animals in gradually ascending
Gale Of organization, the order OF
whose being is remarkably at va
rance with the account given in
the Mosaic cosmogony; while geology
plainly informs us that the successive
qualifications which compose the earth's
crust, are the results ofigneous action
and Of aqueous deposits, carried on
through innumerable ages in the past.
The opinion advanced by Mr.. Sinsel as to
the remote cosmic origin OF our planet,
in 80 far as it agrees with the "Nebular
Hypothesis" is one which is usually ac-
copied by astronomers and physicists,
but il seems to me that he would lind II
difficult to establish the theory that eth
er Venus or Jupiter was inhabited by
sentient beings during the period OF the
earth's vaporous condition, or that the
eccentricity Of tho latter's orbit ever dill
tered greatly from what it is at present.
For not only do the heated state Of Jupi-
ter and the formation Of Venus subse-
quently to the earth las shown by the
Nebular Hypothesis negative the former
proposition, but the elongation OF the
earth's orbit rs suggested, would be
wholly incompatible with the laws OF Bode
and OF Kepler, and inconsistent with our
knowledge OF planetary attraction. With
these exceptions, / believe Mr.. Ss views
10 DO substantially those entertained by
the scientific world, so that, il such n
position constituteSi skcpticiSm, he is
not in very bad company.
"H."says "There can never be any con-
fiict between "that word, when rightly
interpreted, and true science" But,
what Is "rightlyi Interpreted? "rhat con
tlict exists between true science and the
plain tert Of the Bible, is quite obvious.
That conflict was recognized as existing
between true science and "coirect inter-
pretationB" OF the Holy Scriptures in the
times Of Columbus, OF Cecco d'Ascoli, OF
Copernicus, OF Calico and Of Giordano
Bruno, is fact familiar to every student
Of history, and Is painfully exemplaed
in the martyrdom to science with which
lome Of those illustrious names are asso-
ciated. That great incongruity has been
manifest between biblical passages and the
revelations OF science at each step OF the
Iatters progress is well known to all
who have ever examined the subject. II
becomes pertinent, therefore, to inquire,
what is correct biblical Interpretation?
Since at each successive stage Of Scriptur-
al cxegesis, the current Interpretation
was deemed the true one, but was COM
PEELED to submit to the notifications I'M
posed by the discoveries Of SCIENCE It is
evident that before an absolute signitca-
ton can DO attached 10 any version oil bib
lical text, the interpreter mnst first prove
himself 10 be perfectly intallible, as 9th.
wise we can have no assurance that science
will not displace his views, as completely
as It has done that OF others. To estab-
lish the fact OF biblical authority in such
matters, "H." refers his readers to Nc.
llwainc's Evidences OF Christianity"
Now, while Bishop McIIvaine was a
man Of undoubted piety and learning, and
while the work referred to possessed
great influence in its time, its arguments
have been rendered obsolete by modern
scientific reasoning, and are entirely pow.
erless In the face OF the historical method,
and the psychological knowledge Of to-
day. The arguments adduced by the Bis.
hop are OF the two classes usually brought
forward viz: Internal and external evil
dences' Now as regards the first, ii seems
10 me that while internal imperiections
such rs immortality, anachronisms and
utualincongruites OF text would invali-
date the claim Of any book as being Of di.
vine origin; the absence Of these defects
could at best be but negative argument.
For, it could never be proved that good
ness OF doctrine and OF character which
man was able TO perceive and appreciate,
could not BY man have been devised and
originated. On the other hand, admitting
the authenticity Of the various books Of
the Bible, and this is a matter on which
modern historical research has thrown
grave doubts, and, granting, that each
writer truthfully narrated what he believ.
dhe saw, the:evidence thus afforded iSvery
lar from being conclusive. Itneeds but TO
examine the history Of tho Spiritualism
oil to-day, to see how extremely fallacious