The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-02-03
= West Virginia lawyer Versus
tho Bible.

G1hAluAhVA hAAS AHSSAhhShSNA'
Having Just read Harmon Simel's let
ter defining his position on the supposed
conflict between Science and the Bible,
and finding it to be somewhat repre-.
sentative letter, l have thought it merits
some attention.
In so far as it shows lis author to be q
man Of an inquiring turn OF mind, rath-
or like it.
He sayr no is regarded by some persons
as holding skeptical views OF the Mosaic
account OF creation. As l understand his
letter, he tacitly admits this charge:
He says, ~ admit that there is COIL
lic. between the bible and Science, touch
ing the origin OF the world, and / admit
also that hold the teachings Of Science,
as understand them in preference to the
Mosaic account. / regard that account
as do the revelations, OF the Koran; the
pretended existence OF Purgatory, or
the dogma Of Infallibility as being hui
man Invention, and not in harmony with
what Is known OF the laws by which the
Universe is governed"
Ofcourse after such a coiession he does
not mean to complain Of being considered
skeptical by some persons"
lam not prepared 10 admit the conflict
which he SO readily grants, between
science and the Bible. Believing the BIZ
bic to be IN inspired book, the word OF
God, l hold there can never be any con.
flict between that word, when rightly in
terpreted and true science; as it would be
i'm possible that Gods relation Of him
self in his word, and his manifestation OF
himself in his works, should ever show
him TO be in conflict with himself. As it
has always been in the past, so will it be
in the future; there will be no apparent
conflict that a correct Interpretation
will not reconcile. Although Mr., Sinsel
rejects Divine revelation, he proceeds to
define his belief in Divine Being. Now
although do believe that the light OF
nature, and the work Of creation, are sui.
fcient 10 teach us that there is God, l
am very sure that We could never attain
to such views OF God as Mr.. Sinsel ex-
presses without knowledge OF that word
which he rejects. Such knowledge is too
high for US; we cannot attain unto 1t
without revelation.
tits pitiful to contemplate the impo.
tence discovered at every step, in the at
tempt Of the intellectual giants Of the age
to enter into the arena OF Gods mysteries,
and to account for the origin Of life, the
origin Ofspecies, the relations OF the ma.
terial to the spiritual, by the simple exer-
else OF their intellectual faculties, and re.
jecting the Light which the word Of God
throws on these subjects. They grope in
the dark, and confess their inability to
satisfactorily explain these things, yet re
ject theligh.t They are manifestly pulled
up with false philosophy and with vain
concsiu.
Let any man try for moment to strug-
gle with the idea Of infnity, or Of eternity,
and he will find that there is place OF
which itmay be said, "hitherto shalt thou
come, but no further" lie will find that
it is Just as hard to limit eternal duration
as to conceive OF it; because should he at
tempt to limit duration, the next question
that will suggest itself TO his mind will be,
then what2 What was the state OF things
before that time? orwhat will they be al.
ter it, Wecannot conceive OF that which
to sis absolutely unknown.
Vain man would 10 wise
l will conclude by respectfully and
kindly asking Mr.. sinsel, and all others
who have hastily set aside the Bible as
having in il no more authority than the
Koran, to procure and carefully read
Bishop Mcllvaines Lectures on the Evil
dences Of Christianity; and ] will here
venture the prediction that il he does
this in the true spirit OF a desire to know
nothing but the truth, he will never again
speak Of the Bible in so irreverent
manner. II.