The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-01
0keqntelLiaeurer:


DO not think the WtlIlLSs " ;,;a,,
$50 impressed me by their exhibition
nav II'''ndor and sacred regard for absolute
G,S+ and precise truth as the writings
ii sn. Darwin, Ia the position Of an nd;
Of ~ To be stated by him? ltisstated
r ,,i,b Tho greatest possible caFslulness !naI
J, s,cmay DO no unfuirneSs Of representa-.
sns,' /. nm attempt made to prove, a
no ,;,;on Of his own? Not only are the
P :sr,ncnts in its favor enumerated, but
with the greatest fullneSs and fair
a.U' those which initiate against 1t; and
v vo, are asked to make up no verdict only
i view Of ali the facts that can DO oo'
,"incd on both and allsideS. Ihavc often
,S," that he is, II possible, even more
c,yeisl to state fully and in their strong.
NJ, light the arguments which weign
Sg,insl his own positions, than ho Is IN
No arguments which weigh in their ia'O''
AN EXAMPLE ron PREACHERS.
yow, sueh a trait Of mind as this IN
.py man is admirable, and can no1 "
too highly appreciated and commenaeu.
t III do [ hold it up in a Christian
",,Iu;; ami saw "Let US all emulate Il"
IP vGpp,Ior we are prepared to accept MIR.
m n" as right with regard to that par
,;SnInr scientific theory which bears his
"Sme or not, SEQ no reason why We
. .s not at least gladly receive him, in
Ia lar "a this point under consideration
~ Concerned ~ as n teacher OF morals and
T GOS To learn To- DO as religiously
III. honest and truthful as Mr.. Darwin,
~ n b. II great grace in any man. Nor,
.,Ibsye minated, ia Mr., Darwin pecu-
liz in this thing. On the contrary, you
may almost measure a scientific mans
smirencc by his conscientiousness and
fIsIiIy to truth. l only wish that the
eminent religious leaders and teachers OF
our times were as truly disciples Of jesus
in this thing Us arc our scientists. But
I nave fear, as class, they arc not.
IIGquestionubly some Of them are as hon.
s.t and !ruth.loving US men can be. But
have bitter fear that, when weighed
IN tho balance with the men who
have given their lives to search.
Inc in the darkness and quarrying
in untroddcn wilderness for truth, and
Who from the chaos Of ignorance and
spperstition which little while ago was,
have built the orderly and beautiful cos.
mo, Of science that now isl say | have
a.sd and bitter fear that, weighed in the
balance with theso men, our religious
teachers Of past and present, as a class,
wouLh be- found wanting In this matter.
A. deyotees to sects and theologles, as
exponents and defenders Of views and
doctrines, and systems Of doctrine, in
most cases unquestionably believed to be
rue, doubtless our religious teachers
have been and are unsurpassed. But in
DEVOTION, not to this or that aspect or
branch or view OF truth, but to truth as
truth, in all its breadth, and left FREQ to
lead where it may, 1 have little doubt in
nv own mind that, hard as it is for US Il
make the confession, we, rs religious
men, must in honesty mako it, that the
laural crown belongs OF right to thu
scientists and not TO us. To learn Thu
part of religion, honesty, candor, fairness
10 opponents, regard for exact truth, dc
votion to truth wherever it leads, there i
scarcely room for question but tina
it's more fitting that We should go ant
sit at their feet, than that they SHOULD
come and sit at ours.
THE LESSON OF FAITH.
A final lesson which think we ma!
All learn from tho scientists is the lessor
ofFaith. OF course not, il by faith We
mean, what seems to be so often meant by
it-nero believing without evidence o.
reason, mere blind credulity. Science
neither teaches or toleratcs anything o
,hs, kind. For that kind Of faith w
mus, 20 to so.called religion. But if by
iaith wo mean belief which is baset
primarily upon cvidence-a belief which
i the consummato flower Of knowledge
"a belief which does no shutting Of eyes
hut which instead stretches its vision t
ever higher and larger thlngs-a belle
which Is only understanding, cleareSt.see
iny, iarthsst.secing, il that is what vi
mean by faith {and nothing poorer o.
les than that ought We ever to mean b,
iIl-then claim, without hesitation o.
fear, that Religion, 80 far from branding
Science as Skeplical and atheistiC, as ",
End her constantly doing, may we'll her
.eli 20 and sit down at the feet OF Scienc
and learn faith.
OPPOSITION 10 SCIENCE.
The history Of Religion has been
constant fear; tho history OF Science ha'
been constant hope and trust. We cal
not 20 back 10 the time when religion
men wcrc not apprGhensive lest any neS
light Of knowledge might in some way b
harmful to Religion. Every step Of tn
onward march Of Science, as DR.. Drape
has shown 10 his volume on "The Con
as, Between Science and Religion" Gn'
W President White has shown, perhap
bitter still, in articles in the Februar
aud March numbers Of the Science lonthl!
has been made in the teeth OF oppositio
from religious men. Physical Geography
Astronomy, Chemistry and Physics, Ana
tony, and Medicine, Geology, Meteor
ology, Cartography, Industrial and Ayr
cultural Science, Political Esonomy an
Social Science, and scientific cduci
lion, have all had to fight the
way against powerful and persistent r.
ligious opposition, What was the seer
q this opposition? It was not that theI
Is anything in Science that is neceSsaril
an.i.religious. 1t was simply the faitl
lsssncss Of religious men. Just that. III
men who opposed science and every ii
coming Of new knowledge lacked TIL
truc and large faith which the scientit
men have Us rule all the while had, thI
high and holy faith which sees truth an
goodness 10 DO inseparablc, asd whiC
believes that Ho who planned all thinl
has forbidden any earnest search aItt
knowledge 10 lead to lasting evil. IT
religious teachers who have been, toreyt
thaTging tho teachers of Science wit
IkspliciSm have themselves been Il
.kepiics, in that they have not believe
- tho scientists as class hayo believe
that there Is "a Power in the univCrl
,,;ong enough, largo enough, good enoug
10 make thorough search for truth sa
lHcvCry line Of investigation"
now IT Is EVEN NOW.
Nor arc things more than partial
changed in this matter now. Every i
4lllSSnt man knows II to DO true that
bold to-day certain scientific doctrines
doctrine, moreover. which the able