, 1876-09-11
Ho Docs Not Believe that tho Now
Ideas viii Be Followed by
Atheism.
Sermon on Political nitsrilo by
tho Rev. james Dlac.
laugh1nn.
Tho Effect OF Driving the Bible
Out tof the Schools
Portrayed.



text:
Can't thou by searching ind out 9od,-Job,
1l., Z.
The influence Of Increased knowledge upon
Chrtstian doctrine forms theme 80 largo that
It Fcens better to divide the discussion and as.
sign to special hour thoughts over the inau-
ence Of tho matcrial sciences. Tile spirit Of
inquiry which has go marked tho last few CEN
tusfce, after touching nt the temples Of Rellg-
Ion in tho persnn Of Luther and his school, md
the skcptics and their schools, after touching at
government and setting up republics where
once WAS lcspottsm, after rcconstructlng agri-
culture and transportation and all Industry, has
come at last to siIatis called Natural Science,
urged along at first by Calico, and Newton, and
Dcscartca, then by llerschel, Davy, and Fasa-
day, and now It moves or halts under the f!ng
Of Tynlall, Huxley, Darwin, md numerous
staff. THIS study Of Nature, or science OF Ma
turc, is rendered interesting and even painfully
exciting, not simply by Its own strange tliscov-
cries and theories, but BY the complications
between scientific theories and tho theories
Of religion. For many long years
the leaders IN Christian thought have been eth
baTras6ed by the jealousy Of science, and 8ctcnce
has not dared move without first making up
It's lnInd to bear rcproaclcs from the wateiful
and suspicious eyes Of tho Church. Science
and Religion have sustained toward tho little
doninin 1T human learning relations like those
sustained by EnE!Rnl and Russa toward tho be-
nlEltcd lind Of tho suttan,-cach one Of these
this century, from fear lest tho other should
pass into tho disputed ground With the bayonct
mud flag Of conquest. Lattcrly tho fear las
been found chiefly upon the side Of tho Church,
since tho custom Of burning hcrettcs hns passed
away; and, furthermore, Science suffers little
from my seif-intcrrst, slucc It has nothing 10
losu in tho great debate. The alarm Is found
Ion, Christian OF natural. And well tnay ill
who cherish religious feelinga aud hope confess
to come degree Of alarn for the safety Of these
idols Of the sonl. When Q generation ngo
and TINT death had preceded man, and that pet.
haps the Old Testament was full af myths, only
tint part Of the Church was troubled which held
lcnrc to tho ltcrulisn Of The account Of Eden
md tic ilood. But in the present the shaduw
Witch the study Of Nature throws on the scene
falls equally over nj, the tleld of religion, and
olic, Dctst and Christian. TIC idcas wilicl,
Science seems to threaten are the existence Of
God and tho second life Of man. This word
"sccms" must lcte be constantly used, for
In the human intellect Is b. no means avowcd,
or designed, desired by the scientific leaders,
nor arc VIC yet certain that 1t would follow from
tl!eir systc1ns; but these arc tho doctrines
which, # Is feared. arc threatened by tho new
| That tho ideas Of tho. new school Of science
would dcRtrt'y thu popular view Of Inspiration,
ana would make drealns'ont Of what haa long
been thought to BE- stoEy' Is ysry evident, but 1
Christian religion, for. tho life, md death,
| aud whole history ot Christ, In Its most
vital parts, arc no moro depending for
erelibiilty upon !, a. iusp!rsd! history than tho
| career Of C%sar arc depending for. human &C.
ccptanco upon tho Inspiration Of those who
wrote down the events. The points at which
scienco most nlasIns us arc cthc being Of God aud
T!cse seem to be the Christian doctrines around
| which Should gather most Of our solcltulc.
In thinking upon this large subject Let ,ts
first asluft those scientific men Of any ill-will
tlogmntisn, l,cyoua tho quantity Of these weak
1csscs contained by theologians, a,d statesmen,
and editors, md merchants, aud poets, and
mechanics. No clahs Of men enjoys q monopoly
difference In favor If some pursuits, but, II 30,
the nal III the chemical and geological and
mathematical lines Of t!mught Is least exposed
to tho temptation of m!staklng authority for
mathematics or the cgueb1e,H Is less liablg
to feel un individual pFuwcss than d
A1ohammcl or o Cromwell WHO announces \
"Thus sAtl, The Lord" VIC nil seem bou1d to
look upon Huxley ard Darwin aud their com
panions IS being men honestly followi,u, d law
fl taste, pursuing their study OF Nature Just Is
| Ncwh!n studied in lls day, Just as Columbus
tll.l when hc pleaded before Ferdinand md the
/ Queen for thu needed asipa 1y wbErl, lie might
discover \ world. Ono of tho most impressive
scenes OF Garth Is the spectacle Of itR children,
running, 10 aud fro upon IL great fields EAther-
luz up tho towcrs Of truth. Whether one Of tic
cl!lslruti. Newton, eo,rea back with this flower,
or whether Charles Of Sweden comes with
that, OF Washington with another bloom, or
Columbus With tAe discovery of whole ilcw
field, or Darwin with strange, nnclassitled
Hover, It is all tho samo pursuit as TO the right
ned honor and ,,apptncss Of the wandering
children. That Homer should hive followed
poetry, mud CieTrD elnlurEcg, and Paul religion,
mud Angelo art, and Watt The wrcas!ts Of stcan,
organic forlns, nrc facts lying upon tip laso oi
hstary,-a pagu Which yon t1are not blot in any
contempt nor tear IN any wrath. In these mon
VIZ perceive only the passion for knowledge aud
ssst ass ss sf fa as b1susht s1 nsn If es
learning nnd art he posscsscs, and which has
separated the great nations from tho condition
of savage life. Thr passion for now truth llas
been thu worlds salvation.
Having confessed now the high lonorablcness
OF tho scicntdc'pursnlt, and hcuge Of tho men
who arc giving tleir lircs to Its lahors, we nlay
NIL eurle at last to the more apec!ai task Of tho
lour-lho influences, of reccnt scientific study
| ~ The tlleoriesof tho scientific leaders should
not, up to thfs late, greatly atIect Mly tenet oi
natural or revealed religion, becauso the prop
os!t!ens % laid down by tlen have not ye. bcs1
ins, who hayu w long -leen deceived, md "a
aits', deceived,as we feel by Theological leaders,
md against wlluse tyFauly wc have been 10 wlse
md happy as to revolt, to show q vert ready In
tSlliEeuv. to bccon,e the elavca Of new Inastcrb:
We should ~ suo'i luake brick ila the yarsla u
the Egyptians ns ~ thu yards OF tho Amoritee
or Jeb.lsitcs. Wlat VIC all wisl. to avoid
is tlle wlo1e business Of compulsory brirktnak'
Itg without straw under tile despotta1n of any
pharaoa of either Theology or Science. 1Aleed,
tho eminent students Ut Tho origin OF man ara
not asking tlle human fam!ly TO bring them tts
ia!th, but GU THO contrary they coa!css them
selves to be only setting snal On the Wide sea,
discover. Hence, indeed, the time has not come
for anything more than calm marking Of thctI
hut the human heart ia quick to anticipate
trouble, aud quick also to ctaim success, anL
while the scientific mind may SEQ too snuet! sic
cess for Itself, 1t, and tho religious warld too
inRy pcrl'aPa see loo much ueltat IN the asr ful
the friends Vt reiiIion.
| i'ht nn,p Rianpe t,ttf nnAn1u hl1t 1o1tcs II