New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-02-20
CAN SCIENCE GIVE A NEW BIBLEG
WHAT DIR. THOMAS SAID TO THE BAPTIST MIN
LISTERS,


There was an audible smile and general
cappng Of hands among the Baptist ministers assem-
bled in the Oliver Street Church yesterday when the
Rev Dr. ThoInas OF Brooklyn declared that the opening
of the sueE Canal was the fulhment Of the Scripture
prophecy that there should be "waer in the desert"
DIR Thomas leeturing science and religion his
formal tonic being "Cau science give us new Biblcf
He said that the Bible Itself excellent illustration
of the doctrine of the Survival of the ftes" in civil
yaton II was rash the scientific man TO sneer at
the Bible when was woven into all civic and social FIFE
and into the literature and art of the ages Let him
beware of SAVING disparaging word OF book that has
been the inspiration OF many noble lives as has this
volume exclaimed Dr.. Thomas reverenty touching the
open Bible before bin. TIE Scriptures, he said, a-
peacd TO intangible experiences, while science depended
On ocular demonstration. Scientific were supposed
10 have impartial Judgment and 10 view everything III
white lcht and yet even in mathematical discussion
men had INDUCED in the OF splenetic inyectye
He described Huxeys speaking of tie Monic rather
than the Mosaic hypothesis creation invisible satire
Science was finite and could not deal with the infinite
truths OF The Bible. which beyond its measuring
rod and its scales. The Of science accepted the
atom the existence Of when could never be demon
straLed aud wh'ch could ne seer Ohly ny t I
eye OF faith in the phenomena or hight he accepted te
pcryasiYe ether, which was beyond all sense ana n
capable of. demonstration; III the origin OF NE ne
accepted the structufceSs and nOiEOSchcOuS pi0lO-
pasn, which HOt based upon anything susceptible
of proof "Aud this SAIL the lecturer, Is TIC SUM
rock which science wishes us 10 plant our leet!f
Laughter and applause.
On account of disOrderel nerves" he continued lone
might call blue what another saw as green man codu
moi pTOye that he he man now AS fortnight
ago: and hence We might with john stuart hhl,
to regard TIE outer world as permanent possibility o.
sensation Before you 20 back by analogy 10 Tue
atom OF auyW else, you have GOT 20 begin sumo
where ii yOu Try PROV. that two and twOare IOur the
more YOU try the you can't prove It, Then what
has science done practical life You take nine rats
in cage and sbuerge IL IN water ana you VIII see the
strongest survive 10y crushing out the weaker; ana there
rlosnpI Of science for The world, Il te unitarian
iLrorv Let the nigntest rule, and would revert 10
barrism Science would oil the feeble, but the dis
fiuiushng Characteristic of Christianity Is reverence
for c weaker II in the ipsecvOrOus plants. WITH their
wonderful devices for capturing their food, We see eN
dencas Of thought let return to The Egyptian plant
worship and bow down before an onion II IS better
worth Worship III a gOOd many men. IGen when life
was ended we wOuid be swept into the inhGlle lnhne
This l. the summit of maudylne manic rcVci and TO
rot This is the Bible which science would give u.s. In
stead of our faitn certainty which Is only haze IN
stead Christianity the ethics OF barDarisln 0 10 the
III YOU will but miserable cOmorters are they all"