The New York herald., 1878-09-23
CENTRAL M. E. CHURCH.


BY REV. DR. NEWMAN.
Tho Rev. DR.. Newman preached on 'The Church
and the Scent,sts," from Romans xii, 16:-"Be OF
the same mind one toward another. Mind not
high things, but condescend 10 men OF low estate.
Be not wiso In your own concsi.s" The spscuations
of modern scholars, said the Doctor, are bold and
without parallel in the history OF the Church They
affect, unhappily, threo classes oil persons They
conarm nhdes in their infdclty, they increase tho
doubts OF those who have literary tastes without
lgious instruction, and they disturb the faith OF
tain Christians The IDEA Is prevalent that there
natural ant0gonism between sciepce and religion,
whereas tho Two parts Of the great whole
THIS fslse impression has been created by scholars
who claim nfallibls interpreters Of nature and
the other hand by thooloR,ans who claim
to be iuiullibie interpreters OF the Bible.
Both should remember the Injunction, "Be
not wiso in your conceits." II must
be admitted thut the Church, which Is
the organized expression OF religion, has always
favored the deductions OF sciences and is also fact
the scientists assaed the teachings OF the
Bible: but this bloodess warfare should have end
ior science and religion The grounds OF har
mony Tho are, first, that neither the tho
oogian the scientist claim infapility Of inter
pretauon. II is true that the theoogians nave been
comp.iled to change their exposition Of Scripture as
10 tho six days creation, and The nnniation Of
the world What shall We say OF The radical changes
In the IN Interpretation OF nature? Newton's theory OF
YET light is a supreme TACT Two hundred yoars ago
tho geoogsLs considered the fossils were concreons
or sports Of nature They have had iour theories
TO the cause Of the great geological Changes heat
water, iorces and untfor Unitarian, ana now have
yns biologists have also changed Formerly hey
that the functions o lie depended on che mical
processes .hsa ,S.y sa1DsS the SsSry
between the psychical and physical theoriea
As illustration OF how the scientists nave changed
We have new botany, chemistry and q thoory
heat electricity and gravtaton, so that the phi
losopher OF ny years would have to learn science
over again. the history OF science is the history
OF constant changes 10 correcting earlier experiments
by later ones, ana Judging from the past we have
mucn that 10 now taught as science viii be pro-
rHroLoGIASs AGREE UPON yrxDAxgxrAL POINTS,
W. are rsminued that theoIogians do not agree
among themselves, but tho disagreement Is mol on
FUNDAMENTAL points. This cannot be said OF the
scientists, Tor they AZ with each 0ther all
around the board, and on points which essential
Agassiz asserted Tho existencs oil speclea Huxley
10 opposed BY Aivart, who Is greater scholar and a
better Iogician, aud withai q Christina. Hux-
that W evolution We have now tho ons-tosa
horse, but sir William Thomson declares shat
asvsIonmsot no,W,Ins,.nd,na me vas, ssss ot
geology With what grace, then, can scientists assa
the Church tor doetrinal disagreement when they
them 10 ives not In harmony what 10 essential
In their owl theorlss2 Tho Church has nothing 10
fear from science. Thus for science has confirmed
the Bible. Astronomy has declared the unity OF
the univergo; geology proves that man Is recent
creaIon and The oscope has SHOWN the fslsiy OF
spontaneous generation
Bo,h scencs and tho Bible announce an order Of
creation; both agree that there was q beginning
Science that tue original condition OF matter WAS
luminosity. Tho BIblo says that on the nrst day
light created. ana both agree that inanimsts pre-
ceded animate; that grasses, herbs aad trees were
before animals; that fishes and fowls were before
creeping things and cattle, and that man. tho
piece Of creation, was the cfowning work OF
tho Creator. Alter dwelling At considerable
ieLgth upon his interesting and ,mpor-
tant subject the Dostor concluded by stating
the reciprocal relations OF science and religion.
Science, he said improves mans physical condition;
Il has transformed earth into neighborbood; it
has printed the Scriptures, made possible " spread
tho Gospel tnrouehout the world, and armed ior the
defence Of Christianity such a. Paey Butler and
McCosn. On tho other nand Christianity demands
the cultivation OF the intellect, Il imparts the power
by which knowledge s made nehcent and furnishes
10 man what philosophy cannot mpart. II proclsims
tho fatherhood OF Coo, tho atoacment OF Christ
me heaven ot tneffaolo glory.
The report that DR. Newman had bid farewell 70 his
congregston, 70 70 10 church ir Baltimore. was er
roneous.