The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-10-15
Science and Religion.

path of progress. On the other hand,
we want no evidence to show the power
for good that science has exerted. 49,
We may, therefore, say to these gen.
tlemen that they are mistaken; that re-
ligion, the religion Of Christ, the relig-
ion of the Protestant churches, is not
opposed to science; and that, on the
other hand, science is one of its chief
agents for converting the world and for
advancing that progress which leads to
everlasting life. We may also say to
them that they are mistaken in regard
to the nature and power of science, and
that, valuable as it is, it cannot take
the place of religion or do its work.
The trouble is that science is not q
benevolence, aud has nothing in its
nature TO secure its own growth. Like
wheat, or cotton, or money, it is a de-
sirable thing to have, but cannot be oh
tanned without certain preliminaries Of
discipline and labor.
But religion, whatever else it is, is
philanthropy. "Pure religion and un-
de6led before God and the Father is
this: To visit the fatherless and the
widows in their affection and keep HIM
self unspotted from the world" that is
to say, the purest life and the largest
philanthropy. So also the Savior: "As
ye would that men should do to you do
ye also to them" "Inasmuch as We
did it to the least of these We did it unto
me-" Christ, it is said. event about
doing good" and the spirit Of our
Christianity from to lizard is benevo-
lence. II we do not live up to these
high teachings, they are still the law of
our religion. Hence, while science is
narrow and selfish, religion is broad
and philanthropic. While science has
nothing to do with large classes of men,
religion takes in all mankind. It re-
CARDS every man as q brother; it 70.
lieves the sick, opens the door Of the
prison, goes out after the slave, sends
the missionary and the schoolmaster to
the savage, and plants schools and
scientific institutions all over the world.
During our great war it was religion
that sent down to the army through its
two great commissions some twenty
millions of dollars to furnish instruc-
ton, reading matter and comforts for
the soldiers; it established schools oil
over the South for the benefit Of the
emancipated slaves; it had for several
years in the City Of Washington alone
three or four Thousand scholars under
training, until they were adopted into
q school system provided by law; and,
since the war, it has organized for the
freedmen and still sustains thirty.six
colleges and schools for higher educa-
ton.
What is there about science that can
do what religion has done and is doing
for people living in darknessp Look At
the results in India, China, Japan, Mad
agascar and the islands of the Pacific!
Long within this century the inhabit-
ants of the Sandwich Islands were In q
state of utter barbarism. What . mar
velous change in sixty year! A language
formulated and written, q whole PEG.
pie educated, q Government organized,
. system Of taxes devised, the country
dotted over with school houses and
churches, and . Christian kingdom
added to the family Of Nations. And
all this through the unsel6sh work Of
men who babe farewell to comfortable
homes in the United States, and went
out under the charge Of q Christian mis-.
sion to sow the seed which has produced
this wonderful fruitage, and to lay their
bones in foreign land.
Then, religion lifts up men to the
comprehension Of science. and makes
science an element Of its own philan-
thropic power. In all the past science
has wrought for oppression and not for
liberty. The great Egyptian pyramid,
built four thousand years ago. embodies
3 knowledge Of astronomy and engi-
neering which are tho marvels Of our
times; hut Il old Herodotus is to be
credited. the people who labored on
that wonderful structure were the sub.
jects Of the most grinding oppression.
Science only increased their burdens.
Nor was it better among the Romans,
nor materially better among the Greeks.
Their science only served to make the
rich richer and the poor poorer. In the
light Of what has already been said the
reason for this is plain science needs