The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-09
SCIENCE AND RELIGION.
The Lecture of Rev. r. v Hunter in the
High-SchoOl Course Yesterday Afternoon.

The eighth lecture in the Penny Course was
delivered yesterday afternoon, at Fletcher
place Church. by Row R. V. Hunter. His sub
ject was Science and Religion" He said that sci
ence suggests God and illustrated the assertion
by saying: Suppose we were to enter our pub
lie library for the first time, we would observe
books and papers in seeming confusion. Closer
observation, however, would reverb .alcoves
filed with classified books-one on history. an
other on literature. and another on science, etc.
Then on inquiry we are told that
these books come by chance, originated
themselves, took on limbs and walked
in, stepped up to the Shelves arranged them
selves in this orderly way, and are waiting for
readers. No sane man would believe such nom
sense. We would reply: Intelligence wrote and
arranged those books. They could not have come
by chance nor from a law from within. So nature
is library, arranged with reference to system.
To discover tha facts, laws and system of ma
ture is to read what another mind has
arranged. This is studying science.
Science is knowledge systematically and
logically arranged Each science is a thought
The plan OF the flower is q design as truly as
that this building was fashioned after a design.
Who designed the fragrant, beautiful, delicate
spring beauty! Could any power less than that
of Godf The watch suggests a jeweler, the loco
motive suggests builder. q master mechanic.
So the vegetables kingdom-with its sub king
doms. provinces, classes, cohorts orders, gen.
era and specles-suggests a designer. a master
mechanic. superior to any We have met on this
footstool.
In natural history is discovered plan-four
orders yertebrates, or animals with backbones;
articulates, or those with nervous cords and
without bones, as the spider and worm; nollusks,
or that class like che snail and oyster; lastly, ra
dates. illustrated by the jelly fish. Here are
four plans OF animal life, each governed by laws
were in existence long enough before Adam
wooed Eve. Purpose, adaptability and wisdom
are all to be seen here No wisdom nor power
yet discovered is. equal to the work of planning
this growth. Each type is q thought OF God
worked out in a multitude Of ways"
Geology marks history as effectually as the
terms ancient" medieval" and modern his
tory" The age of mollusks, or the oyster age,
the fish age, the age of coal plants, the age OF
reptiles and the age of man, animals are all as
plainly and separately written
as is the history of man in success
i've centuries Who started this world
and carried it forward in its formation of fire.
mist, cooling stages, stages of rock formation,
became an Eden fO- honored but dimly-re-
membered first parents, if there was not a God!
Who the designer and who
the contractors AS we'll might we
attempt to conceive the St Louis
bridge leaping across the Mississippi, and taking
root in either bank by means of an inward force
COMPLAINED geology. One grows weary, and
Hoses himself in the contemplation of the
works of" such Creator
Again. scientists unite in testifying that life
can only come from life Professor Coulter. of
Wabash. revealed the cell in plant life. and a
fluid which he called "protoplasm," the
life of the plant Whence came this
life, if not from living Creator?
Who has ever invented lfel Man is living
spirit; the Creator must be- greater than the
thing created; then greater than man, a
higher spirit lives. Why not call that spirit
God9 Has there been anything discovered
by scientists which goes to prove
there is no Gods Nothing, l believe, switch
has stood the test of time. The speaker then
quoted from number of leading scientists in
favor of the proposition that science suggests
and even demands, belief in God the creator
and father of all.