Smyrna times., 1886-11-24
For the Smyrna Times.
On Popular STANDARDIZATION and
Science.
DO THEY CONFLICT OR Is THE CON-
FLICT WITH THEIR DEFENDERS.


DO THEY CONFLICT OR Is THE CON-
FLICT WITH THEIR DEFENDERS.
At a meeting on Sunday last held in
Memorial Hall, Girard street, Phila-
delphia, the writer debated the above
question against the scientists of the
school of HuXly, Tyndall and Spencer.
The writer maintained that science
and religion (our present knOwledge)
do not conflict, that they go clasped
hands. That the existence of science
and religion none will deny, nor can
it be doubted that each has it's partic-
ular sphere and and each its distinct
! laws. In the realm of matter are to be
found all the forces and developments
of material science. In the realm of
soul, mind and spirit, is to be found all
the phases and developments of relig-
| ion.
AS there are false views of science
entertained and'prOmulgated through
out the world, producing in the mind
! multiplicity of theories, so there are
among the defenders of religion erro-
neous views with similar results. But
! exists in the human mind, antagOnism
exists between religion and science, for
each of these forms of truth has its par
ticular sphere and each its distinct laws
and proprieties. Attraction is the
great law of matter lOUe is the great
law of religion.
Let us fairly recognize, then, first of
all, that mdteriqL science IS one thing;
that religion is another; that one is
regulated by natural law; the other
moral LGlU, and therefore, they are not
only distinct in substance but each has
its distinct properties. On the course
of human thought, however, a seeming
conflict has existed between them sim
ply because error has existed in the
human mind not among the defenders
on the one side merely but on both
sides. 1t is well known to the think
| ing public-that some of the worst
! forms of error exist among defenders
of religious dogmas. Though there is
but one form of true religion recognized
and approved in Gods Word and which
is beautifully unfolded in the teaching
of Jesus; yet what vast multiplicity
of forms exist, all of which are systems
of error.
On the other hand among the de-
! tenders Of material science, an equal, if
not greater number of false positions
have been surrendered: Air without
weight" "a world without rotun-
dity," A moveless dwelling place for
man" ignorance of the " laws of grav-
itation THAT violently opposed even
when explained-these and many
other theories were held until the OD-
pOsite 1UdS proceed. Here, then, arose a
conflict. ZealOts of the Roman Church,
actuated by superstition and a mis-
taken policy, condemned the men who
discovered the truth. Instead of see
ing that these discoveries were not in
consistent with religious truth, they
/ took the opposite view and cried out
against the light bearers of science,
I" Cruelty them" But true to their
demonstrations, and in the face of the
gaping dungeon, the philosophers in
! sisted that the " air had weight" that
the world had motion" and that, be-
neath-it "turned itself with fire. -
Even to-day the Christian scholar de-
plores the fact that this old form of
prosecution is not get dead.
On the other hand, when the scien-
tist inYades with his speculations the
sources and sphere of religion, and
asserts that soul, spirit and matter are
the same in substance, or that in matter
originates mind and spirit, or, as Mr..
Spencer puts it, that mind and spirit
are the essence of matter so rarifed
and energized as to take the form of
conscious life, having the qualities OF
memory, reason and judgment, with
ability to love and hate, to desire and
hope, to grieVe and rejoice, when,
with an amalgam of the whole the
scientist spins out theory against the
immortality of mind and soul, he ut
terly loses his balance, and, like Tyn-
dali, falls by his own sOphistry. Were
we indeed, to admit that mind and soul
are the essence of matter, upon what
basis could we deny their eternal ex-
istence? All material substances are
indestructible. The soul and mind,
says the scientist, are the essence of
material substance, therefore, soul and
mind are indestructible, eternal A
fair syllogism, and it proves the i'm
mortality or eternity of mind and soul.
Now they dare not assert that the es-
sence is less enduring than the grounds;
for when we extract essence from any
Vegetable or other form of matter, the
chemist will tell us we have its best and
most vital substance. But if we take
the ground that the essence (soul and
mind) ceases to exist when separated
from the body, how unscientifc the
conclusion. The essence dRnihiIGted,
| tai 81
logical conclusion drawn from their
own assertions proves just what the
Inner man" asserts, immortality
and yet the christian accepts this truth
on a different hypothesis, and with
different and to his mind, better argu-
ments. Both positions, as already
stated, favor the same truth. If the
defenders of the inner man" " land his
religiOn) be correct, then that inner
man and his religion is eternal. If Mr..
Spencer be correct in his theory ot
" essence" the soul is still immortal
the mind indestructible and eternal.
Thus it may be seen that religion
and science has each its appropriate
field, and when the defenders of each
remain in their place no possible con
fiCt can exist between them. Let us
remember that while God is the author
of spirit and matter He has given dis
tinct laws to each.
In the domain of natural law, which
controls matter, science, not theology
is umpire of the truth, but in the spir.
itual realm whose regulator is mora
law, theology and not science, IS umpire
DR.. Hodge might be poor Judge of the
chemical properties of certain com
pounds of which the chemist is quite
familiar, while the chemist might be
equally ignorant of the vast theological
deductions of Hodge. In the field:
where has traversed, both are quite ia
miliar, but if suddenly they were tC
change places both might be in the will
derness. Let us not forget this distinc
ton, nor fail to remember that when
. ever a conflict has existed that conhic
IUas not betlOeen religion and science
bit 10 1OGs betiOeen their defenders!
RirkUOOd, Del. ID. G.
The Queens English fares i'll on tn,
tongues of even the sternest and mos