St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-03-17
SCIENCE AND RELIGION.
Rev. DIR. West Begins "a Series OF Tel
Lectures.

Rev. Drs w est
Lectures.
Rev. DR.. West, pastor of the First Pres
bvterian church of this city, has insti-
tuted a course of lectures to be given
at the Central Presbyterian church on
Recent Problems in Science and Religion.
The first of the series was given last even
ing 10 a crowded house which listened at
tentivelv TO the speakers clear preSenta-
ton of abstruSe philosophical and psychic
logical truths and theories.
He said that the themes TO be discussed
went down to the very foundations of all re-
ligion, faith and morality, and were filled with
technics not familiar to our ordinary modes oil
expression. We see everywhere entrenched
i'm the bosom of processing Christendom
doubt in conflict with faith, and science
I'm conflict with religion, theology and morals.
Thousands are watching the conflict with
fear, others no longer stand nrm ana
others are swept away by lhe
Esprit of the times Even the pull
pit has already ANONYMOUSLY surrendered.
We stand at the close of this fourth great
period OF cCnlict for the establishment OF 4
kingdom of God, through which the church
has passed. The first extended to the middle
of the fourth century, the second
reached from the twelfth TO the
fourteenth centuries, the third TO the
close of the Reformation, the fourth dates
from the beginning of the seventeenth cent
ury, is marked by the Introduction of the
problem of ''The Origin, Extent and Ger
tainty of our knowledge"
The supreme problem, the one which CON-
preheudS all knowledge, being. religion
and morality, is the problem OF the three
great realities God, man. the universe and
their relations. The range OF the questions
is vast, and all outside the Bible, so that
we will have nothing TO do with
the Bible in this discussion. These
questions include: Is there personal Gody
Can God be known? Is matter eternal:
What is matter? What is force? Are matter
and mind one? Did the universe make itself!
Is man Il creation of God? Can
we know self? Can we trust
our senses and faculties? What is the ultim-
ate ground of all knowledge and being? Is
man immortal? Is there moral government
These questions now agitate multitudes
of the most accomplished thinkers of the
times. Are we Positivists, Materalists, Ideal
lists, Skeptics, Agnostics, Pessimists, Nihiiists
Or are we natural Realists?
If there is a God and natural morality has
scientific basis, then religion must
HAVE THE SAME BASIS,
and if natural religion has scientific basis,
then Christianity or revealed religion must
have the same, for all the postuntes
needed to prove the possibility,
probability, necessity and fact OF
Of a divine revelation are given in natural
theism. The one point of supreme import
Rnce in the whole discussion is the
doctrine of the supernatural, i. e.,
Of a personal GOD, and this must
be held at whatever cost. Religion comes to
us as a logical result of scientific study, OF
philosophical conclusion. from deep moral
conviction and as historical fact.
Among the leading forms of error with
which we are confronted, is agnosticism, q
science and philosophy which, passing be-
yond doubt or skepticism, professedly stops
short of fat denial or Nihilism
and decides that nothing can be
known about the reality of God, man, the
universe and their relations. The term was
invented by Mr.. Huxley, twenty years age, sug
gested by the inscription on the Athenian altar
ITO the Unknown God" Agnosticism is the
fashionable theory of modern scientific cult
ure. This creed claims for its support two
strongholds: First, the philosophical strong.
hold, denying the reliability of first truths
and intuitions, as of God, self. identity
substance, which it designates as phantom.
Of the mind, were notions transmitted to ms
by education, environment and hered
lily. They also have their scion
tifc stronghold which affirms thai
of our knowledge. Posirivism Is another Sc
EaRtte fArprobems of psychology, ethics and
religion to mere questions of mechanics and
chemics. They deny the existence of u God
and proclaim the "religion of humanity" All
the help that is left man, is man.
The speaker alluded to the alarming
spread of scientific infdelity and regretted
that some occupants of the pulpitS
were adopting 1.-THE higher criticism, -
drifting from Their ancient mooring.
Beecher was especially reviewed in this re-
lation. The next lecture of the series will
be given next Sunday evening. Subject:
Evolutionary Materialism.