The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-25
SCIENCE AND RELIGION.
ABLE SERMON PREACHED AT THE
sTRANGERs' CHURCH LAST NIGHT.
BY the Rev. N. NJ. Long-The Theory
OF Evolution Not Irreconcilable With
Religion, and Not In Conflict With
the Book OF Books.


The announcement that the Rev. N. M.
Long would preach on the relation OF re-
ligiofrto the theory OF evolution, attracted
an unusually large congregation to the
Strangers church last night, and among
those present wero representatives OF
almost every vocation in life, bankers,
merchants, lawyers, doctors, clerks, school
teachers OF both sexes, artisans, mechan-
les and newspaper men. The ladies were
ont in unusually large force, and ranged
in age from the schoolgirl in her teens to
the well-prcserved and youthiul.looking
matron.
Before beginning his sermon, DR.. Long
announced that there would be no more
evening services at the Strangers church
until the second Monday in September.
After the usual preliminary hymn the row.
erend gentleman addressed his audience
Us follows
TIIR SERMON.
have already preached not less than
five sermons on tho various phases Of this
subject which is before us tonight, and
will be compelled, therefore, to pass over
much OF the same ground trayersed al
ready in tho discussion OF ii. As an
nounced last Sunday night, now speak
upon this subject in compliance with an
earnest request made by various parties,
and with the sincere desire TO undo, II pos
sible, the impression made by a sermon
preached some weeks ago in Memphis,
that the theory OF evolution Is irreconcil-
able with the bible or religion. have
been informed by several who heard the
sermon that the position was distinctly
taken that, il evolution is true the Bible Is
book Of myths and Christianity is a
fable In my Judgment II is inconccivablc
that moro CHASTITY and ruinous alterna-
tive could be presented TO modern audi
ence. II is almost the same thing as an
nouncing that the Bible IA, in fact, myth,
and Christianity Is, in fact, fable. Three
out Of every i've thinking persons will ac-
cept the statement in that sense, because
three out OF FIVE, II not nine out OF ten
of all the educated people OF the land to-
day arc either eyoluiionists pronounced or
very much inclined that way. From the
pulpit, therefore, TO announce that re-
iipion and evolution are irreconcilable is
just as widely ruinous as the influence Of
that pulpit. For men will and must believe
In science. They cannot help believ-
ing In Il. The truths Of science command
belief. The evidence OF science cannot be
Get aside. There are thousands OF men
who believe In evolution upon the clearest
evidence, which they have thoroughly in
yestigated. There are other thousands
who believe Il simply and alone because
science teaches Il. Thousands Of those
people do not desire to reject the Bible or
religion, but they will and must reject IL,
II convinced II Is incompatible with what
science teaches. They have not the time
or means, or, perhaps, the inclination, 10
investigate these questions thoroughly;
and when, therefore, n religious teacher
publicly announces on the basis Of his In
vestigniion, that the religion which no
teaches IA utterly irreconcilable with that
fact which science teaches. and that II they
hold 10 the Bible they must throw that
fact away; or, II they hold 10 that fact
they must throw the Bible away, they will
inevitably throw the Bible away. They
cannot help H.
Because the timo has passed forever
with the vast majority OF the educated
world when Il win do for any man 10 say
that evolution II not fact Of science. Al
most every scientist in the world would
simply laugh at that denial. On the
ground ofmy own investigation l made
The ktatement from this pulpit, several
yeaIs ago, that evolution Is universal
law Of nature, m thoroughly established
by the clcarcst proof Ms the law Of grayita'
ton.
I went little ahead Of the times In that
!. assertion. But In the advanced sheets OF
work now under publication by Prof.
Leconte, Of the University OF California, q
gentleman who has been for thirty years q
member and think nm elder In the old
school Presbyterian church, and second "a
no American scientist, find these words
Evolution constitutes ono hall OF all sci
once" Ho says Il n an universal Law
Thoroughly established" "In its mos
general sense. Il Is a necessary condition oil
rational thought. II IL not only ms certain
as-it Is far moro certain thAn-thc law Of
gravitation, for Il h not n contingent, hui
n necessary truth, like the axioms OF 10
omclry. Il IA only necessary 10 conceive u
clearly 10 accept Il unhcsitaiingly" liz
goes still further. lie says "1he day Il
past when evolution might be regarded NJ
school OF thought. We nigh. as vel
talk Of gravitationist ns OF eyolutionist. =
This means that every scientist who un
derstands the meaning Of evolution and
has considered IL proofs, Is as thorough,
convinced Of the truth OF evolution M III
Is OF the truth Of gravitation. You vii
find thesc statements Of this eminent
Christian scientist In the December ant
January numbers Of the Popular Scirno
Monthly. Henry Ward Becchcr said thrc'
years ago. that every intellectual man o
the nineteenth century Ia or will be M
evolutionisi." do not 20 that far. but
do say that every intellectual man WHIT
studies tho subject without prejudice II
bound TO be. There are only two thing
that can possibly prevent an educated mar
today from accepting evolution. One d
ignorance OF what II II; and tn
other prejudice 10 strong as TO make IN,
mind incapablcof receiving truth. which
initiates against IL prcconceivod opinions
1 believe, therefore, that the dcsdliest en-
emies 20 christianity today are those Wit
claim 10 he, and who sincerely think uhcl
are lis most determined friends and cham
pions. Because, 20 force religion into con
hict with an eternal, demonstrated. uni
venally accepted truth, Is TO force u 10 u
death. For the Christian ministry 10 tel
the world that liza fact Of science II nc
fQDfQI tho Hil,io futiaf La flruwu w4v Il