The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1889-05-15
AN Underlined FEAR.

AN Underlined FEAR.
No Real Conflict Between Science and
Faith In God and the Hope of Life In
Christ Jesus.
There is with many an underlined
fear OF science. 1t has proved such an
iconoclast that they tremble lest it de-
stroy all holy things and take away
from us all the comforts of faith. This
fear, though not well-founded, is not
altogether without reason. The leaders
in scientific investigation are common
ly specialists, and in such there is a
strong tendency to onesidedness. They
study one class Of facts. and other phe-
nomena just as important are over
looked in the theories they form.
They easily become slaves to their
theories, and press into submission
that which owes no such service.
Finding that with increasing knowl-
edge some previous opinions must be
given up, they rush to the extreme,
and discredit all former conclu-
sions. Finding that some things
once thought to be within the
sphere of the supernatural, are
in reality the results Of causes that
may be known, they denounce all faith
in the supernatural. Because the
theories they advance are IN con.
flict with former views of Gods gov
ernment,. they deny the presence Of
God. Revising their interpretation of
some parts of the Scriptures, they go
far beyond and deny the inspiration of
the holy word. These we hear first
and from their assertions has arisen
the popular aversion to science, as in
hostility to religion.
There is not and there can not be,
any conflict between science and faith
in God and the hope OF life in Christ
Jesus. Science is the knowledge of the
facts of the world and Of life; and
when true to itself, it must increase
our reverence for God and our faith in
Him as the One who is over all, and
from whom are all things. In the
prosecution of our studies theories
may be advanced which are in
furious; but science itself can
not be harmful, for the Author
of nature is the Author OF redemption;
He who made the world reveals Him
self in the Scriptures. Science does
not make facts, it discovers them; it
does not change any order, it discov-
ers the order that exists. 1t may
make known new forces, but it can not
limit the power that is over all. Its
field is the whole field OF knowledge,
all that is movable comes under its
investigation, and as it widens the
field of definite knowledge it enlarges
to US the universe in which we live.
BY so much it increases our reverence
for God and brings Him nearer to us.
The telescope gives greater sense of
the littleness OF man. and with more
profound humility we say: Lord,
what is man?" but it gives also more
exalted faith and greater JOY when
from the word we are able to add:
''that thou art mindful of him"
The history OF unknown ages
written in the rocks takes moth
ing from the eternity OF God,
but it does give us grander concep-
ton of that wisdom in which the
foundations were laid. and of that
mighty power in which the mountains
were brought forth.
The answer to the theories of scien.
fists is not in denunciation Of their evil
tendencies as in conflict with revealed
religion. The answer must be scien'
tifc. 1t is not enough to say that II
the theory is true religion must fail
the answer must, by methods within
the field of science. show that the the
DRY is not true. In this all that is known
is available, for all knowledge is so in
terwoven that truth in one has its rela
ton to truth in every other depart
ment. The facts of our faith stand OF
their own evidence, and once estab
lishcd are to be taken int account il
eli other and subsequent Investigations
But every truth is to be determined
by its own proper evidence. W.
carry with us into every department
OF thought the evidence Of the being
Of God and Of redemption, and we &C
oept readily and with the utmost con
fidence ali that is proven in the who'll
domain OF our intelligence. The dealt
Of Jesus on the cross for our sins cal
not be set aside by any thing whicl