Los Angeles herald. [volume] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1890-1893, 1891-10-11
CHURCH AND SCIENCE
Effect of Scientific Thought
on Religion.
The Topic Discussed in the
Methodist Council.
An Able Paper on the Subject by
Percy w. Bunting.
Religion Is Not Matter of Observation,
in The Opinion of DR.. Buckley.
Bishop Fowler Wei
comes Criticism.
Associated Press Dispatches.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10. - The fourth
days session OF the Methodist ecumen-
ical council was presided over by Rev.
DIR. Arthur, of England. The committee
on business reported number OF reso-
lutions and memorials, which were held
for consideration at a later day. The
regular programme of the day was then
taken up, the subject being, 1.-The
Church and Scientific Thought"
The first essay was one prepared by
Percy w. Bunting editor of the Con-
temporary Review, entitled, The In
fluence of Modern Scientific Progress on
Religious Thought. In Mr.. Bunting's
absence the paper was read by j. B.
Stack, of London. The paper, in part,
said that the modern mind has SO
STEPPED itself in science as to blunt to
no small extent its spiritual faculties.
Agnosticism appears to rest upon the
idea that nothing is to be believed
which does not rest on experience and
induction. The question is not one of
science but of philosophy. Treating of
the spiritual history of man, Bunting
says the evolutionary theory of religion
is in strict accordance with very much
that we are accustomed to believe. 1t
gives boundless scope to faith and hope.
Rev. DR.. Terry, of Evanston, ILL.,,
spoke on the attitude OF the church to-
ward the various places of unbelief.
Rev. w. T. Davidson, of England, tu-
tor in Biblical literature and exegesis in
college there, followed in an address
on the subject of the Bible and modern
criticism.
Rev. DIR. Bowers, of Toronto, he Id
that the great problem confronting the
church was the necessity of reconciling
the results of criticism and Christian
doctrine.
Rev. Frank Ballard, of England, said
the small time allotted for the discussion
of this great subject was an indication
OF disrespect. There was no danger of
the church playing the ostrich and by
hiding its head. trying to ignore things
He did not think unbelief was
a matter OF the heart. He had letters
from earnest thoughtful skeptics that
were full of longing and desire for the
truth.
DIR. Buckley, of New York, paid
tribute to Bunting's paper, which
showed, he said, that religion was not
and never would be a matter of in
duction or observations but of faith and
heart. Science could give no help as to
the fundamental questions of religion.
Christianity was as false as the wild
est superstition unless the birth of
Christ was the result of Divine opera
ton upon a woman, without the agency
OF man. Hear hear.l Nine-tenths of
what shigh critics brought forward
had been the subject of study by Bible
students for twenty-five years. The
trouble lay in tine arrogance of the crit
les. The trial of DR.. Briggs resulted not
from what he held, but from the AFRO
CANT and domineering manner in which
he sought to force those ideas down
everybody's throat.
Rev. James Crabtree, of England,
thought it desirable to establish the
greatest friendship between religion and
science. In any divorce between them
it is religion that will suffer. The re-
ligious unbelief and the unsettlement OF
the times is due to the attitude of some
theologians toward the new light of |
must not shrink from the most search |
ing IL OudI 10
by seeking heart.
Chairman Arthur said he had never
heard in Methodist assembly discus
sion which caused him such deep feel
ing as that heard this morning.
He had heard words used that evidently |
the users had not settled in their heads |
what they meant. What was evolution's !
of thing from itself. Give
the flower sun and rain and it would I'M
fold itself.
Bishop Keener, of the ME-. Church
South, deprecated the apologize views
OF the creation. He came out of specu-
lation into the region of facts.
Bishop Fowler, of San Francisco, said
unless Methodists could defend their
ground, he welcomed criticism.
The council then adjourned to allow
the delegates to embark on an excursion
to the tomb of Washington at Mount
Vernon.