Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-05-28

i'itI"uS clHHunlOnS over the constantly
widening discrepancies between the scrip.
pi dod sncrsunAl government of the physi-
cal universe and the theories as to evolution
and the general efficiency of secondary
causes which are now accepted, at least, as
working hypothesis and the basis of
future research by all men of science
entitled to speak with any authority.
seem to myself TO detect in thoughtful
and religious minds without the church II
smothered uneasiness as TO this feeling
OF secret apprehension, stTenuously dis
ayowed, 1t may be to others and perhaps
| TO themselves as well, lest their protested
beliefs may be really held Professionally
| only and subject to early and great modi-
heation, and with this tendency towards
hazness ana eXuberant metaphor in the
| expression OF doctrinal views. Indeed, a
feature of the age IN religious literature ia
the disposition to so employ tgurative Lam
| gnage as To leave the exact meaning in
| doubt, and this also masks an insensible
change OF faith, the gradual dying out of
an old creed. 1t is impossible to say just
| when all educated Greeks came to think
Hetts or all educated Romans Jupiter mere
myths and symbols; in classical philOso-
| ply Paganism melts away into allegory
and poetry, and only when its etfigy had
did men own to themselves for how many
generations they had secretly known this
was an etligy only.
Among American Catholics this feeling
of unrest is far less visible; indeed doubt
i, for practical purposes it exists at all.
10 some extent, probably this arises from
the fact that these theories have not vet
filtered down so far into the system of
Catholic education rs they have without the
church. but this difference il but tempor-
nry, and of secondary importance. A few
years sooner or later the gulf between
Christian theology yawns before each az
us, and if Catholic feels little or no need
of bridge, this must be from more than
accidental cause. Many years ago, when
convcrsing on the possibility of n special
creation, | was asked whether the dis
covery of a fossil sharks bones on a
mountain top did not prove TO nv mind
that the mountain must have once been
covered by an ocean. ! replied that saw
no need for the admission; an Almighty
Creator could have called those bones into
being there as readily MS earth or stones
and filled any particular portion Of space
as well with matter of one form ms with
matter of another. TO nv interloctltor
this suggestion seemed protesoue and even
repulsive what purpose he asked. ''can
you ascribe to the Deity for thus seeking
to allappearance to deceive His creaturesN
Nor was he by any means satisfied when
reioined that il was not for me to snerti
late about the purposes of infinite wis
dom. The egotisnl Of this little anecdote
may. hope, be nnrdoned, for, think. il
Illustrates what | seek to explain. To me
it seemed perfectly natural and reasonable
to accept us true in matter of theology.
something which did not and coiIld n1f
attempt to understand; to nv friend il
seemed almost incredible that should do
this seriously md IN pnDd fIith.he Ionl, M
at the. question as u Protestant, as a
CathQlc. NOW il is impossible for men to
remain long Satlslled with creed out of
harmony with their ordinary habits of
thought. AS Mr. l4ecky has very peril
nently pointed out, at one time there was
general belief in the existence of fairies
and this belief has completely disappeared
YET there is Just as much evidence now that
fairies Do exist as there ever was, and ii is
utterly impossible to prove logically that
they do not A man long accustomed to
say 81 accept such or such Il dogma not
because have weighed the evidence in its
support, nor because | know that | can
answer all the objections which may be
urged against it, but simply because it is |
certified TO me by an authority which / |
recognize as lnlalllble," is embarrassed by |
no sense of Inconsistency when he tells the |
leaders of scientific thought, your
theories are very ingenious and plausible: |
am in no wise disposed to quarrel with |
them Or with you; take them as true, if |
You will, for purposes of physics or
biology. or any other science to which |
ihey, apply and which their use may serve
to advance, but do not ask lne to reason
from their conclusions as premises in |
matters of faith or morals. There deal,
not with speGulations or hypothesis, but
with revealed facts, and you, not l., must
see to it that these facts Gquare with your
theories"
Clerrvmen Of the CniboIic cI,,,ro,, al
y i. y. r.