The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-10-11
Methodists Discuss Effects Of Scientific
Researches on Religious Thought.
Learned Men Of Two Continents Treat the
Subject in All Its Phases and Draw Con-
clusions Of Interest 10 Christians
Criticism of the Holy Scriptures Should
Be Welcomed by the Church.
Nothing Gained BY Repelling Scie nee, While
Inquiries often Result in GOOd-TheOries
Of Skeptis COntradcted By Facts.
SCIENCE AND RELIGION.
Interesting Paper Read Before the Meth
odiss Ecumenicai Council.

SCIENCE AND RELIGION.
Interesting Paper Read Before the Meth
odiss Ecumenicai Council.
WASHINGTON. Oct 10.-The fourth days
session of the Methodist ecumenical was
presided over by Rev. DIR. William Arthur,
of England. who conducted the devotional
exercises. reading the hymn, Thou Lead
est Me-" Prayer was offered By Rev. John
Wakefield, of Canada. Rev. DR.. a. :. Hunt,
of New York. one of the secretaries of the
American Bible Society, read Scripture
lesson from the book Of Job. Through
Secretary King, the committee on business
reported the following resolutions and
memorials, which were held for considers-
tion at a later day: Resolution concern-
ing en- address TO the Methodist members
and churches for ecumenical conferences,
resolution as to the conclusion OF the read
ing of essays, resolution on the appoint
ment of a general foreign missionary coun-
Gil for Methodist churches. memorial in
reference to the closing of the Columbian
exposition on Sunday.
The regular programme of the day was
then taken mp. The first essay was one pre-
pared by Percy w. Bunting. of the Com
temporary Review. entitled "The Influence
of Modern Scientific Progress on Religious
Thought" In Mr.. Bunting's absence. the
paper was read by j. B. Slack. of London.
Mr.. Bunting said that in obeying the IN
structi0ns OF the British committee TO
write a paper for the conference on tho
subject named, he did not affect to have had
any training. either IN science or theology.
He had less acquaintance with either sub
ject than many general readers. and all he
could do was TO state briefly the thoughts
on this great subject which had come To q
casual reader of other mems papers bearing
on it. When we speak of the influence of
scientific thought, the writer said.
we all mean the great theory
of evolution which hes changed
not only our thoughts, but our methods OF
thinking. and has transferred born science
and theology to new plane Speaking
broadly, the former system of ideas was
statical, it sought to formulate the con-
stitution of nature and man conceived as
working in certain fixed orbits. according
to certain established rules The newer
system deals with nature and man con-
ceived and impelled as O whole along q cer-
tain order of progress towards a future end:
Ii is dynamical and is concerned not so
much with what is as with what is to be.
In order to take this view, the writer held
that it was not necessary To adopt a par.
ticular theory of the methods or the limita-
tions Of evolution. The evolutionary pro-
cess may prevail within certain bounds or
may be held universal. absolute. all ex-
planning. What is important Is the broad
view of progress by development, which
has given q new mold TO thought.
TRUTH AND EVOLUTION THEORIES.
To a plain man, the writer said, il was
not enough to say that evolution is not
proved. Even if proved it is only shown
to affect certain departments of nature;
only extreme men carry it into psychology
and ethics. The outlines of orthodox faith
ere therefore safe and sound. True il is
there are extreme views of and extreme
men of science. But in all the turmoil and
all the perpiexity, what the religious man
seeks is O secure foundation on which faith
may rest pending the strife. Suppose. the
writer said. the extreme view of the range
and sweep of evolution To turn out, IN the
progress of thought. to be true; suppose it
to be universal method-the master key
of nature. Where then are the foundations
of the Christian faithf This is what we
want to know. If evolution be q reveIa-
tion Of a fundamental thought of the God
of nature, how stands the kingdom OF
gracei
Mr.. Bunting then distributes the answers
which suggested themselves TO him under
several heads. They commit. he says. no
one but himself. He does not think they
represent average thought in Britain. but
he is inclined TO believe that they are some
thing like n sketch of the position of the
more advanced and reflective minds of his
country. IL has been discovered. he con-
tinues. that evolution itself postulates
something out of which II evolves other
things and also an evolving force. Tho
American writer. Fiske. has best pre-
sented evolutionary theisnl; atall events
science has nothing TO say against
1t. 1t does not appear TO me, be says.
OF the goodness of God, The idea of q
creator of benevolent purpose but limited
powers is. after all. an eccentricity in our
day. Some powerful minds have argued
Co.. h,Nt haor 1r Il
ness is an intuition of the beart The ar
gumenI for il rests upon that intniti0n.
The mind and heart both resent permanent
chaos and dissertation. Gods moral char
acter is TO be learned from His moral Great
ures; from the characters he has made. not
from His stones, vegetables and beasts
On the whole, the question OF the father
hood OF God seeks and can receive little or
no light from any part of His creation
short of man. So Tar as we can see the
laws of the natural and the spiritual worlds
differ too widely Tor comparison. On the
moral nature and the Immortality of man
science, again, has so little TO teach
that it's modern developments leave the
matter much where they found it, The
belief In Immortality rests intimately upon
the belief in the fatherhOod of God. Gods
not the god of the dead but of the living.
The two thoughts stand or fall together.
The hope of Immortality has neverrested on
a physical basis. What modern thought
has done has rather been TO smooth away
the physical difficulties in its way. The
modern mind has so stepped itself IN SCI
ence as TO blunt, 10 no small extent Its
spiritual faculties Agnosticism appears TO
rest upon the idea that nothing is 60 be be-
lIeved which does not rest on experiment
and induction. The quest ion is not one
of science, but of philosophy. Ii it
be asked. continued Mr. Bunting. on
what grounds the power of will can be
deemed higher than that of intelligence il
IT nnsound TO argue that evolution itself
tends TO make us sojndge. Ii the faculties
of men have been historically developed in
orderly succession. would 10 not appear.
from a survey of this progressive growth.
that there Is q real scale OF lower and
higher and in such a scale do not the gov
erning powers of consciousness aud will
stand higher than those of mere lntelli-
gencei / do not know, but / suggest the
question. The will of man knows itself To
be at its best in loving and Tree submit ssion
to the will of God. aud the will of God
completes the freedom Of the will of man
by the revelation of love.
THE SPIRITUAL HISTORY OF NAN.
Treating of the spiritual history Of man,
the writer says in this view mankind have
come into the world by gradual process de-
veloped of creatures infra- human, but pos
sessing already premonitions of intellectual
and even moral qualities. in the form of in
stIncts. Consciousness. volition and con-
Il.