The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-11
A NEW IDEA OF MIRACLES
Their Relation to Religion as Inter-
pTeted By Modern Theology.

PASN-0 -tVANAA AANuANSJl
Rev J. J. Lanier's Second Sermon on
the Subject Of Bible Wonders-The
Question of Evolution Discussed.
The Reconciliation Between Science
and Observation-Disclosures Simply the
Result Of An Extraordinary Life.
Rev. J. J. Lanier, rector of ST. Paul's
church preached the second of his series
Of sermons on the relation of miracles
to religion yesterday morning. His sub
ject was The Relation of Miracles to Re-
ligion as Interpreted by Modern Theol-
ogy." After referring to his first SER
mon, which closed with the question,
"Are religion and science to be reconciled
and howl" he said:
The answer is Yes" They are already
reconciled. Let us briefly note the mistake
Of the theologian, the mistake Of the scien-
tlst; in what each was right,in what each was
wrong
The common ground between the theologian
and the scientist was Il say was, be-
cause the advance in both have abandoned it,
what has been called the Carpenter Theory
OF the Universe 1t has been SO well de-
scri. ed IN the words of another that. simply
tically the notion that most people seem to
have Of the relation OF deity TO nature? It is
that of great master mechanic far away
above US and beyond our reach, who once
upon time long ago. and once for all, worked
created matter, endowed it with necessary
properties, powers, constructed at once out OF
hand this wonderful cosmos with its number
less wheels within wheels. endowed il with
forces, put springs within it, wound 1t up set
IL agOing and Interested. The thing has
continued to go Of itself ever since. He
might not only have rested, but slept, and
the thing would have continued to go OF
itself.
Thus far the theologian and scientist were
one. They both agreed that the universe is
run by resident forces. that Is, runs itself as
q steam engine does after you have started
1t. Then they parted company, and it Is in
structive to note how.
The MEDIEVAL theologian said and says
for they are not all ead yet-thRt God from
time to time iuterfe es to alter, to change,
to add new forms new and different kinds of
life-to work miracles, thus making God
Lungling, third-class mechanic, who must
continually he tinkering with creation. This
the scientist denies; denies the interference
of an outside God. He says, starting from
the same premise theologian and scientist
both alike adopt, the universe is run by resi-
dent torce 1t is Illogical and unreason-
able to 90 outside the universe TO
account for any OF the phenomena of the uni
verse. II the resident force in the universe
does even one thing, ana theologians admit
that 1t does 99-l00, in fact, everything except
a few marvels and wonders not accounted for
n your vocabulary, then it does all; not only
sustains itself by gravitation but produces
plant-life animallife MANTLE, spirit-life
THEY STOOD APART.
Thus mutually contradictory stood me-
dieval theology and the elder scientists, and
would have so continued until the last re-
corded syllable Of time had not a different
scientists, In former days they were
anxious to magnify differences and to convict
each other of error in the whole cloth.
Happily for US, who live in these later days of
the world a little snirif prnVQilGs a crfrit -
sympathy with one who happens to honestly
differ with you, though he may hold what you
consider damnable error; spirit that magni,
hes all the truth q man differing from you
may hold. rather than magnlfying what you
may consider his error This is the attitude
of the leaders OF modern theology and science,
and this sympathetic spirit has enabled them
to see the error and truth alike Of medieval
theology and earlier scientists.
The mistake of earlier scientists was an at.
tempt to rid the world of the idea of God alto
gether, trying to demonstrate that matter
produces all things The mistake Of medieval
theology was to Danish God from the world;
| locating him somewhere in the sky making
| manlike God of him sitting upon throne.
| Modern theology reconciles science and relig-
| ion by showing that the fundamental state
| ments OF religion and science are Identical
| when the one is translated into the terms of
| the other. What was needed was an inter
| prefer who could speak in the language OF
| each, showing that each was speaking the
same thing in tongue unknown to the other.
! The fundamental position of science is this:
| This is power that generates the universe,
| and resides in the universe. producing plant
| life, animal-life. spirit-life, everything, to
| which modern theology heartily says, ameni
| We believe the same thing stated in differ
| ent words We believe that there is one God
| who is above all, through all, and in you all.
| The one God who is above all whom we call the
| Father, is your power that generates the uni
| verse; the same God who is through all,
| whom we call the Son, is your power which
I resides in the universe; the same Cod. who is
| in you all, whom we call the Holy Ghost, the
| Lord and giver of life. is your power that
! produces all life. We think We have better
! terminology than you have, still we will not
| initiate foolish childhood and garrulous old
| age in quarreling about words so long as we
understand what they mean. "A rose by any
| other name would smell as sweet"
| ACCOMPLISHED BY SCIENCE.
The reconciliation of science aud theology
| was accomplished by the scientist identity
! ing his resident force in the universe with the
! pute broke the idols Of clay OF medieval the
! ology, gave materialism its death blow, took
| the hoodwink from our eyes, the shackles
! from our feet, and reinstated God again in
| rightful possession of his own; no longer far
| away or absentee or forgetful or angry or
L sleeping God, but ever generating and In
! dwelling in his universe, and supremely in
| the lives of his children, giving us from
/ day to day our dailv bread, warning advis,
| ing chasttsing us and developing his image
| within US, sometimes oy mounts OF transfig-
! uratlon. and sometimes by dark GethSemanes
The best theology and science Of to-day
teaches that while the heaven of heavens
| can not contain him still God iudwells In the
| universe, having at least as intimate a rela-
! ton 10 It as our spirits have to our bodies
/ To day their united voices are ever swelling
! louder and louder, this sublime chorus echoing
! from continent to continent, and re-echoing
| from isle to glad isle of the sea; spirit power
! Is the only power; spirit force Is the only
! force; matter has no inherent power; spirit
/ is the sLb-stratum of all matter; matter is
! but objectte1 form of spirit; it is spirit
/ manifest to the senses.
Long before this you NAV have been asking