The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-07
WORLD OF LETTERS.

four or more different kinds, and their
differences in nature and effect make
all the differences in the substances
about us: that they bear to each other
certain unalterable fixed relations. and
exert over each other unalterably
fixed influences. These relations we
have been able by our experiments to-
reduce to mathematical formulae. We
have, found that these forces never
manifest themselves unless certain
conditions are fulfilled, and that, when
they are, the forces invariably appear
and act always in precisely the same
way 1t is also claimed tnat as far back
as we can peer into the past. this same
order has prevailed; that this rock
ribbed, wave-washed, verdure-clad.
densely- populated earth Of ours has
come up out of chaotic fire mist by the
operations of none other than these
very forces which at the first We're hid
den within it; that the earth has devel-
oped from its unorganized primeval
state into its present complexity with
as regular giadations Of growth as
those through which the oak passes in
pushing up from the walls of the acorn
its sinewy stem and outreaching
boughs and waving pennons; that the
earth itself is an organism as truly as
the tree, has like complemental parts.
has had germinal beginning, has been
and still is incarnating under pre-es-
tablished laws of evolution, point by
point, age after age. a certain set ideal
under the guidance of a centrali germ
power, divinely commissioned. it may
be, but commissioned even as to the de-
tails of its finest microscopic work, un-
told millions Of years ago.
How idle, then, it Is, they claim, for
weak, blind children of day to pre-
sumo to break IN on this grand order Of
the universe! Go out into Nature, they
tell us. and you will find that not a.
single one of her laws is ever abro-
gated, that from their control not the
least thing is for an instant released.
Gravity holds within its grasp not only
the ponderous suns with their whirling
satellites, but every intinitesimal mote
that floats in the air. The force shut
up within the walls of an atom Of car
bon Is never dislodged and never loses
q single characteristic. Manacle II
with fetters OF frost, imlnerse itin the
white heat of furnace, smite 1t with
a trip hammer on the face of an aRvtk
hurl it into the chemical embrace of an
afiinitive element, DO what you Will
with it, it will reappear identically the
same atom informed by precisely the
same mysterious force. This Speck of
matter delies all powers of earth or sky
to batter in it's walls and drive out it's
occupant. Every force, the world over.
says that only those who find its secret
and meet the conditions can command
its services. Do you want bread? Here
is the seed. the soil, the air, the shower
and the sunbeam. Matter and force
are at your bidding, but their laws are
ineXOrable. Rays of light will travel
81, 900, 900 miles to serve you: the atmos-
phere will gather its clouds from the
ocean and float them across continent
to pour their treasures at your feet; the
mountains will furnish you with mill
stones, and therunning brooks will turn
them. The forests that grew hum
dred thousand years ago you may find
packed away in beds of anthracite,
waiting to heat your ovens so soon as
your dough is ready for the baking.
Not force in Nature but will serve the
veriest outcast if he will comply with
the conditions; not one. even the hum
blest, will condescend to move so much
as a hairs breadth even for the Car of
all the Russias, unless he does. The
prayerless sinner and the praying saint
meet here on a common level. All
those stories about producing thunder
storms by prayer. healing the sick,
turning back shadows. stopping the
sun in the heavens. raising the dead.
are thoroughly unscientific and absurd,
and the height of absurdity is reached
when it Is claimed that the all-wiSe
Creator can be induced to change His
plans by the importunate pleadings of
u little creature to whom He has given
O brief existence on one of the obscure
satellites of one of the million suns that
make up one Of the nebulous clusters
with which the heavens are swarming."
III-SCIENCE ANSWERED.
AS against these sounding dec
larations of the supremacy and i'm
mutability of natural law, Mr.. Kins-
ley advances five counter propositions,
to each Of which he devotes separate
sub-chapter. He afiirms:
ducing forces with their laws or modes Of
working brought to light by scientific in
vestigations in the fields of physics and OF
metaphysics harmonize perfectly with the
suggestions of how God can interfere in
nature without destroying any force or
abrogating single law.
(2). That, as a fact, He has thus actually
interfered again and again.
(3). That 1t is not only not presumptuous
but most natural and reasonable for us to
expect that He will interfere for us, in
significant though We may seem to be.
VI. lIdt he VIII IlleIltTe DttduSe we
ask Him, doing for us what otherwise lie
would not have done.
20. And. lastly. that He will not in
single instance withhold any real blessing
which Is asked for in the right spirit, and
the bestowal Of which lies within the
compass OF His power.
The most causual study Of nature
reveals, says the author, that every
where ample provision has been made
for the efficient interference of direct
will power. The influence which mans
will has in Superseding natural law is
shown, for example, when you will
that your right hand arise. According
to natural law. gravitation would pre-
vent such lifting uD without the in
terposition of some palpable. external
force paramount to the law of gravita-
ton. But here is mysterious, intang-
ible volition, a giving forth of that
singular spiritual power within each
human being before which science, with
all it's microscopes. all its scales and
all its mathematics, stands dumb.
which DEGREES that the natural law of
gravity shall for the moment be super
seded, and accordingly the arm is
raised. This, Mr.. Kinsley claims, Is as
much miracle, according to the cam
ons of science, as any that we read
of in sacred writ. and yet we know,
that miracles like this are of daily and
hourly occurrence.
Elaborating this point the author
exclaims: What marvellous effects
have been produced by this intelligent
will power of man. cunningly directing
to its own uses the ever-waiting ele-
mental and vital forces. How many
rivers have been bridged, beds of riv-
ers shifted or tunneled, mountains dis
crowned or their rocky centers pierced
to open highways for the worlds COM