The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-07-18
Edison Hence Believes in a
Deity's Existence.
BUT SAYS HE is ALL LAW
Great Divines Take Issue With
the Great Scientist.

onstrated beyond doubt the existance of
a God?"
This is the question put to Thomas A.
Edison in his laboratory the. other day.
Here is what he replied:
Chemistry undoubtedly proves the ex-
istence of supreme intelligence. No one
can study that science and see the won
derful way in which certain elements
combine with the nicely OF the most deli
cate machine ever devised and not come
to the inevitable conclusion that there Is
a big engineer who Is running this uni
verse.
why, after years of watching. the pro-
cesses Of nature no more doubt the ex-
istence OF an intelligence that is running
things than do the existence of myself
Take, for example, the substance water
that forms the crystal known as ice. Now,
there are hundreds of combinations that
form crystals, and everyone Of them. save
that OF ice, sinks in water. Ice. say. cces
not. And it is further lucky for us mortals
for II 1t had done so we would all be dead
Why? Simply because IL ice sank to the
bottom of the rivers, lakes and oceans as
fast as 1t froze these pieces would soon be
frozen uD and there would be no water
left. That Is the only one example out of
thousands that to me prove beyond the
possibility of doubt that some vast in
planets"
''What else does nature tell you about
the supreme intelligence
Nothing more" said Ellison. shaking
his head. That's all I can read. Some
other person may come along by and by
AMI discover other attributes nature
teaches about this being. But intelligence
is all my research has revealed. Indeed
the scientist Of the future may make
nature ell us as much about this intelli-
gence as the Bible processes to reveal"
''Would you not call this intelligence the
Creator?'' was asked.
''No," said he quzzically. "Now you
are leaving science and getting into the
meshes of logic. Nature does nat spell
Creator for me- though 1t does spell
Mind
do you believe this supreme intelli-
gence hears and answers prayers?"
''No. sir!' said the inventor with empha-
sis. ats an insult OF the wisdom of the
engineer to ask him to do this or that
as though you knew better how to run
things than he. He is big enough to need
no advise from us little babies
Besides" continued he warmly. Flaw,
absolute law. holds everything in its grip
like a wise. Just as certain combinations
of chemicals harmonize and others when
brought into contact result in an explosion
so il we obey the law that rules the world
we will be happy, and If we don't we are
liable to get hurt" said Edison, smiling
grimly.
THE world Is run just like big rail-
road-only better. Here, the system OF
rules is so perfect that the president can
go OF on a vacation whenever he feels
like 1t and all trains will run along as
smoothly as ever. Do you suppose the In :
telllgence in charge of the universe, with
its billions of flying planets. has time On
inclination to be at the beck and call Of
every Tom, Dick and Harry that happens
to stub his toe against one of the eternal
laws and wants the law altered to suit
his selfish convenience? No. sir!''
do you believe in a future lfe." was
asked
"I don't know anything about this life,
to say nothing OF the life hereafter. What
are we here for? Who knows? I don't"
said the inventor turning suddenly around
and peering into my face with look of
sympathy and sadness.
care you happy? Well. most people are
not; many are sick; nearly all are mis-
cradle from some trouble or other. If
I could solve the riddle Of this life might
have some idea about the next. Oh,
don't know" he said meditatively half
closing his eyes and leaning on a bench
In the laboratory. 81 know something
aboust science-about steam and iron and
electricity-but this matter OF destiny
why we came here and wnere we are 60
ing-is beyond my ken"
William T. McClement. professor OF
chemistry in Armour Institute OF Tech
Mythology said:
''The argument from evidences OF de-
sign as shown in the fundamental laws OF
chemistry. seems to me to be so strong as
to be beyond controversy. Year by year
the new relations and affinities Of atoms
and elements are discovered and so We
gradually think Gods thoughts after
Him" The application OF these laws
Gods thoughts in this connection are
producing immeasurable benefits to man.
So Gods thoughts towards US are love.
We gain these benefits. I. e.. mind rules
matter only so far as we apprehend the
laws impressed on matter by It's Creator"
p. s. Henson:
at is a pity for so hopeful beginning
as Mr. Edison makes in his interview to
hand in so lame and !mpotent a conclus-
ion. He says 1t is an insult To the Wis
dom OF the engineer TO ask him 10 do this
or that, as though you knew better how
TO run things than he does. He Is big
enough not 10 need advise from Us little
babies" l answer It is not an insul:
to ask Him FOR things II he has especially
directed US as His children to DO Il. IL Is
not for US 20 advise Him. but TO request
Him. and it Is no; vain thing to pray TO
Him IL ne has conditioned his giving upon
our asking. The real trouble with Mr..
Edison crops out IN his next ut:erance.
when he says: 'Law-absolute IzW-holds
everything in its grip Ike wise This il
a sar indication OF that materfaiistic ten
6ency which is only too common among
scientists 20 defy law and outlaw The
Deity The sdppOsiiion Seems TO be that
law does everything. and from Il there Il
no escape Fire VIII burn. and water Will
fiOw, ana poison will XIII Like causes
under Ike circumstances viii produce like
results and against this Inevitable ard
iHexorable sequence II Is ~ TO use 70
pray. Now. have only to say that a Law