Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-02-08
TOO MUCH SCIENCE.
SAY THE UNIVERSITY PROBES
SORS OF CHICAGO.

The Students Send in Questions that Indicate
State Of Mind Bordering on Atheism
They Find the Study of Miracles by the
Light Of Science to be Stumbling Block.
Divinity professors at the University
OF Chicago were surprised and grieved
at the skeptical character Of the ques-
tions propounded to them by the stu
dents lately after the delivery OF ad
dresses, in which the subject of mir.
acles was discussed. A condition ol
mind closely verging upon atheism
was manifested in one or two of the
questions, and the serious displeasure
OF the professors was plainly evident.
The questions were all anonymous,
being handed in on slips OF paper, un-
signed.
One questioner had the temerity to
ask Professor Smaller Matthews whom
he was addressing at the opening OF
the conference when he said, Let us
pray" The boldness of this question
startled the entire audience into 81.
lence, and Professor Matthews face
bore an expression of pain as he re-
piled in quiet voice:
"The person who asks this question
is perhaps trying to reduce me to an
absurdity. addressed my remarks to
God, and I asked you to join with me
in giving your lives and service into
his keeping now and always. prayed
to him as father who loves as we'll
as we. Prayer is the deepest element
of mans life. doubt if there is any
man, however irreligious, who does
not pray at some crises of his life."
Professor John NJ. Coulter, who
stated in his address that "the study
of medieval theology has led us away
from God and the study OF science has
brought us back" was also the target
for many questions regarding his views
of the unscientific authorship of the
Bible, and his replies were so convinc-
ing to the audience as to elicit fire.
quent applause.
eff the Christian Bible is not up to
the standards of the modern scien-
tists," some one inquired, "would it
not he advisable fur scfenrisrs 70 Tor
mulate an up-to-date Bible TO take
the place OF the old?"
Il am sorry to note the sneer in
that query" said Professor Coulter,
because it seems to me out OF harmony
with the spirit of this gathering and
its purpose. l think no one will deny
that the men who wrote the Bible
were not so we'll versed in science and
scientific methods OF thinking as the
scholars of to-day. But this does not
in any sense reflect upon their fitness
for the work OF writing what they did.
1t was not the business of the scrip
ture writer's to teach science"
The miracles of the New Testament
seemed to be most perplexing to the
students, and many inquiries were
made concerning the resurrection Of
Christ, the immaculate conception,
and Christ walking on the water.
The replies in general were to the
effect that the historical evidence of
these miracles was sufficient to Justify
belief in them, but that such belief
was not essential to the acceptance of
the principles of Christianity. The
question OF divine healing in the
present day was raised by one, who
asked:
"How do you account for the heal
ings by Dowie? l was cured of con-
sumption seven years ago by his prayer
treatment"
There was a general laugh at this,
and Professor Matthews lodged the
issue by saying:
"Far be it from me to deny q fact,
and far be it from me to say that God
has abandoned the world But still
have some choice as to the channel
through which I shall approach him."
Another inquirer wanted to know
what science had to say about Christ
walking on the water.
"Science has nothing whatever to
do with it," said Professor Coulter.
1t is purely a matter of history. If
history can prove that this happened,
science will not deny it,"
Professor George s. Goodspeed, in
discussing the miracles of the Old
Testament, said that the atmosphere
in which the authors lived was not a
scientific one and that the writers
were unscientific and uncritical.
"Some of the Old Testament mira
cles may be ascribed to tradition,
handed down by word of mouth
through generations" said Professor
Goodspeed. Some were never in
tended to be regarded as history. The
Book of Jonah was written as fiction,
biblical novel desigded to teach q
great religious lesson. Many of the
miraculous narratives were not merely
Hctions, but stories told in poetry"
Professor Matthews discussed the
miracles of the New Testament. He
said that no man is released from the
obligations of a Christian life because
he cannot accept the miraculous ele.
ment of the Bible, because truth does
not depend upon external circum-
stance.