The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1903-08-29

Continued from Page One)
pbalanx of those who. through study of
natural history and discoveries,
achieved great and enduring 1ahle'
served as a ladder for genius TO rise
to God and glorify him.
Kopernikus. the great astronomer,
was "A deyout Catholic. keppler. the
second father of modern astronomy
thanked God for the joys conveyed to
him through admiring observation OF
his works. Calico. one of the most
celebrated masters OF eXperlmehtat
philosophy. was convinced. through
study that both holy scriptures ana
nature emanate from Cod the one CIV
ing expression to the divine spirit the
other being worthy exponents of the
Creators laws.
The study of nature made Lime so
enthusiastic and passionate an adVo-
cate of Gods greatness and wisdom
that his learned essays turned TO
psalms.
"I perceive thy omnipotence in the
works of thy creation, and am like one
stricken daft with admiration and Won
der. Every part Of thy handiwork, the
most infinitesimal as well as the most
sublime. is alive with power and wis
dom. with unspeakable perfection. Inc
benefits that accrue to us poor NOR
tails from thy works prove thy in
finite goodness. their beauty and har-
nony bespeak thy wisdom, their per
petuosity and fruitfulness thy eternal
power"
Fontenelle. who seems to have been
a wandering encyclopedias, could not
restrain from declaring before the
France of the eighteenth century, al
ready stepped in unbelief:
"As far as scientific studies satisfy
but ones thirst for wisdom, they are
rather unimportant; worthy Of the
highest effort they are only when ele-
waiting ones mind to a proper appre-
citation of the creator of the universe.
Science ought to fill every devotee with
feelings of admiration and worship for
God. to whom we are obliged for all
mundane and heavenly benefits"
Alessandro Volta, the immortal dis
coverer of the voltaic pile, or cleo
trical column, was an exemplary Cath
olic, though in his times it was the
fashion to sneer at the faith, and con-.
sidered ii an honor to profess the re-
ligion Of the evangelium.
Faraday, the celebrated chemist,
turned science, of which he was most
enthusiastic adept, into vehicle TO
carry him to God; he never could tol-
crate disbelievers.
We might continue to report on the
religious sentiments Of many great dead
and living celebrities, il we cared not
for time and space. but are inclined
to think that the examples given suG-
flee to illustrate the point we wanted
to make. May those inclined to fabu- |
late on the alleged enmity between |
church and science ponder well on what |
was set forth. As a truth, the rela- |
tions of the church and true science |
We're ever Of the most friendly char |
acter, and no one has a right to say |
otherwise.
Therefore, we ask men of sense not |
to be misled by irrelevant accusations. |
Let it be understood, once and for all, !
that the church is not opposed to the |
study of natural sciences. and that, !
on the contrary, it welcomes every new !
invention turning out a benefit to hu- |
mankind.
The church, we repeat. does not quar-
rel with real science, but rejects, for |
the best of reasons, pseudo science, |
theories that degrade man to the level |
Of the beasts and are apt to destroy
the clements of moral domestic and !
sociological order.