The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-10-12
Science Recognizing Its Own Limitations

There was time when science seemed
to have determined to eliminate God from
the universe which He had created. II
did so not modestly, but maiestically. Ma.
terialism and mechanism in the opinion of
this school explained everything. Intelli
gent being and doing had no part in crea.
tion. Professor Tyndall reached the high.
water mari; of the school when he delv
cred the presidential address of the British
Association thirty years ago. Atomsm,
materlallsm, represented the long results
of science, according to the latest and
greatest master OF the new cult
Men have gone on thinking and inquir
ing from that hour to this, and the won
derful thing is that as knowledge has in.
creased materialsm has diminished. Scien.
tfic men find themselves unable to ac.
count for this great globe, and all which 1t
inherts on purely materialstic lines, and
the best OF them are not afraid to admit
their failure
The latest exponent of the views of the
British Association Is Mr. Balfour the
Prime Minister. He is not. we admit,
practical scientist, neither is he practical
theologian. He does not claim to be one
or other. All he claims for himself is that
he is plain, blunt man, with sufficient
knowledge OF science to understand its
limitations, and sufficient knowledge OF
philosophy to understand its profound
depths. To follow in all its detail his ad.
dress at the opening of the British Asso-
citation on Tuesday would be too laborious
a task for our limited intelligence and lin.
tied space. 1t is sufficient to say that il
Professor Tyndall in Belfast thirty years
ago preached the cold gospel of material.
ism, Mr.. Balfour cast out that gospel, and
avowed that only in idealism could be
| found an Interpretation and explanation
of the marvellous phenomena OF the uni
| verse.
Mr. Balfour did not carry his own ideas
as far as we would have liked to see them
carried. He did not say, as Lord Kelvin
| on a similar occasion declared, that all
science jed up to the grand and glorious
idea of an intelligent Creator. But If he
did not put that into language it was the
spirit of his address. 1dealism, as applied
| to the Interpretation OF the universe, in.
wolves mind, and mind involves being and
| intelligence.
Science and philosophy can go a certain
length and then revelation comes in. lev
elation does not exclude science, it up
holds it, All that it complains OF is that
science sometimes, indeed oftentlmes, goes
beyond its domain and claims for its in.
ferences the same authority as Tor its facts;
We hear a great deal about reason, and
are often told that reason is the final arbi.
traitor. The reason that explains the ex'
istence of the universe and all that 1t in
! herits as the outcome of blind chance may
be reason to some unthinkng minds. But
to those who can reason it is sure ~ more
/ rational to attribute all we are and all we
| know to an intelligent Being than to blind
force, mechanical action or the operation
OF laws which come into operation by
chance. Lord Kelvin represents to us the
highest development OF modern science as
it throws light upon the universe. And
the more he knows and thinks the strong
er is he convinced that there Is great per
sonal Creator behind all.-Beliast (lre
land) Witness.