The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-10-12
Science Recognizing Its own L;mItations

There was a time when science seemed
to have determined to eliminate God from
the universe which He had created. 1t
did so not modestly, but maiestically. Ma.
terialism and mechanism in the opinion OF
this school explained everything. lntel
gent being and doing had no part in crea.
tion. Professor Tyndall reached the high
water mark of the school when he delv.
cred the presidential address of the British
Association thirty years ago. Atomsm,
materlalism, 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 materialism has diminished. Scen.
tiic men find themselves unable to ac.
count for this great globe, and all which IT
inhcrlts on purely materialistic 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.. BaIfour, the
Prime Minister. He is not we admit a
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 a plain, blunt man, with sufficient
knowledge OF science to understand Its
limitations and sufficient knowledge of
philosophy to understand its profound
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 If
Professor Tyndall in Belfast thirty years
ago preached the cold gospel OF material !.
ism. Mr.. Bafour 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 similar occasion declared, that all
science led up to the grand and glorious
idea OF an intelligent Creator. But II he
did not put that into language it was the
spirit of his address. Idealism, as applied
to the Interpretation OF the universe, in.
wolves mind, and mind involves being and
intelligence.
Science and philosophy can 60 a certain
length and then revelation comes in. Kew
eation does not exclude science, it up
holds it. All that it complains OF is that
science sometimes, indeed oftentimes. goes
beyond its domain and claims for its in'
ferences the same authority as for its facts
We hear a great deal about reason, and
| are often told that reason Is the hnal arbl
traitor The reason that explains the ex
istence of the universe and all that it in
! herts as the outcome OF bind chance may
! be reason to some unthinking minds But
! to those who can reason it Is surely 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
I chance Lord Kelvin represents to us the
/ highest development of modern science a:
/ it throws light upon the universe. Anc
| the more he knows and thinks the strong
er is he convinced that there is a great per
sonal Creator behind all.-Be.iast (lre
I land) Witness.