The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-03-04
NOT THE LAST WORD or FAITH.

To THR EDITOR OF THE SuS-Sr! lou
printed Prof. Goodwin Smiths Last Word
hve-elghths of a column. OF scientific conclu-
sions Tor professed non-conolusions), Sunday
February 4. 1900. | once met Professor
Smith. enjoyed half an hours conversation
with him, heard his Grafton at a st. George
society banquet, and love the man. Great
is he In Science, no doubt. II read his Last
Word" Alright. II is this. that with all tho gen
tility of his large dnd generous heather mihu'
with as much courtesy and dondescensloh as
possible toward me and my taith ana nope
he drives his argument straight on 10 per
feet agnostlcism. His Science has no eVl-
dence of God. no evidence OF future lie, no
evidence of Hell, no evidence OF Satan, no
evidence Of Jesus Christ. but the overwhelm-
ing weight of probability, in the light OF
Science, that the grave Is the end OF all.
Now, from q poor. honorable place at the
tail end Of the Philadelphia bar, with no pre-
tenee to scientific attainment, | beg leave 10
rise and ask a question.
VIII Mr.. Smith sum up the weight OF soien-
tihc probabilities for and against tina propo-
sition that THE Sun be converted to run It's
daily date line from some point as Will make
IL properly read: IN the Year OF the Last
Word Of Science" or that 1t shall continue
its date lines: in the Year Of our Lord, March
4, 1905; March 4, 29O8; March 4, q $500, " &c'2 .
Or will he propose. in honor OF Science,
some datum, without reference to his modest
SELF on which he may possibly hope TO unite
his fellow scientists, and say, with a view 10
the next Presidential inauguration, that the
minute Of the nation should read ike this'
March 4, in the Year OF the Last Word" Of Sci
ence, and in the Year OF the United States OF Amer
lea the one hundred and thirty second, Mr.. Blank
Blank was inaugurated President and made the
mouth OF ONCE. believing in no Father, no Son. no
Holy Ghost, no future state, no Hell, no SATAN
II he, or scientists in full fellowship with
him, have answered that, then another re-
quest:
win they define "Sin"P What is sin? Has
the Age OF Science in that fellowship any use
for the word? Why has it not been by them
abolished from the dictionary? How did II
get into the language?
II there be no sin, nc Satan, author OF Sin,
no Father of Lies. no Fatherhood OF God, no
standard fixed outside of the "leaky pot.
nothing sure but everlasting lux. ana
death ends all without the possibility OF huS
Just there), then the blackmailer and Drloe
taking legislator tof which THE Sun makes
motel may be doing nicely. yea. better than
the one who foollshly INDUCES In the costly
| and unsclentlhc, honest execution of his oath.
1t seems to me that upon such prominently
heather scientific attainments as those OF the
we'll beloved Goldwi IN Smith must fall a large
share OF responsibility for explanations OF
the appearance of two subordinate extremes
of their scientific fellowship recently much
in evidence In the press, one set OF which
promises at an early probable day to be equal
to the creation of lives out of chemicals,
while the other set (notably in Ohio, Mother
of Presidentsl is appealing to the Legislature
for the privilege of mercifully putting in
curables to painless death. They seek to be
relieved In such case OF liability to an indict-
ment for murder. in It's historic manner and
form reading: Having not the fear OF God
In their hearts" OF course, II God be not
and He'll be not, the words Of the indictment
| are misleading. How did they get there?
would rather have the honor of spe aking
the word or uttering the prayer or dropping
the tear that might, through Gods direct
| revelation in his heart, lead Goodwin Smith
to confession Of Jesus Christ than to have
the highest human glory, even to be inaugu-
rated President of the United States March 4.
in the year Of our Lord 1909 and Of the United
States the one hundred and thirty-second.
II Goodwin Smith cannot see the difference
between sinful men (e. q. himself and myself
and the sinless Jesus he Is no scientist.
Your leading New York church statistician
has Just put forth figures tending to show a
disheartening further decline OF the called
| Christian Church forces ofthe United States.
In the midst of the ripping wide open proc
esses, the tumbling Of houses and strong
holds, the multiplying perils to city, State
and nation, the bloodshed In Russia. the
menace in China, the million starving in
Japan, the crisis in our coal reg ions, the
ship Of State right near the rock OF Socialism,
it seems to a poor Philadelphia lawyer at
the tail end of the American bar that the
great needs of the time are reneYed faith In
the Doxology. love that is the fulfilling OF
the law, " that kind OF love whose last word
was: Father in heaven forgive them. they
know not what they do"
And until a change is duly authorized. the
date Of this may be set down as March 8
A. ID. 1905. JAMES fEARsLEf.
PHILADELPHIA, March 3.