The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-02-16
CARDINAL GIBBONS
REPLIES TO EDISON
Says Published Views on Religion
Show He Has Manned Mind Like
Darwin and Others.

NEW YORK, Feb. 16.-Cardinal
Gibbons replies to the printed opin
ions of Thomas A. Edison, in an in
terview in the Columbian magazine
He says: -
Il regret exceedingly that he has
given such views to the public, Tor
admire Mr.. Edison's genius Some
belittle him as mere mechanic.
have no patience with such q view,
for no man could achieve what Mr.
Edison has without extraordinary
mental powers. He Is the representa-
tive of American inventive genius
and has brought glory upon our coun-
try I'm the whole world; he Is truly a
marvel. and, as well, great benefac-
tor of the race. He has been intense
ly devoted to his pursuits, and he has
paid the penalty, just as Darwin did,
Just as so many Of our great men do.
Darwin bemoaned at the end OF
his life, you know, that his intense de
votion to scientific investigation had
atrophied his sense of poetry, OF
music, and I know not what; / would
add. his sense of religion, for the
religious spirit, II not cultivated, will
die, too.
so has It been with Mr.. Edison
he has MANNED his own mind, just as
Darwin did, by a too one sided ex-
ercise Of its powers. He talks with
great freedom, and I say with not q
little contempt, of theology; but one
suspects that he has been too occu.
pied and perhaps too contemptuous
- 4r
its study. One suspects that his &C
quaintance with II is almost limited
to fragmentary "reminiscences OF ser
mons heard in boyhood days.
Here Is a scientist who proclaims
dogmas to the public. and he seems
10 ask us TO believe them because he
believes them. II he spoke as the
head of a school he might refer us To
their arguments; but | do not know
for whom he speaks. Not for the ma
terialist. because he believes matter
cannot explain all mot for the idealis'
| for he believes In matter; not for thS
| monist evidently; not for the agnos
| tic, for he acknowledges a supreme
intelligence; nor for tho pantheist, &C
| far, at least, as he reveals his mind
In fact, cannot place Mr.. Edison
do not know any school that wodlt
claim him. All | can be sure OF II
that he dogmatizes his own account
"The most striking instance of hi,
dogmatism Is his fundamental lsser
ton tht cells have intelligence. Mr.
Edison does not prove this: he doe:
not try TO prove Il; he asserts IL, over
and over again, and perhaps some
simple people will believe II Is true.
Those who persevere TO the enc
may be saved-by philosophy? Blu
! the world was never governed by
philosophy; IL has never wanted to be
and IL never will be. christianity
knows the nature of man: IL has IA
deeper wisdom than was ever dream
ed OF in the philosophy of the grea
thinkers
"One thing | am glad OF Is that Mr.
Edison recognizes the existence OF 9
supreme intelligence To me the
whole world testihes this. Il Is good
10 me that he cannot conceive OF blind
evolution as accounting for IL, nor for
the wonders OF nature. Mechanism
alone, as he says, cannot explain this
world; only supreme intelligence
could produce IL. rule Il. and bring
II TO Il sperfectlon
Proof, proof! he says, that Is
what ] have always bean after: and
be claims to accept no scientific fact