The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-09-17

IF we had to summarize the main
trend Of physical controversy at pres
ent feel inclined to urge that IL
largely turrs on the question as to
which way ultimate victory lies in
the fight between continuity and dis.
continuity"
Sir oliver then discussed the atomic
theory. which he said might be ex.
pressed as an invasion of number into
unsuspected regions" and also the
controversial topic Of the principle Of
relativity. IF that principle in an ex-
treme sense establishes itself, he said,
lit wOul dseem as II even time would
become disc ontinuous and be supplied
In atoms. ss money Is doled out IN
pence or centimes instead Of continu-
ously-in which case our customary
existence will turn out to be no more
really continuous than the events on
a cinematograph screen-while that
great agent Of continuity, the ether
of space. Will be relegated to the mu-
scum of historical curiosities.
"The ether of space Is at least the
great engine Of continuity. 1t may
be much more. for without it there
could hardly be a material universe at
all.
II hold that science Is Incompetent
to make comprehensive denials, even
about the ether, and that 1t goes
wrong when 1t makes the attempt"
This led the speaker to the argu-
ments that concluded with his utter
ances concerning life after death. At
tacking the school of arbitrary scien-
lists who attempt to account for all
things by precise scientific laws, he
said:
"They account for things up to n
point. But do they account for every
thing completely? Do they account
for our own feeling Of Joy and exal-
tation, for our sense of beauty, for
the manifest beauty existing through
out nature? DO not these things sug-
gest something higher and nobler and
more joyous. something for the sake
OF which all the struggle for ex-
istence goes on?
Surely there must be q deeper
meaning involved In natural objects.
Orthodox explanations are only par
tial, though true as far as they CO.
Flowers attract insects for fertiliza-
tion, and fruit tempts animals to eat
IL In order to carry seeds. But these
explanations cannot be final. We still
have to explain this competitive striv-
ing toward life. Surely the effort
must have some significance--the de-
velopment of some aim. We thus
reach the problem Of existence itself
and the meaning of evolution. II We
dogmatize in q negative direction and
say that We can reduce everything to
physics and chemistry. We gibbet our
selves as ludicrously narrow pedants
ard are falling short of the richness
and fullness Of our human birthright
How far preferable is the reverent at
titude of the Eastern poet;
THE world with eyes bent upon
thy feet stands In awe with all its
silent stars
But IL we have learned from
science that evolution is real, we have
learned great deal. but certainly
from the point of view Of science, evo-
luton is great reality.
THAT evolutionary progress Is real
IL a doctrine of profound Significance
and our efforts at social betterment
are justified becaue we are u part of
the scheme. a part that has become
conscious, a part that realizes, dimly
at any rate. what 1t Is doing and what
IL is aiming at.
Either we are immortal beings or
we are not. We may not know our
destiny, bat We must have a destiny
of some sort Those who make de-
mails are just as likely to be wrong
AZ those who make assertions; I'm
tact. derials are assertions thrown
into negative form. Science may not