The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1928-03-02
Glance and ReEigiion---and Oil

p
ply that he had no need of such an
hypothesis was essentially correct
To leave God out of human affairs
is indeed a catastrophe and science
alone is woefully inadequate in it,
Interpretation of the universe. Where
science leaves off is the place for re-
ligion to begin. Religion has solid
ground upon which to stand in its af
firmation of moral and spiritual
values, and of the foundations of
a supreme Being, of whence and
whittier Of human existence. But
when it steps over the line and begins
to dictate to science it is altogether
out of place.
The key to the whole problem lies
in the Interpretation of the Bible. If
it is a Book verbally inspired with
out any admiXture of error for its |
matter; if it is a final and complete |
revelation of all truth as the so-called
Fundamentalists insist then DIR. |
OlsOn's treatment of Science and Re |
ligiOn was most admirable and we
should all be apostles of Bryan. We
are coming to see, however, that such
view of the Bible is impossible and
that religion does not rest upon any
such foundation. Jesus, himself, in
speaking to his followers of the Old
, Testament said that it was crude and
incomplete and that his Interpretation
of religion was far in advance of it.
The Bible is a book of religion and
not of science. The unique feature Of
the first chapters of Genesis, for in
stance, is not the scientific data sup
? piled but rather the wondrOus fact
: that back of all creation there is God.
1t nowhere attempts an explanation
of the processes thru which God brot
, the world into being. That is a mat
ter for science to reveal, in so far as
it is able. Whether or not we believe
= in the theory of evolution does not
!, affect in any sense the contribution
II of the book of Genesis. Even the
5 evolutiOnist, if he would know the
. whole story, must go back and say "In
the beginning God :"
One matter in the address on Sci
q ence and Evolution which carried con-
/ siderable weight was the situation in
l. our universities and colleges where
a the teaching of evolution apparently
II is destroying the religious faith of
D. hundreds of boys and girls, a serious
u situation we grant. We are not will
2 ing to admit, however, that the fault
10 is all on the side of the scientist. TIC
10 be sure he has been at fault in teach.
II ing material processes and refusing
n to look beyond for the Creator who
is back of all these processes. He has
ne overstepped his rightful bounds il
n coming over to the fields of religion
e. and philosophy and saying that {
nj spiritual Interpretation of the universe
Tn is impossible. We should be careful
)n to lay the blame on the scientist ant
ne not on his science. 1t is very encour
e. aging to US who believe in religion tt
ry note that even the scientists are com
e. ing to see that there is somethin,
IN very real beyond this material uni
en- verse. A modern writer in the fiel
an of religion has we'll stated the case:
It's 'The danger that Naturalism, wit
ST. its elimination of God and Purpos
OF from the world, should establish il
ID self permanently as the proper philC
sly sophy of science, may be said to hav
on passed 49,. and if one salient featur
S. of our time is the increasing applics
Ne tion to religious problems of tn
Ia knowledge won by science, surely al
ere other is the increasing appreciate
by scientific men of the Spiritus
an meaning latent in their physic;
lg- knowledge. Scientific experience, flu
AN ly interpreted, means God e"
the On the other hand our boys ar
ow girls have gone to college with fait
n. in the Bible as a scientific book, We
to bally inspired, and without any pc
err sibility of errors between its cover
ose Ideas of God revealed in the book
18th Genesis have been on par with tho
sci in the gospels. 1t is simple enous
gle that such a religious faith cam
,m- stand in the face of science. WIZ
dis a student is faced with the problem
on of geology, the records of millions
7lsh years written in the rocks he cam
OF accept that science and hold to h
for belief that the world was created
ant the year 4004 B. G. 1t was just su
conflict in the past century betwe
ans science and an impossible interpret
be ton of religion that produced men Ii
day Robert Ingersoll. The two could I
and possibly stand together and in accel
ida ing one the other had to be rejectet
han The solution of the whole probl'
: to lies in an Interpretation of reigi
lest consistent with findings in OIL
tn. realms of human knowledge. The
adj sential message of Christianity is t.
has and if preachers will preach Il
'und message instead of struggling to
was fend outworn dogmas and creeds
d to world, even the scientists, will gla
incl hear them.
the