Year: 1874

claim to the light of the laboratory and test
every future deduction by the erperinsntu1n
crucis. A higher method of research than In
duction and more perfect criterion OF truth
than observation are set up; and henceforth
the science of the age, taking its animauon
from the fat of its Tyndalls and Huxleys' Will
soar on the wings of speculation, revelling IN
what its grand master calls ''the scientific use
OF the Imagination


There is something greatly to be depiored
in all this. There was time when the greas
philosopher, William Whewell could open
the British Association with the avowal
that IAN intellectual grasp of material laws
has no moral worth except it be combined
with another movement of the mind, raising
it to the perception of First Cause" There
was time when another not less honored ex-
ponent of science declared in the same assem-
bly:-'Infdelity and irreligion are the off,
spring Of ignorance united to presumption"
On similar occasion the great astronomer
and physicist, Sir John Herschel, proclaimed,
''the time seems to be approaching when q
merely mechanical view of nature will become
impossible;" and, speaking of the very claw
of development" now dei6ed by Mr.. Tyndall
and Mr. Darwin. asserted, with all en-
phasis: 'Take the amazing facts of geology
which way we will, we must resort elsewhere
than to mere speculative law Of development
for their explanation" These grand utter
ances of men who were patriarchs in science
before our Belfast scientists were fedged ara
now disowned and repudiated, and the
friendly guides who have led the science Of
this century up to its commanding heights are
dismissed in disgrace Henceforth the shib-
boleth Of science will be evolution" and
the heterodox philosopher will find that there
is hierarchy Of evolution as imper:ous. az
relentless and bitter in its persecution as tho
religious hierarchy against which Professsccts Profescs
Tyyn6daii utters his defiant and aggressive bull
Of excommunication.


1t were next to idle to attempt any refita-
tion of the wild assertions, which in the name
of intellectual liberty and free philosophic re-
search have been so copiously vented at Bel
fast It is difficult to fight an enemy in
thicket, enveloped in fog or shrouded in
dense smoke which he has kindled. This ID
the confessed state Of the case. "The strength
of the doctrine of evolution consists, says
Professor Tyndall himself, ''not in expert
mental demonstration (or the subject ia
hardly accessible to this mode Of proof. but
in its general harmony with the method OF
nature as hitherto known" In fact, the
highest process of reasoning claimed by the
evolutionist is inferential. ''The condor ia
circling in the sky; therefore lion is devour-
ing horse below. The sheep turn their
tails to the southwest; therefore there will bd
gale from that quarter" And yet, while
allowing that his magnificent speculations
cannot be tested by departmental demonstra-
tion," the great specuator requires his
hearers to dismiss everything unfriendly to
his fancy, even the inspired account of tho
creation as given in the Mosaic narrative.


We have no hesitation in saying the day
was an ill-fated one for science when the war
on Scripture and Christianity was declared at
Belfast Those who have enlisted at that mar
tial call must consent to part with the glory Of
science, inherited from the Christian philoso-
phers-the Newtons, the Youngs, the Whew-
ellis, the Faradays-and enter upon an unequal
strife, in which victory itself would be but a
shame and defeat. No change Of programme
can be expected from the leaders Of British
science, who are welded to their idols Can
no counter movement, which shall confront
that inaugurated at Belfast, be undertaken on
this side the water?