Year: 1873




ton and Mind" and very interesting Ooii00'


utes to the late John Stuart MIL


THE NATURAL THEOLOGY OF THE mtRTfs' D. D. g5G
FORCES By Professor BESJAAh W. "A'' " - 80
pp. rs Albany. r


The modern doctrine of the correlation OF
forces Is regarded by heoogans as hoshe 10 re-
u,on rvon the cry Of atheism Is sometimes raised
against its expounders, as they were attempting 10
dostro the foundations OF human hope. instead OF


,tratine the facts OF physical science. Indeed 1t has
hecome the habit OF not few timorous spirits 10


consider the results Of scientific research as necessarily
destructye OF eous faith In the preseut essay fro


essor Martini who has perhaps equal claims TO attention


in both the sphere Of physics and metaphysics, taxes
entirely different ground In his view, the new science
furnishes the most valid argument for the old theology
The correlation of forces in the physical world leads in
evitaby 10 the conception Of an Infinite Force in the
spiritual world The unity OF power implied in the cor
relation Of molecular forces Ind its only explanation
in the unity of God Professor Martins reasonings may
not impress every mind being conclusive as they are
subtle and ingenious But they cannot fail to awaken
interest as the attempt iof emnenty philosophical
mind defend the character OF modern science against
the charge of hostile bearing the cause OF religion
The discovery the that the different forces OF ma
ture are but varied manifestations OF the same great
agency he regards as the most important scientific
generalization that has been accomplished since the
time Of Newton The law Of this correlation is equally
happy. 1t is so comprehensive to include the vast
compass of natural phenomena and 20 profound as 10
afford an explanation of the whole mass Eacn
phenomenon is thus presented as an ntellgible result
| OF some modified operation OF the one great
and universal Force of Nature. In this wide formula
science seems to have reached the extreme limit OF
her inquiries No further advance in generality OF e1
preston possible. The problem has been reduced 10


its very simplest form Of statement The whole ORD OF
knowledge stands disclosed in the simple harmony ana
unity Of truth. without applying the law to any forces
except those which relate to physical moton-the gen
| eral agencies which pervade the universe and give
movement TO the atoms which compose it-Professor
Martin engages in an acute analysis Of the facts OF
| erayitatjoD from which he deduces the foundation
principle of natural theology. The law Of the inverse
square which governs the operations OF gravity
also prevails in the attractions Of electricity ana
| magnetism. A similar force is found IN the
action and reaction OF the atoms OF the material world


According to the law OF tho inverse square, its power


increases immensely with every additional reduction OF
the distance. Half the distance gives four times the
force of attractions a reduction TO the tenth part
magnihes the force hundred times; While 10 the
hundredth part the force is raised TO ten thousand
times ita original amount. Under this law, particle
| brought into close proximity with any small mass
must show faint attraction for it, like that which
exists between the movable particles OF fluid and the
inner surface of tube partly immersed in 1t. such
Is capillary attraction. Now bring two molecules INTO
still closer proximity with each other the result Is stl
more powerful attraction like that which found III cay


or chalk and other minerals of small density Let them


come st nearer with minute intervals Of housandhs or


ten thousandths of inch the attraction increasing IN


yersey not as the distance but the square OF the


distance an immense force developed like that which


governs the combinations of chemistry and the cohe-


sion of the pure metallic clements The general theory


involves these mutorm results. The doctrine spreads
beautiful simplicity and clearness Of conception OYerth
whole field Of material action The general forces OF the
universe may thus be regarded forms Of universal gav


ity acting under the single law Of the inverse square,


This accordingly implies the existence of an infinite
force governing each particle of matter. Assuming the
fact for Professor Martins proof OF which we have no
space next inquire what is the subject of this
| infinite force. For force cannot be conceived as
substantive entity It cannot exist alone. IT is not found
floating free in the universe BY its very nature 1T ex-


lists as the quality substance. AS motion never
can be conceived without something to be moved so
force can never be conceived without something TO
which belongs and the existence OF which its own
existence depends. this infinite force cannot he the
| endowment of the elementary atom. That can
! not be the infinite, pOsscse the Infinite.
| The minimum OF possible existence = can
| not exert the maximum Of power II each
particle Of matter conceived exernS infinite
force we must at admit indefinite number OF
innites conception at which all philosophy re-
volts There can be such multiplicity of inhnity
The idea is at war, Professor Martin airms, with all
simplicity and all cOmprehensiveness OF thought. The
cosmos accordingly is no chaos OF conflicting forces
seated in the innumerable atoms OF matter 1t is har
monious unity by the inherent law OF it's being the re-
suit Of single universal and infinite force by which 1t
is pervaded ana controlled every part. To this result


We are inevitably conducted by the doctrine Of the unity
and correlation OF forces. The aspirations Of every
thoughtful mind and the teachings Of theology, are
thus confirmed by the deductions OF science. AT this
point the author takes up the objection that the con-
ceptiOn OF force not identical with the conception Of
God His reply Is based upon the fact that force
OF the necessary ideas Of the human mind 1t is not phe
nomenal not detected by any organ OF sense has no
form or for the eye sound for the ear no odor
nor feel nor taste 1t is neither solid ud nor gaseous,
belongs 10 none OF the regular systems OF crystals COM
bines according chemical formula has place in
any latest list OF elements. Natural science has no
means Of defining it; the conception is metaphysical
not physical, and is derived from the mind
and not from matter. We become acquainted
with force only element Of our own personal expe-
renoe. We are conscious of It's exercise in our own
mental states In thattphere we are familiar with the
conception OF action and action the exercise OF force
The bearing OF this conclusion natural theology is
evident Every force is the quality Of cause but


It is made known to US, in the first instance, as the en-
dow1nent Of the mind The only force of which have
| any immediate knowledge is the force OF our own
minds. Hence infer that the comprehensive
force OF the universe Is the attribute OF
intellectual being like ourselves The phenomena Of
nature moreover indicate the law Of the unknown
| force Is that Of intelligence. 1t has all the charac-
terstics Of spiritual nature, like that Of the human
mind The creative force OF nature Is the attribute OF
an Infinite Cod far the subtle reasonings Of Pro-
fessor Martin will satisfy demands Of theoogans is
not to decide. Some Of them may perhaps maiu
tain that the strictly logical conclusion premises


ia Of no wider compass the fathomess ground Of
Being forth I'm the system of spnoza, the myste
rous unsearchaDle Power that is recognized by the
school OF Herbert Spencer The friends both Of
I a.