Year: 1873

RELIGION AND SCIENCE. Bv JosrrH rr CoSTE l?no rr.


524. d. Appleton Co


The scientific emincnce OF the author OF this
volume Will attention 10 his specu.atons ID
theology the present work he has devoted his aIte


ton manly to the Of theological doctrines, III


which he shows an apnese and that not
found in the cultiydors OF ply steal science His views,
ia the man. Of the approved orthodox stamp and
would dscredt 10 pupil OF Princeton or ADdoveE
AT the same time, he freely accepts ibe results OF
modern scientific inquiry which have been supposed
10 he Of dangerous tendency. II not absolutely hostile
TO the interests Of revealed religion But Professor lie
Conte finds no such antagonsm between science and
faith. The collisions between religion and philosophy
which from time TO time occurred in the history OF
tho Church have always terminated he afrms IN favor
OF Christianity. IL will be the at the present day.
For instance the Scriptures TO teach that the earth
is about six thousand years old, while Nature an
nouuces the nconceivable antiquity of the Universe 1t
declares moreover that the creation took place, not
in six days, laid down IN Genesis, bus BY
gradual process OF becoming, each successive con
ditiOn having come out OF the previous condi-
ton by gradual process of evolution according TO law
The science astronomy is old that any attempt
10 adjust its with those OF theology would be
deemed superfuons But this not the with eeo
ogy That science is born OF the present century IL
has opened such immense fields Of intellectual VISION


that the popular mind Is not prepared 10 ADJUST their re-
atons with religious faith Every step In the progress
geology tended 10 sap the foundation OF certain
dogmas relating to the creation OF the world and the
antiquity OF man. Every fact in the history Of
the science points to the origin OF the earth and
OF the organic Kingdom III period ineon-
ceyaby remote. The evidence is Irresistible, though II
cannot be presented in popular discussion On this
point scientific unanimity is complete, and scientific
authority therefore, should also he complete. Hence
new Interpretation must be given 10 Scripture in accord
apce with these Instead Of cnging 10 the out
ward FORM must strive penetrate TO the inner
spirit We must not clothe divine truth in u human
costume and then cOnfound clothing with the
sprtual reality II faith Is petred into formula
when the formula is broken, faith is sInitten with
a mortal blow. Both Nature and the Bible may
he regarded as books The knowledge derived
from the one IL called science. the knowledge
derived from the other is theology. Both OF these books
ayers Professor lie Cone. have the same author ana
are therefore equally true. equally sacred, and equally
authoritative Both Of these books are diSne reyeia
lions The laws of Nature are but the modes Of
operatio of the divine intelligence the forces of Nature
are hui he efficient operations OF the divine viii, the
objects of Nature are but the embodiment OF divine
tbouobts rne difference In these books is Ia the
mazda sf reyelsuoD The one 10 written IN hero
olyphie characters which IL il the duty OF science 10
declpber in SYMBOLIC characters which have
necessary and eternal Significance, IN other words


1t 10 written In the native handwriting OF the Deity
limseIi The Other IL written 10 human letters and
hpIosn wore and 10 tbps brought down ~ human weak