648 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



knows nothing as yet of tlie identity of these elements. In a 

 general way Science is finding out that the processes of Nature 

 are more complex than man supposed, while the elements on 

 which these processes rest, matter and force, are more simple. 

 How far can this generalization go ? To every test human ex- 

 perience has devised each chemical element remains the same, its 

 atoms unchangeable as well as indestructible. Therefore, to 

 speak of them as forms of one substance is to go beyond knowl- 

 edge. Science does not teach this. But to philosophy this offers 

 no difficulty. It is still plausible to suppose that by some com- 

 bination of primitive units these variant atoms are formed. Such 

 an idea would have logical continuity, and, as we are becoming 

 used to the notions of primal unity, we find such an idea satisfy- 

 ing to our consciousness. If this is true, somewhere, somehow, 

 lead will be resolved into its primal elements, and these elements 

 may be united in the form of gold. Then will the dream of the 

 alchemist become fact. But Science must make this objection : 

 " Not until then." Such transmutation is as yet no part of knowl- 

 edge. We certainly do not know that lead can be changed into 

 that which is transmutable into gold. We do not know it, I say ; 

 but may we believe it ? Is the foundation of belief less secure 

 than that of knowledge ? Can we trust Philosophy to tell us 

 what to believe while we must look to Science to tell us what we 

 know ? 



This brings us to the question of definitions. If knowledge 

 and belief are of like rank, both must rest on science, and the re- 

 sults of philosophy must come to science only as hints or sugges- 

 tions as to lines of research. 



If knowledge implies stability and belief does not, the relation 

 of the two is also clear. In that case belief would be a word of 

 light meaning, expressive of whim or of the balance of opinion. 

 Such weight as it has would be drawn from its association with 

 prejudice. Belief would then be the pretense of knowledge as 

 compared with knowledge itself. Among its paths life can not 

 march with courage and effectiveness. It is not for such beliefs 

 as this that the martyrs have lived or died. Their inspiration 

 was the positive belief of science or the negative belief of the 

 falsity of the ideas that tyranny or superstition had forced upon 

 them. 



To avoid a discussion foreign to my purpose, I wish, if possi- 

 ble, to separate the word belief as used in this jjaper from the 

 word religion. The essence of belief is the categorical statement 

 of propositions. These may be built into a creed, which word is 

 the Latin synonym of belief. 



Religion implies rather a condition of the mind and heart an 

 attitude, not a formula. Faith, hope, charity do not rest on logic 



