SCIENCE AND RELIGION. 441 



by faith ; that is, we believe in the probabilities sufficiently to act 

 upon them. 



So far from any conflict being bet\veen science and religion, their 

 bases are the same, their modes are similar, and their ends are identi- 

 cal, viz., wliat all life seems to be, that is, a discipline of faith. 



It is not proper to despise knowledge, however gained : whether 

 from the exercise of the logical understanding, or from consciousness, 

 or from faith ; and these are the three sources of knowledge. That 

 which has been most undervalued is the chief of the three ; that is, 

 faith. 



We believe before we acquire the habit of studying and analyzing 

 our consciousness. "We believe before we learu how to conduct the 

 processes of our logical understanding. 



"We can liave much knowledge by our faith witliout notice of our 

 consciousness, and without exertion of our reasoning faculties ; but 

 we can have no knowledge without faith. We can learn nothing from 

 our examination of any consciousness without faith in some principle 

 of observation, comparison, and memory. We can acquire no knowl- 

 edge by our logical understanding without faith in the laws of mental 

 operations. 



This last statement, if true, places all science on the same basis 

 with religion. Although so familiar to many minds, we may take 

 time to show that it is true. 



For proof let us go to a science which is supposed to demonstrate 

 all its propositions, and examine a student in geometry. We will not 

 call him out on the immortal 4V : I of Euclid. We can learn all we 

 need from a bright boy who has been studying Euclid a week. The 

 following may represent our colloquy: 



Q. Do you know how many right angles may be made by one 

 straight line upon one side of another straight line ? 



A. Yes ; two, and only two. Innumerable angles may be made 

 by two straight lines so meeting, bvit the sum of all the possible an- 

 gles will be two right angles. 



Q. You say you know that. How do you know that you know it ? 



A. Because I can prove it. A man knows every proposition 

 which he can demonstrate. 



Q. Please prove it to me. 



The student draws the well-known diagrams. If lie follows Eu- 

 clid, he begins with an argument like this : 



A. Tliere are obviously two angles made when a straight line 

 stands on another straight line. 



Q. My eyes show me that. 



In answer he gives us the well-known demonstration of Euclid, 

 to show that the sum of the two angles is equal to two right angles; 

 and, Avhen he has finished and reached the Q. E. D., he and his exam- 

 iners know that this proposition is true, because he has proved it. 



