330 MAN OF SCIENCE. 



speculation to which it pointed the way, we need not in- 

 quire. This, however, I will venture to say : first, that he 

 would have distinctly declared, as, indeed, he did with 

 reference to the old theory of development, that Mr Dar- 

 win's doctrine has no necessary affinity with atheism ; 

 secondly, that he would have subjected the facts and 

 reasonings of Mr Darwin and his followers to a scrutiny 

 more searching than they have yet received ; and thirdly, 

 that, if he had found them incontrovertible, he would, 

 without a moment's hesitation, have proclaimed his as- 

 sent to them. His reverence for God's truth was infi- 

 nitely deeper than his regard for his own conceptions of 

 it. That truth he would accept, howsoever and when- 

 soever it was revealed, conscious that the wilful misread- 

 ing of nature is a sin against Him whose ordinance 

 nature is. Strange imagination, that the Ineffable One 

 is less honoured by reverent caution and hesitation, , 

 "by child-like fingering among the letters of His name 

 and child-like diffidence in spelling it out, than by 

 vociferous dogmatism on the subject ! Hugh Miller 

 dared not force his conscience to lie to God by brib- 

 ing his intellect to lie for God. His writings on 

 those high questions which belong to the border-land 

 between science and theology have a perennial value, 

 not because of the finality of their matter, but be- 

 cause of the Tightness of their manner. With true 

 reverence and sterling integrity, he discoursed of the 

 relations between physical and moral law in this uni- 

 verse, and the reciprocal bearings of God's revelation of 

 Himself in matter and by matter His Works; and 

 His revelation of Himself in mind and by mind His 

 Word. 



It is to be noted that Miller, while contending against 

 the inadequate and erroneous theories of development 



