104 SCIENCE IN "BONDAGE" 



with it ; the antiquity of man upon the earth 

 and other matters as to which science is still 

 uncertain. Some of these points might seem to 

 conflict with the Bible and the teachings of the 

 Church. As Catholics we can rest assured that 

 the true explanation, whenever it emerges, can- 

 not be opposed to the considered teaching of the 

 Church. What the Church does and surely 

 it must be clear that from her standpoint she 

 could not do less is to instruct Catholic men 

 of science not to proclaim as proved facts such 

 modern theories and there are many of them 

 as still remain wholly unproved, when these 

 theories are such as might seem to conflict with 

 the teaching of the Church. This is very far 

 from saying that Catholics are forbidden to study 

 such theories. 



On the contrary, they are encouraged to do so, 

 and that, need it be said, with the one idea of 

 ascertaining the truth ? Men of science, Catholic 

 and otherwise, have, as a mere matter of fact, 

 been time and again encouraged by Popes and 

 other ecclesiastical authorities to go on searching 

 for the truth, never, however, neglecting the 

 wise maxim that all things must be proved. So 

 long as a theory is unproved, it must be candidly 

 admitted that it is a crime against science to 

 proclaim it to be incontrovertible truth, yet this 

 crime is being committed every day. It is really 

 against it that the magisterium of the Church is 

 exercised. The wholesome discipline which she 

 exercises might also be exercised to the great 

 benefit of the ordinary reading public by some 



