• KNOWLEDGE • 



[Nov. i, 16H\. 



8p««cially within thoir province, arc not at one in inter- 

 preting. Hilt whon thr tpii'Htion i.s of tlio trutli of tlio.sn 

 si-inntitic vi<>ws wliicli aro oj>|)U(;noJ, or a.s to tlu> licariii^ 

 of Scifm-f (fciioraiiy on llclijfion, tlii^ ca-so is dift'croiit. 

 rtoiimco may roa.sonalily an.swcr quo.stion.s relating to tho 

 infliinnco of .sciontitio di.sc'ovi-ric.s on tlin human mind. 



Tho groat olijcction raised against modoni .science appears 

 to be in tho rnaii\ this, that it enlargas unduly our ideas of 

 the Tastne.ss of CJotl's domain in space, of tho immensity 

 of the time periods during whicli lleact.s, and in fine, of 

 Ilia inconceivaMo power and wi.sdoni. We may admire 

 the wi.sdom of the Almighty, aa .shown in the pebble, or the 

 rock, in the flower or in the tree, in tho in.sect or the 

 ■animal, nay, we may even .so far ext<"nd our vision as to 

 iivognise th<" laws under which a stratum, or a forest, or a 

 race of animals, p(>rhaps even a continent, or a flora, or a 

 fauna, had their origin and passed through their various 

 stages of development But we must not e.\tend owr 

 survey further. To see Ood's hand in these. His wisdom 

 in the laws by whicli they are formed, is to be religious and 

 good, but to trace His power and wi.sdoni on a largiT scale 

 is to be irreligious and wicked. Evolution on the small 

 scale we may atlniit without harm ; but to see evolution in 

 the dov lopnient of a world or a world-.system, and still 

 more tooseo evolution throughout the entire universe as 

 revealed to man, this is " to set God on one side in the 

 name of Universal Evolution." 



It is unfortunate that those who take this view of the 

 general scope of modern scientific research had not been 

 careful at an earlier date to explain, when admitting the 

 growth of a tree, a forest, or a flora — of an animal, a race, 

 or a fauna, according to natural laws, and even explaining 

 (a3 many of them did) the wonderful nature of the laws 

 according to which such growths took place, that they 

 wished it to be clearly understood that in thus recognising 

 the action of law tliey were rejecting the idea that the 

 Almighty fashioned the plant or the animal, the forest or 

 the race, the flora or the fauna, or indeed, aught| (animate 

 or inanimate) the development of which man is able to 

 study through all its stages. Because, if it Jiad been 

 clearly understood that wherever they recognised growth 

 and development as the results of law, they were assured 

 such results could not possibly be attributed to the 

 Almighty, Science might perhaps, (though it seems un- 

 likely) have been deterred from researches leading to the 

 distressing conclusion that there is development according 

 to law on the greater scale as well as on the less ; nay, 

 that to all appearance law prevails throughout the entire 

 domain of the Almighty in space and during the entire 

 period of time in which he acts — that is, throughout 

 infinity of space, and during eternity of time. 



As regards the actual evidence of the vastness of space 

 and the immensity of time tliroughout which the action of 

 law extends, it may suffice to say that only the very ignorant 

 or the \'ery dull can for a monu^nt entertain doubt. Unless 

 tlie evidence given by earth and heaven has been specially 

 devised to mislead man, or unless the reasoning powers be- 

 stowed on man by God have been given but to lead him 

 astray (conceptions alike blasphemous and unreasonalile), 

 there can be no manner of doubt that on the one hand the 

 universe is infinitely larger than it was suppo.sed to be 

 before the days of Copernicus and Kepler, Galileo and 

 Newton ; or that, on the other hand, our earth has lasted, 

 and will last, thousands of times as long as had been sup- 

 posed liefore its structure had been examined ; the solar 

 system millions of times as long as had been supposed 

 before its movements had been studied ; the galaxy of stars 

 yet longer ; the higher order of systems to which that 

 "alaxv belongs for periods so vast, that to all intents and 



purposes they extend (in our conception) to absolute 

 eternity — in tho paat as in tho future. 



As to the influence which a result such as this should have 

 upon men's minds, it should perhaps suffice to say that those 

 who believe that the Almighty is all-wise eis well as all- 

 powerful ought not to fear le.st tho discovery of truth from 

 the study of His universe should produce evil effects. 



But I go much further than thi.s, and .say that of all 

 possible forms of teaching, those derived from or based 

 upon science must be most Itenoficial in the religious .sense, 

 not using the words science and religion in their ordinary 

 narrow significance, but in their wide,st and noblest. 

 " Doubtless," as Herbert Spencer has well said, " science 

 is antagonistic to tho superstitions that pass under the 

 name of religion ; but not to the essential religion which 

 these superstitions merely hide. Doubtless, too, in much 

 of the science that is current there is a pervading spirit of 

 irreligion ; but not in the true science which has passed 

 beyond the superficial into the profound." Or, as Huxley 

 has even more pointedly remarked, " True Science and 

 true Religion are twin-sisters, and the separation of either 

 from the other is sure to prove the death of both. 

 Science prospers exactly in proportion as it is religious, 

 and religion flourishes in exact proportion to the scientific 

 depth and firmness of its basi.s. The great deeds of philo- 

 sophers have been less the fruit of their intellect than of 

 the direction of that intellect by an eminently religious 

 tone of mind. Truth has yielded herself rather to their 

 patience, their single-heartedness, and their self-denial, 

 than to their logical acumen." To which may be added 

 the noble saying of Carlyle, that " to know the Divine 

 laws and harmonies of this universe must always be the 

 highest glory of a man, and not to know them the greatest 

 disgrace for a man." 



But we may fairly go even further than this. We need 

 not be content to defend, or merely to justify, or even to 

 laud. Science in its relation to Religion. W^e may assert 

 without fear of valid contradiction that the neglect of 

 science is irreligious. For what is such neglect (where 

 men have time and leisure for the work) but the refusal to 

 study the works of the Creator ? And ia what position, 

 logically, does a man stand who praises the Creator in 

 words, but declines to study His creation ? " Suppose," 

 says Spencer, " a writer were daily saluted with praises 

 couched in superlative language. Suppose the wisdom, the 

 grandeur, the beauty of his works were the constant topics 

 of the eulogies addressed to him. Suppose those who un- 

 ceasingly uttered these eulogies on his works were content 

 with looking at the outside of them, and had never opened 

 them, much less tried to understand them. What value 

 should we put upon their praises 1 \Miat should we think 

 of their sincerity 1 Yet, comparing small things to great, 

 such is the conduct of mankind in general in reference to 

 the universe and its cause." 



The study of science implies the surest belief that God's 

 works are worth study, the fullest recognition that the author 

 of those works is worthy of our reverence. It is the truest 

 kind of homage, in that it is not homage expressed merely 

 in words, l)ut homage shown in work, in service, in sacri- 

 fice. The man of science, in fine, refuses to ofler to the 

 Almighty "the unclean sacrifice of a lie." He oflers 

 him instead (in the search for truth) the sacrifice of time, 

 of labour, and of thought. His very questions imply the 

 fulness of his faith : — 



This is his homage to the niiKhtior powers. 

 To ask his boldest question, undismayed 

 By muttered threats that some hysteric sense 

 Of wrong or insult will convulse the throne 

 Where Wisdozi reigns supreme. 



