DISCUSSION 93 



has grown to a mighty flame. His action has pro- 

 voked this meeting, and the enormous attendance 

 proves how deeply interested people are in the 

 subject under discussion. We are dealing with 

 the old conflict between the Church and Science 

 the conflict which has raged for centuries, and to 

 which men like Galileo, Columbus, etc., have more 

 or less fallen victims. Father Wasmann's peculiar 

 position gives the struggle an unusual character 

 on this occasion. The priest, the representative 

 of the Church, appears under the form of a scientist. 

 Hitherto the Church has approached us only under 

 the guise of the priest, now she consents to deal 

 with natural science, and we scientists welcome 

 this as a hopeful sign, pointing to the possibility 

 of a reconciliation between us. It is true that such 

 serious questions cannot be decided at large public 

 meetings, but Father Wasmann wished to hear the 

 critical opinions of his fellow-workers, and so I 

 said to myself : ' We scientists ought not to refuse 

 to state our convictions. It may be impossible to 

 avoid hard words, but they are aimed not at the 

 man, but at his subject.' 



In my closing speech I dealt fully with the 

 objections raised by this my chief opponent, 

 and therefore, in order to avoid repetitions, 

 I will limit myself here to the most indispens- 

 able remarks, and will content myself with 

 pointing out that in my lectures / did not 



