280 SAMUEL BKOWN ON THE 



then, to accept blindfold all that has been taught in 

 each age in the name of orthodox religion ? By no 

 means, for I am content to accept the rule laid down 

 by many great and good men, that, although we are 

 bound to receive many things above and beyond our 

 reason, we are never called upon to believe anything 

 contrary to reason and the evidence of the senses. 

 And as it is impossible that what is truly the word of 

 God can conflict with the works of God or the teach- 

 ings of natural science, so, in the interpretation of the 

 Scriptures, science must be the final arbiter as to the 

 meaning, for all true science is founded on sensation 

 and experience. Who would be satisfied with the 

 judgment of a person wholly ignorant of history who 

 presumed to interpret prophecy ? And how does this 

 differ from permitting persons ignorant of science to 

 interpret Scripture where it appears out of harmony 

 with the facts of nature ? The accepted interpretation 

 of doubtful passages of Scripture was fixed by men 

 like ourselves, perhaps not better morally, and certainly 

 immensely less qualified by knowledge of the laws and 

 phenomena of nature. 



One cardinal point in dealing with the question of 

 materialism in this chapter has been the complete aban- 

 donment of the argument from design as even a colla- 

 teral support of revelation. My opinions on this sub- 

 ject were chiefly derived from the conversation and the 

 written works of that man of genius, Samuel Brown, 

 whom, in his too short life, I had the happiness to count 

 among my friends. I think, therefore, that I cannot do 

 better than conclude this work by giving, in his own 

 words, a statement of the argument which was published 



