SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND BIBLICAL STUDY. 39 



and history in the Bible, I think we must come to the conclusion 

 that if there are any difficulties still remaining it becomes all to 

 be exceedingly careful how they put them forward. It is certain 

 in every case that scientific fact has never conflicted with Bible 

 fact. What has conflicted has been scientific inference; but that 

 must be received with very great caution. One must remember 

 that science is for ever altering, but the Word of God never alters ; 

 that in every conflict knowledge has tended to do away with 

 apparent opposition, and that there is not a single proved contra- 

 diction between the Bible and science. 



With regard to the testimony of the senses I must say I very 

 much agree with what the author has said. The testimony of the 

 senses, however, depends on the testimony of consciousness. 

 The author remarked that the substitute for creative action is 

 automatic action, in which I agree. 



The Rev. E. Seeley. — In discussions of this kind one sometimes 

 hears that we have had to give up a good many things. It seems 

 to me that we should pay attention to what is said on this point, 

 for such words are taken hold of by unbelievers, and they think 

 that we have had to give up important truths of the Bible. But 

 is it really so ? Can it be shown that any positive statement of 

 fact in Scripture in its original language has been necessarily 

 abandoned as the result of scientific research ? Opinions have 

 been given up over and over again ; interpretations have been 

 given up. But does that signify? As we go on we must be 

 prepared to change our intei'pretations of many statements ; but 

 that does not mean giving up the truths of Scripture. If we take 

 the record of God's dealings with His creation, and find certain 

 statements made which either were misunderstood in ages gone 

 by or have been misunderstood by ourselves, until new evidence 

 of science has come and cleared away the misunderstanding and 

 enabled us to see them in new light, surely we may say that such 

 changes of interpretation make the Scriptures not weaker but 

 stronger. There are many points which we may undei'stand now, 

 in the light of science, which we could not do thirty years ago. 

 Any of us who read Scripture can mention many points which we 

 do not understand yet, and upon which we require further light, 

 and there are many expressions in the Hebrew and Greek which 

 at present are difficult to interpret accurately. 



There is one thing: that struck me while listening to the author's 



