30 ET. HON. SIU IJ. TEMPLE, BART., OX THE UNITY OF TRUTH. 



about, twenty-five miles to the north. " Do Ave recpiire a 

 miracle for that? There are tliose places in the Jordan, and 

 the Jews very probably took that opportnnity of crossing- 

 Avhen the river happened to be dry, and they had not a 

 moment to lose. They had to cross quickly and such things 

 have happened in modern times. There was not necessarily 

 a miracle in the case ; but it was a most providential occur- 

 rence or the Jews otherwise would never have crossed. In 

 modern times troops have succeeded in crossing- rivers near 

 the sea at a certain state of the tide when the river bed 

 would be dry for a brief while. The way it happened on 

 this wonderful occasion on the Jordan is usually understood 

 by those who take the trouble to consider ; but when Ave were 

 very young, these thuigs Avere understood as miracles, and 

 they are now more exactly understood through scientific in- 

 vestigations, and Avonderful confirmation is thus given to the 

 A'-erbal accuracy of the Scriptures. 



Of course there are supremely inaportant miracles in 

 Scripture Avhich must be accepted as such. But there is no 

 need to make lesser events miraculous Avliich can be scientific- 

 ally explained. 



Thus I make good this part of my proposition this afternoon 

 by describing- places I saAv only the other day. 



NoAV all false religions — every religion except our OAvn — 

 Avill ignore the scientific spirit. I lay doAvn that proposition. 

 I knoAV Avhat Hindooism and Mohammedanism are, and Avliat 

 Buddhism and other religions are. That applies not only to 

 them, but also to mediaiA'^al Christianity. I assume it is only 

 in modern times that the scientific character of the Scripture 

 has been recognised. It is only of late that the scientific 

 spirit has been acknowledged in Scripture. Indeed, Scripture 

 has been presented to us by Almighty divine power as an 

 open book Avhich we have to read, mark, learn, and iuAvardly 

 digest. We are to apply om- intellects, to search, to 

 understand, and then avo shall see hoAv true the Scripture is 

 in regard to cA^erything avc learn by science and research. 

 NoAv that is Avhat Ave may call the scientific spirit in Scripture. 

 Let me giA'^e you some instances of Avhat I mean. I suppose 

 if you asked our Astronomer Royal at GreenAA'ich lie Avould 

 say of the luminons bodies — stars or nebulae, AvhateA'er 

 you like to call them, I am not sure that I know the 

 latest scientific terms for them — that no one could give a 

 lair idea of the number. The more they improA'e each t)ptical 

 instrument the more they discover iresh stars and it seems 



