Febbuaey 28, 1902.] 



SCIENCE. 



325 



As religion, the relation of finite man to 

 the Infinite, is the most important of all 

 human concerns, I begin by a brief refer- 

 ence to the attitude of universities toward 

 Faith and Elnowledge. The earliest uni- 

 versities of Europe were either founded by 

 the Church or by the State. Whatever 

 their origin, they were under the control, 

 to a large extent, of ecclesiastical authori- 

 ties. These traditions came to our country, 

 and the original colleges were founded by 

 learned and Godly men, most of them, if 

 not all, the ministers of the gospel. Later, 

 came the State universities and later still, 

 the private foundations like that in which 

 we are concerned. Gradually, among the 

 Protestants, laymen have come to hold the 

 chief positions of authority formerly held 

 by the clergy. The official control, how- 

 ever, is less interesting at this moment than 

 the attitude of universities toward the ad- 

 vancement of knowledge. To-day, happily, 

 apprehensions are not felt, to any great 

 extent, respecting the advancement of sci- 

 ence. It is more and more clearly seen that 

 the interpretation of the laws by which the 

 universe is governed extending from the 

 invisible rays of the celestial world to the 

 most minute manifestations of organic life 

 reveal one plan, one purpose, one supreme 

 sovereignty— far transcending the highest 

 conceptions to which the human mind can 

 attain respecting this sovereign and infinite 

 Power. Sectarian supremacy and theolog- 

 ical differences have dwindled therefore to 

 insignificance, in institutions where the 

 supreme desire is to understand the world 

 in which we are placed, and to develop the 

 ablest intellects of each generation, sub- 

 servient to the primeval injunction ' re- 

 plenish the earth and subdue it; and have 

 dominion over the fish of the sea, and over 

 the fowl of the air, and over every living 

 thing that moveth upon the earth.' Not- 

 withstanding these words, the new Biology, 

 that is the study of living creatures, en- 



countered peculiar prejudices and opposi- 

 tion. It was the old story over again. 

 Geology, early in the century, had been 

 violently attacked; astronomy, in previous 

 centuries, met its bitter opponents; higher 

 criticism is now dreaded. Yet quickly and 

 patiently the investigator has prosecuted 

 and will continue his search for the truth, 

 — heedless of consequences, assured by the 

 Master's words,— ' the Truth shall make 

 you free.' 



Still the work goes on. Science is recog- 

 nized as the handmaid of religion. Evolu- 

 tion is regarded by many theologians as 

 confirming the strictest doctrines of pre- 

 destination. The propositions which were 

 so objectionable thirty years ago are now 

 received with as little alarm as the proposi- 

 tions of Euclid. There are mathematicians 

 who do not regard the Euclidean geometry 

 as the best mode of presenting certain 

 mathematical truths, and there are also 

 naturalists who will not accept the doc- 

 trines of Darwin, vdthout limitation or 

 modification, but nobody thinks of fighting 

 over the utterances of either of these phi- 

 losophers. In fact, I think it one of the 

 most encouraging signs of our times that 

 devout men, devoted to scientific study, see 

 no conflict between their religious faith and 

 their scientific knowledge. Is it not true 

 that as the realm of Knowledge extends the 

 region of Faith though restricted remains? 

 Is it not true that Science to-day is as far 

 from demonstrating certain great proposi- 

 tions, which in the depths of our souls we 

 all believe, as it was in the days of the 

 Greek philosophers ? This university, at the 

 outset, assumed the position of a fearless 

 and determined investigator of nature. It 

 carried on its work with quiet, reverent, 

 and unobtrusive recognition of the imma- 

 nence of divine power, — of the Majesty, 

 Dominion, and Might, known to men by 

 many names, revered by us in the 

 words that we learned from our mothers' 



