310 » SCIENCE TEACHING. 



revise with impartiality. It is such discipline that develops the healthful 

 and manly condition of mind that sees foll}^ and stupidity in that narrow 

 dogmatism which represents doubt as essentially sinful. 



It is not probable that mankind will soon agree about the phenomena 

 that surround and embrace life. The pick of rational investigation has too 

 recently commenced its descent into the rich placers of the great unknown. 

 Although the spirit of intolerance has not entirely made its exit, the habit of 

 constantly appealing to the sources of knowledge, which requires us to lay 

 aside old prejudices and yield to candid investigation, will effectually effect 

 a good work, the importance of which we cannot now realize. The habitual 

 examination of nature with instruments "appropriate to its study" cannot 

 fail to produce a marked advance. I say "appropriate to its study" for all 

 possibilities, probabilities and facts, must be derived directly from the objects 

 to which they relate. The Archbishoj) of Salzburg was certain of the im- 

 possibility of the globular form of the earth, as, otherwise, a world of hu- 

 man beings would be beyond the reach of salvation. Theological argu- 

 ments are instruments of power, but their leverage must be confined to the 

 work for which they are fitted. In the minds of some the impossibility of 

 the globular form of the earth was settled by the certainty that those peo- 

 j)le upon the other side cannot see Gabriel when he shall come to us. 



We have not far to look back to find such phenomena as lightning, eclip- 

 ses, tile rainbow, ex|)lained by inferring the agency of evil sjjirits and 

 theological conditions; and still more recently do we see the volcanic eruptions 

 of "Vesuvius brought (?) to a condition of repose before the august statue of 

 St. Jannorius carried through the streets of JSiaples, followed by an insensate 

 procession of its citizens, and to-day, on the crowded coasts of Sicilj'', we 

 witness reverence u2)on bended knee, with lowered heads and folded arms, 

 at the approach and passage of the public teacher along the streets. So pro- 

 found has been the belief that evil spirits tamper with matter, setting aside 

 its laws aud intriguing with men and old women that we need feel no sur- 

 prise at the persecution of the ancient philosopher, because he stated that 

 the sun may be as large as all Greece (Airy). When, too, we recall the all 

 but unanimous belief that the study of matter materializes our conceptions, 

 and induces skepticism, hereticism, and sinful doubt, we are better able to 

 repress the feelings rising within us, while contemplating Servetus "roast- 

 ing for two hours at the stake prepared by Calvin, begging "for the love of 

 God that they would jDvit on more wood, or end his torture." Science Teach- 

 ing solves the problem of toleration, for our ability to'>xercise it depends 

 not upon loved and honest professions, but upon exactly the same laws as the 

 faculties of generalization and reason. We may read the conditions of per- 

 ception and the laws of reason, but to perceive with accuracy, and to reason 

 with ability, requires a discipline, a use of these faculties upon the objects 

 which exercise them. Likewise, we may see the propriety and justice of 

 toleration, but the ability to tolerate when toleration is most needed, follows 

 only an exercise of the moral sense upon objects that call it into real use. 



