Nature as an Educator. 181 



obvious. (1) Scientific inquiry being inductive must pro- 

 ceed from individual facts by slow and gradual steps to 

 general laws, while revelation may state the laws at once 

 without descending to particulars. (2) It follows that these 

 two lines of thought approach phenomena from different 

 sides. One takes them in detail and then generalizes. The 

 other regards them as emanations of a Divine mind. (3) At 

 first the results reached may be far apart and may seem 

 contradictory, but as they become more perfect they must 

 approach and eventually coalesce. 



The case is as if we imagine some great mill or machine- 

 shop to be studied by two different persons in different 

 ways. The first may be a skilful machinist and may enter 

 the factory, note-book in hand, and examine each machine 

 and process, and so arrive at last at a knowledge of the 

 whole which may enable him accurately to describe all its 

 machinery, and to form conclusions as to its uses and rela- 

 tions. The second may be no machinist, but an educated 

 and intelligent man. He is introduced to the superinten- 

 dent of the factory as his guest, and learns from him its 

 general nature and uses, the history of its inception and 

 growth and his plans for its future improvement and 

 development. All this he may learn without any study of 

 the machinery; and he also may write an account of what 

 he has seen and heard. But how different will be the two 

 productions, and how difficult might it be for a third person 

 to combine the two accounts, so as to make plain their 

 mutual coherence. This could only be done by some one 

 enjoying the double advantage of the friendship of the 

 superintendent and the technical knowledge of the machin- 

 ery. So it must ever be with science and revelation ; and 

 until men equally appreciate both, we cannot have the best 

 results either in Science or in Theology. 



Revelation itself has been defined on the best authority as 

 relating on its practical side to three great graces, Faith, 

 Hope and Love, the greatest and most enduring of which is 

 the last, for God Himself is Love. In regard to love or 

 kindly affection as a motive and practice, science cannot 

 doubt that however little of this may be seen in the lower 

 14. 



