Address of John L. Le Conte. 255 
A few decades ago profound dissatisfaction was shown that the 
evidence of organic life on the planet was very ancient. Re- 
remains have been found in situations where they ought not to 
have been, according to popularly received interpretation; and 
yet more recently much apprehension has been felt at the pos- 
sible derivation of man f e inferior organism ; 
hypothesis framed simply because in the present condition of 
intellectual advancement no other can be suggested. 
et all these facts, but the last, which still is an opinion, 
have been accepted, after more or less bitter controversy on 
both sides, and the fountain of spiritual truth remains un- 
clouded and undiminished. New interpretations for the sacred 
texts, supposed to be in conflict with the scientific facts, have 
been sought and found without difficulty. These much feared 
facts have, moreover, given some of the strongest and most 
convincing illustrations to modern exhortation and religious 
instruction. 
hus, then, we see that the influence of science upon religion 
has been beneficial. Scholastic interpretations, founded upon im- 
perfect knowledge, or no knowledge, but mere guess, have been 
replaced by sound criticisms of the texts, and their exegesis in 
accordance with the times and circumstances for which they 
were written. 
formerly contended. : : 
: Since then there is no occasion for strict science and pure re- 
who believe less than we do, in the hope that they, by cultiva- 
fon or inheritance of zsthetic perception, will be prepared to 
accept something more than matter and energy in the universe, 
and to believe that vitality is not altogether undirected colloid 
chemistry. 
