6 
It may be regarded as simply notorious, that Science, so 
called (whether truly or not), is considered by many persons 
to be at issue with what had previously been regarded 
(whether truly or not) as truths revealed m Holy Sonpture. 
This supposed contradiction between science and. the be p 
toes was most boldly put forward in the “Essays and 
Reviews” as a ground for rejecting the theory that the 
Scriptures are wholly inspired ; and Dr. Colenso and others 
havefollowed in the same path, publicly alleging the existence 
of such contradictions, and, so far with a bold consistency, 
setting aside the Scriptures, in consequence, as false. And 
if “science” really means, as it ought, a true knowle g 
nature; and if such science really contradicts the Scrip- 
tures, then it certainly follows that the Scriptures must -be m 
error or misunderstood. As no rational being w 
can believe in contradictions, there can be no doubt who- 
ever, that when the Scriptures and science are at issue, one 
of them must be at fault; and, in that case, it must be of the 
greatest consequence to mankind at large, o . 
discover which. The issue involved, indeed, is nothing less 
than the truth or falsehood of Revealed Religion— the main- 
tenance or abandonment of Christianity. 
It was the existence of this state > of things . that gave ri 
to the famous “Declaration of Students of the Natoal and 
Physical Sciences,” which was signed by of 700 
gentlemen (the greater number being members of the bailie 
professions and fellows of scientific societies), who expressed 
themselves as follows : — 5 
“We the undersigned Students of the Natural Sciences, desire to express 
our sincere regret, that researches into scientific truth are perverted by some 
“rn. into occasion for casting doubt upon the Truth mid 
a *1 tvthr nf tlip Holv Scriptures. We conceive that it is impossible for 
Gofas the book of nature, and God’s Word written 
S Holy Scripture, to contradict one another, however much they may ’appear 
to ml We are not forgetful that Physical Science is not complete, but is 
onlv in a cototion of progress, and that at present our fim e reason enables 
S to Tee as through^ glass darkly ; and we confidently 
tiiDP will come when the two records will he seen to agree in eve y 1 
To llTlJ deplore that Natural Science should be looked upon widr 
suspicion by many who do not make a study of it, merely on account of 
Si — r in which some are placing it “ 
Xr 0! 5 vS * ernmeou, he« 
not presumptuously affirm that his own conclusions must be right, and the 
