388 
for scenes as far surpassing those that we have hitherto seen, as 
the beauty of the present world excels the dreary and desolate 
aspect of the Azoic ages. Science and Scripture concur in saying 
that Man does not belong to the past, but to the future. To that 
future they bid him look, and for that future they tell him to 
prepare. 
The Chairman. — In asking you to return yonr thanks to the author of 
this Paper and also to Mr. Walter Brodie for reading it, I may observe that 
Dr. Gladstone’s Paper, which is to follow, is of such a cognate character, that, 
unless any one wishes now to make some observations upon the Paper just 
read, I think it will be more convenient to take the discussions on both 
papers together. (Hear, hear.) 
The following Paper was then read : — 
ON TEE MUTUAL HELPFULNESS OF THEOLOGY 
AND NATURAL SCIENCE. By John Hall Gladstone, 
Esq., Ph. D., F.R.S., Mem. Viet. Inst. 
M AN, God's child, is put to school in this world, and among 
the books which he has to study is the varied volume of 
Nature. There he finds endless pictures to arouse his infant 
wonder; and there, if he read thoughtfully, he may learn 
much, not only of the mysteries of the universe, but also 
about the wisdom, power, and goodness of its Architect, and his 
Father. But this child is a rebellious one, and in order to 
restore him to the position which he has forfeited, and to 
reveal more fully the Father's will, message after message 
has been sent him from on high. In the book of Nature he 
finds a multitude of facts which he combines as he best can, 
and the result is Natural Science : in the volume of grace he 
finds a number of facts and statements, from which he builds 
up Theology. The lessons in either department, as God gives 
them, can scarcely be conceived as otherwise than absolutely 
true; but as apprehended by man, they are necessarily subject to 
human error ; and thus his systems of Theology and iSatural 
Science must always admit of correction and enlargement. 
In this essay I propose to confine my attention to these two 
parts of man's curriculum — the knowledge of Nature and the 
knowledge of God ; and I shall endeavour to show in what way 
they are mutually helpful. 
The great difference between the two books is in the subject 
treated of ; the resemblance is in their indications of the cha- 
racter and mind of their Author. 
