3?9 
Bat does science say so ? It is mere hypothesis. Is it possible to conceive 
that those properties of matter originally implanted by the Almighty fiat,, 
could continue to exist without the continued action of the Divine will, just 
as they were originally implanted by the Divine will ? I cannot agree, there- 
fore, that science teaches us that the world could go on “ self-guided, self- 
adjusted, self- energized,” or go on at all, without the continual operation of 
the Divine will. 
Rev. Mr. Wain weight. — I agree most cordially in all that has fallen from 
Mr. Mitchell. There is considerable danger in seeking out means of accom- 
modation between the supposed discrepancies between Scripture and science. 
If you shore up a perfectly stable building with buttresses which are not 
sure, there is certain to be an impression created in some minds that the 
stability of the original building has been in some way impaired. You 
should never attempt to buttress up a sacred truth with an imaginary truth. 
With regard to the general problem of the language of Scripture, we should 
bear in mind that what God had to do was to give a revelation of His mind 
so as to be intelligible to all generations of men, and should yet convey to 
them no more of truth with regard to other purposes — say scientific truth as 
apart from religious. The Bible was not intended to be scientific ; but yet 
it was meant to be so absolutely true that the development of science in 
successive generations should never be able to detect in it the least flaw. 
These conditions have been properly fulfilled. The Holy Scriptures, where 
they relate to scientific subjects, have been verified after they have been for 
several centuries laid under a stigma as being supposed to be notoriously 
inaccurate. W e have often seen the tide of scientific opinion turned round. 
Moses was supposed to be wrong in telling us that there was light and heat 
before there was a sun, which was supposed to be the source of light and 
heat. But what does geology tell us ? It tells us certainly that there was 
vegetable and animal life, that there was growth, and that consequently 
there was the light and heat essential to it, before there was a sun ; and the 
latest, the very latest theory demonstrated as a possible theory, would show 
much more than that — that there was light and heat for millions of years 
before there was a sun. This shows, then, that I am right in saying that 
the positions of scientific men and geologists are continually shifting away. 
Take another instance. There is not a single known instance in the records 
of mankind of a low embruted race ever emerging from that condition to a 
higher one without external aid. All evidence on the point goes to confirm 
the declaration that man was made perfect, and thus the Scriptural declara- 
tions are verified after all. And mere scientific declarations have been 
falsified in a manner equally remarkable. That has been the case with the 
igneous theory, and also with regard to the theory as to extinct animals. 
Mr. 'VVarington. — In replying to the various arguments which have been 
brought to bear against my paper, I must in the first place say that the 
address of Captain Eishbourne contained so many misunderstandings of 
what I had said that I was unable to note them all down, and certainly have 
not time to answer or rectify them now. But now let me excuse myself 
VOL. in. 2 D 
