The Relations of Science and Religion

CONTENTS.

Advantages resulting from recent advances in physical sci-
ence-Advance does not unsettle the whole mass of con-
viction-Religion and science agree in seeking a rational
basis, and both present a body of harmonized conceptions
-Diversity of view is to be expected in both spheres—
Needless anxiety as to alleged conflict between science and
religion-The first requisite is to trace the boundaries of
the two departments of thought-Description of religion,
natural and revealed-Description of science, its method
and sphere-Common starting ground for both-Each
supplies inducement for seeking a harmony....

LECTURE II.

EXPERIENCE GATHERED FROM PAST CONFLICTS.

Value of the lessons from past failures-Discussions as to

"spontaneous generation"-Range of experiments and

mode of conducting them-Difficulties in excluding ger-

minal forms, and in determining the temperature at which

their destruction was ensured-Hopefulness awakened by

earlier investigations—Acknowledged failure as the result

of more rigid tests-Conclusions of Pasteur, Roberts, Tyn-

dall-Close of the discussion as maintained by Bastian-

Dr. Draper's "History of the Conflict between Religion and

Science"-Objections to the plan of the book-Misleading

representations of conflict-Alleged scriptural view of the

nature of the world, incapable of vindication-The Bible

not a book of science, but a revelation of the way of de-

liverance for sinful man.

LECTURE III.

INORGANIC ELEMENTS IN THE UNIVERSE.

Two forms of existence to be recognized-Matter and Energy

-Distinction of the two-Tait on energy MATTER-

Its indestructibility and uncreatability by any process at

the command of man-The atomic theory as related to the

divisibility and compressibility of matter-Scientific belief,

as analogous to theologic-ENERGY-Perpetual change in

form and distribution of materials-Position, motion, and

force-Transmutation or conversion of energy-Conserva-

tion of Energy-Deterioration and dissipation of energy

-Heat as a form of motion-Results of scientific research

are such as to support religious thought concerning the

origin of the world-The changeable can not be the eter-

nal-Science here reaches its ultimatum as to the structure

of the world, and gives all the support possible to the

reality of the supernatural...

LECTURE IV.

ORGANIZED EXISTENCE. LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT.

The new problem-Origin of life, relation of the organized
to the unorganized-Origin of species-Darwin's theory of
evolution by natural selection-Characteristics of life-The
prominent features of Mr. Darwin's theory-Power of
adaptability to environment inherent in organism—His-
tory of the steps by which the author was led to the adop-
tion of his theory-Wallace's "Contributions"-Darwin's
acknowledgment that science does not favor the belief
that living creatures are produced from inorganic matter

-Admission of creation of life-Favorable impression

made by the theory-Common ancestry of allied species-

Rejection of fixedness of species-Difficulties which beset

the theory-All change does not indicate progress—Diffi-

culty connected with the early stages of evolution-Per-

sistence of species....

119

LECTURE V.

RELATIONS OF LOWER AND HIGHER ORGANISMS.

Fertilization of flowering plants-Relation of pollen to the

seed vessels-Need for transference of pollen-Means to

prevent self-fertilization-Relation between animal life and

vegetable-Search for honey by bees and other insects-

Bearing the pollen to distant flowers-Distribution of work

among insects and. birds-Evidence of adaptation-Inter-

dependence of lower and higher organisms—ANTS—Their

exclusion from certain flowers-Their work, perseverance,

intelligence, slave-holding, extracting honey from other

insects, constructing bridges....

LECTURE VI.

162

HIGHER ORGANISMS;-RESEMBLANCES AND CONTRASTS.

Sensibility and motor activity characteristic of animal life-

Both uniformly provided for by identical arrangements of

nerve system-Two distinct lines of nerve fibre combined

in a nerve centre-Structure of nerve fibre-Isolation-

Combination-Brain structure-White matter, and grey

-Subdivisions of the organ-Complexity of brain struc-

ture according to complexity of organism-Brain in in-

sects, fishes, reptiles, smaller quadrupeds, larger quadru-

peds, monkeys, apes, man-Close resemblance of the brain

of the ape to the human brain-Researches as to brain

function by means of electric excitation of the organ-

Fritsch and Hitzig-Ferrier-Identification of sensory

and of motor centres-Silence of front and back regions

-Confirmatory evidence from brain diseases... ..... 204

LECTURE VII.

MAN'S PLACE IN THE WORLD.

Human organism modelled on the same plan as lower organ-

isms-Prevailing opinion opposes an attempt to refer all

human activity to organism-Religious thought not di-

rectly involved-Science must include the study of hu-

man life-Science by discovery of the structure and func-

tions of the nerve system has explained many phases of

action formerly regarded as voluntary-The contrast re-

mains between muscular action and human conduct-

Acquired aptitudes - Intellectual superiority- Hæckel's

suggestion of "mind cells "-Adverse evidence-Nerve

cells, varied sizes, the largest found in the spinal canal, as

well as in the brain-Government of human conduct-

Man's application of a higher law-Benevolence, as an

illustration-Contrast with struggle for existence-Man's

ideal law, constituting the ought in human conduct...... 239

LECTURE VIII.

DIVINE INTERPOSITION FOR MORAL GOVERNMENT.

Summary of recent scientific conclusions with which relig-
ious thought is to be harmonized-Religious conceptions
as to divine interposition, in their relation to fixed law—
MIRACLE-Its place as evidence for the Messiahship of Je-
sus Christ-Credibility of miracles-Our Saviour's mir-
acles-Their benevolent purpose as bearing on their evi-
dential value-How related to the laws of nature-
Incapable of explanation by these laws-They do not
conflict with these laws in any intelligible sense-Mean-
ing of the old formula, "a violation of the laws of nature"
-Importance of the scientific position that violation of
natural law is inconsistent with our knowledge of the
government of the world-Method and result in miracle-
working, as related to natural law-Explanation of the an-
tagonism of scientific thought to the conception of miracle