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About Torch of reason. (Silverton, Oregon) 1896-1903 | View Entire Issue (March 9, 1899)
I 3 THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, MARCH 9, 1899. Science vs. Theology. A lecture by B. F. Underwood on “Science vs. Theology,” given at Quincy, Illinois, is thus reported: A large audience of very respect- able and intelligent people was present, and they testified their ap- proval by frequent applause. Mr. Underwood said that his oh- ject was not to convert people, but to help them to think, so that they would grow out of old errors and be able to understand, accept and assimilate scientific views in regard to religion. The scientific is the modern view in contrast to the primitive, theological conception of man and of the world. Science and theology, he said, study different objects, employ dif ferent methods and breathe a dif ferent spirit. The object of science is the order of nature, whose exist ence is certain and whose opera tions can be seen. The object of theology is a supernatural being, w^ese ways are said to be “past finding out”. Scientists study the order of nature and the relation and dependencies of her parts. The theologian speaks of the purposes and plans of a being who, he says, created matter and bestowed order and beauty upon it. The former searches iuto the law; the latter dogmatizes about a supernatural law-giver. Scientists regard the laws of nature as uniform modes of action, and as inviolable; the theologian believes they are like legislative enactments, and that they have been and quite likely will be again suspended. The scientist is satisfied with no proof that is not based upon ob servation and experience. The the ologian claims to see by the eye of faith much that nature never reveals to the scientific investi gator. The scientist, when he has traced force beyond force and law above law, up the chain of causa tion until he can proceed no fur ther, appealing to a thousand cor- loborative analogies, holds that a keener vision and a wider induc- tion would disclose an extension of the realm of natural law. The the- ologian, on the contrary, when the mathematics of human intelligence fails to solve a problem, like that of life for instance, has recourse to the word God, which really stands for our ignorance rather than our knowledge. Theology begins where science ends. The realm of science is the region of universal law. The empire of theology is the region of the supernatural — a region un- known to science. The realm of science has grown large, and that of theology (once universal) has grown small, with man’s progress and enlightenment. Science teaches us to investigate and then believe or disbelieve as the evidence shall warrant; theol- ogy demands that we believe first r « and investigate, if at all, after- Liberalism, as held by thinkers titudes. Man has inherited the in wards, because doubt is dangerous today, is in accord with science, stincts and traits of savage life, and disbelief is damnable. The and looks to it for the destruction ard these, not the fall of Adam, mass of devout adherents of theol- of superstition. are ihe cause of roan’s imperfect ogy think in herds, because they The enlightened human reason condition. And man is saved, not accept creeds upon authority, not and not any one book is the high- through Christ, but through his daring to reject them, est standard and best guide. All own efforts and the efforts of his \\ hile science advances and the- books have to be subjected to this fellow men, in subduing the nat ologv decays, morality persists, be- standard before we accept or reject ural world to his needs. Self-reli- cause it has a natural foundation their teachings. Their teachings ance is better than waiting for of which theology forms no part, must he tried by the same test. Providence to interpose. A light Morality requires no miraculous Intellectual, moral and physical ning rod on a steeple is better than evidence and depends upon no culture is the prime condition of the prayer of a saint for the preser theological dogma. It requires no man’s well being, and the means to vation of a church. written decalogue and needs no in attain this condition are observa Man has a conscience, which has dividual authority. It has its in tion, experience and reflection, and been acquired by the race, but its destructible basis in the nature of not any imagined book revelations decisions as to what is right or man as a feeling, thinking, acting or special inspiration. . Revela wrong depend upon education. It being, and in society as an aggrega tions, so-called, reveal only what approves or condemns according tion of such beings. human reason has previously dis to the judgment and views of the Empires rise and perish, relig covered. The untrammelled exer individual. ions grow and decay, special forms cise of reason is not simply an in The penalties of violated law are of civilization appear and give way alienable right; it is a duty. more useful as restraints than child to other types, but the social condi Beliefs are neither moral nor im ish fears of hell, and working for tion everlastingly persists and mor moral in themselves, but right be human happiness is more creditable ality, therefore, ever has a founda liefs in lime show their good influ than trying to get to heaven. Peo tion as broad and deep and endur ences in character and conduct, and ple who are the most concerned ing as humanity itself. Theologi wrong beliefs result injuriously. about their own souls, are liable to ans could have no idea of moral There is, therefore, everv induce- have the least valuable souls to qualities in God, if they had not ment to seek truth without* con save. “Take care of my civil rights first discovered those qualities in demning those who have not the bill” were the last words of Charles man. The morality of this age truth. Doubt is the beginning of Sumner. It is better to study the does not owe its existence to any wisdom; w ithout doubt a man never order of nature, which is observa religion, to any book, to any his investigates, without investigation ble and calculable, than to hunt for toric character, however much or he learns nothing and lives and the origin of nature, of which there little any of these has influenced dies in ignorance. Doubt leads to is no evidence or clue. mankind. To ascribe it to the inquin ; inquiry to knowledge, wis Worlds, life, species, language, dominant religion was as absurd as dom and happiness. We have a society, morality, religion, art ami to attribute the enlightenment of light to expect unity only in things civilization have been evolved ac ancient Greece to her mythology that can be demonstrated; in things cording to law without any miracu or the abcendancy of the Saracens admitting of doubt there should be lous intervention. The Christian in the ninth and tenth centuries to free diversity, and in all things theology is the natural product of Mohani med an ism. charity. The only rational faith is speculation concerning the ultimate cause of phenomena. We ascribe Science obst rves the changes in convicti m based on evidence. the material world, but knows Morality is the science of human ultimately all phenomena to uni nothing about a creation of matter relations. Its foundation is in the versal power and call that power from nothing. Matter is inde nature of m <n and his relations to God, but the word god is the, letter structible and, so far as we can other beings. The principle of self- x in an indeterminate algebraic judge, is self-existent and eternal. sacrifice admired in Jesus should equation. Who by searching can Worlds are formed and dissolved; be glorified in humanity, where- find out the ultimate nature of the but the substance is neither increas ever men have died for country or cause of phenomena? Who can tell ed nor diminished. There is uni race, or suffered for the good of oth us the ultimate nature of matter? versal power immanent in all phe ers. The world is worthy of our The Bible is a natural outgrowth nomena, power in which we live best efforts. One world at a time of the human mind; the literature and move, but there is no reason is all that we care to attend to. If of a people—a mixture of truth for ascribing to it personality. there be a continuance of life be and error. All religions are such “Divine personality,” says Emer yond the grave, the best way to fit outgrowths. All phenomena are son, “is a théologie cramp.” Infi- ourselves for such a state is to at natural. Law is everywhere and « nite personality is as contradictory tend to all the interests of this life. miracle nowhere. as a square circle or a round trian- Of any other kind of “preparation” gle. Science acquaints us with there is no need. The New Minor Planet. some of the natural laws and fore- Reliance on ourselves, on the in- es by which the w’orlds are formed, variableness of natural law and on On August 13, 1898, Herr Witt, and Mr. Darwin and others have our power to utilize the forces of of Berlin, Germany, discovered a shown some of the natural causes nature are better than petitions for new minor planet, which, bv virtue that have led to the evolution of aid by trying to touch the heait or of its nearness to the earth, is of higher from lower forms of life. affect the purposes of Deity, greater interest than most of the Theology says a miracle must Evil is due to man’s inability to minor planets discovered. As yet have been required to introduce life adjust himself to his conditions and no name has been given to the plan- upon the globe, but theologians to overcome antagonistic influ- et, but it is designated as “ 1898 I) have no experience of any such ences. Man is progressive—a tis- Q.” When this new planet is in miracle, can have no idea of it. and ing, not a fallen, being—the im- opposition to the earth, which will have no proof of it. It is an a priori proved product of evolution, not be about once in thirty years, it speculation. We are at liberty to the degenerate descendant of-an il- will be nearer to the earth than hold that the beginnings of life lustrious ancestry, made perfect Mars or Venus, being distant about correspond with its development, from the beginning. None are sin- 14,000,000 miles. According to as- and that by natural processes liv- ners at birth, but the results of the tronomers, a study of this planet ing substance, at first very simple, experiences of ancestors are inher- will be valuable in calculating was evolved from substance in ited, and exist at birth in the form more exactly the distance of the which life existed only potentially, of constitutional tendencies or ap- sun from the earth. I I