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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
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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
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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.
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