,AND)
PHYSICAL SCIENCE.
A  Chaptcr of Christiain Philosophy
BY
T. NELSON DALE, JR..
A tthtor of "A  Stutdy of the Rhcetic Strata of the Val di Ledro
it the Sutthertlt lyrol."
PATERSON,  N. J.:
;4 PREsS" BOOK AND JOB PRINT, 2(;') MAIN STREET.
1876, 
RESPF,TFT,TI1Y, SITBMITTEII
To
THTOSE PTTILO40PHTICAI, MNINOS WHiO ARE GRI.EVEI) BY TIlE, "OITNI OF DISCOHO
IN,\ THE, TEM.NPLE OF TRUTHI. 
" To conclude, therefore, let no  miani ouit of a wieake conceit of sobriety, or an ill-applied
moderatio,, think or maintain. that a nta  can search too far or be too well st?udied in the
book of God's word, or i,t the book of  God 8 work-s; divinito or philosolphy;  but rather let
,men endeavor an endless pirofre.ss or prQfi,-ieiece inl both."
BACON: Adlvancemren?t of Lerarniiq.
"Iis Son. tlhoto hre hath appointerd heir of all thiil[s  by whom)i  als,o he Soade  the
vworldl."-HEB. 1, 2.
Some thoughtful minds, who hold enlightened views
as to the essez/i'a/ harmony of religion and science,
do not always discern the exact ilzel,zod of that harmony.
It will be readily granted that their profounder
knowledge of both theological and physical science,
and their better apprehension of the spirit and scope
both of revealed religion and of science enable them
to obtain a clearer view of their essential harmony.
Their loyalty to common sense has also greatly aided
them in obtaining such a view.
\While comparatively little difficulty is experienced
in recognizing the essential harmony of religion and
science, the method of this harmony is not yet fully
established in such questions as tihose of the Bible 
4
cosmogony and chronology, the creation of animal
life and of man, the deluge, and the origin of languages.
These problems involve nearly all of the sciences,
as well as tile following theological questions: In
what sense and to what extent the scriptures are inspired; how far they were designed to satisfy the
craving of the human mind for knowledge; and also
the question as to the exact principle which governs
the treatment of second causes in the language of
inspiration; and to what extent we ought to regard
certain passages of the Old Testament as allegorical.
Such problems are so vast in their scope, and of
such intellectual and religious consequence, that an
exposition of any one of them which would satisfy
both the theological and scientific intelligence, as well
as the best christian sense of the day, would require
more than a lifetime of profound, catholic and chlristian study.   Indeed it may be said that the whole
question of the relation of the natural to the supernatural in the cosmos of God. unsearchable as it is, is
involved in these problems.
While these fields of study are so vast and beset
with so many difficulties, there is a smaller field where
not only the fundamental harmony between religion
and science may be satisfactorily and briefly shown,
but where also the method of that harmony may be
viewed with the eye of a lovxing and intelligent faith. 
It is that given in the title of this paper. While many
of the questions between religion and science partake
of a speculative character, this one is very practical in its
bearings; for the disastrous effect of an unbelieving science upon men render us suspicious of science;
and the fatal effect of a narrow-minded and ignorant
faith upon science influences the mere scientist to
turn a deaf ear to the appeal of evangelical christianity, and to seek to satisfy his spiritual nature with
mere intellectual nourishment.
Avoiding scientific language, by cl-zc/iszlijt/i/ is to
be understood simply that filial attitude of the soul
toward its Creator, which is made possible by the
loving sacrifice and mediation of Jesus Christ, and is
brought about in various ways by the gracious influence of the Divine Spirit.
WVe mig,ht stop here to consider at length the state
of a man in such an attitude.  It will be sufficient
however to say that a man so disposed toward God
is in a state of increasing  harmony  with himself
physically, intellectually), and morally, as well as socially
with his fellow-men, as far as in him lies, and above
all with the benevolent character and  will of his
Maker.   His complex being is brought under the
gentle dominion of the precepts of Christ, and all his
faculties gradually enter into their normal relations,
and fulfill their appropriate offices.   Coleridge describes the effect of christian faith as follows: " Never 
6
yet did there exist a full faith in the Divine Word, by
whom light as well as immortality was broulght into
the world, which did not expand the intellect while it
purified the heart; which did not multiply the aims
and objects of the understanding, while it fixed and
simplified those of the desires and passions."
While the christian enjoys the holy freedom implied
in a filial relationship to his Divine Parent, the Giver
of physical as well as moral law, and his mind and
heart are expanded by his new hope, he looks upon
nature with new interest.  HIe verily recognizes God
as its Maker, and sees in it the workmanship of God.
He soon learns to praise God  in His works.  The
evidences of Divine wisdom brinc to his mind the
evidences of Divine,oodness.  He may know little
or nothing of the long train of intermediate causes
by which God has fashioned the world and broL.ught it
to its present state of perfection and beauty, that is
how God made it, but h'*c lknows that so5iie/oa:' God
did make it, and( that this God  is his F1ather  in
Heaven.
Only when the christian beholds nature in the lig,ht
of the  cross does he fully realize and enjoy  her
beauty.  The conscience relieved of its burden, the
soul united forever to its Divine source and object.
in harmony with itself looks upon nature with a sense
of fellowship; for it recognizes that nature as well as
its new life is of Divine orig,in, and the moral order and 
beauty within the soul respond to the physical order
and beauty in nature.
WVith this spirit David's psalms abound.  They
were evidently  written by one who not only communed  with God,  but was very familiar with His
works.  It is interesting to note how fully Alexander
von Humboldt, Kosm. Vol. 2, p. 46, appreciated the
truthfulness and grandeur of D)avid's descriptions of
nature.  \Vouid that he had told us as plainly that
he loved their religious import also.
\Ve have the words of oiur Lord himself contrasting the beaLut- with Nwhiclh God clothes a flower, with
the pomIp of human art, and it is safe to assert that
it is a characteristic of the more intelligent and pious
of God's children to be filled with devout admiration in the presence of His works.
P/J.i('-(/c /sci/clce may be briefly deined as that science whichi has primarily for its object the intellectual
sutbjtugation of nature ill order that it may become the
intellectual possession of man, independently of the possibility of that knowledge being made to contribute to
his material wvelfare.   More explicitly, its object is not
only to obtain an encyclopcdic knowledge  of the
physical world, but also a philosophical and historical
knowledge of it, that is, an understanding of the
laws which govern it, and of the relation of those
laws to each other. Science endeavors to comprehend the system of second causes which operate in 
the physical world. Second causes may be defined
as the ordinary means through which God acts in nature. The manner of their operation is then indirectly His manner. Physical science reveals the
Divine method and manner in nature-that is the
wisdom of God.
So that when the christian recognizes nature as the
work of God, and not only devoutly admires it as
such, but instinctively acknowledges that God fashioned it all in wisdom, physical science stands prepared to unfold to him that wisdom as far as she has
ascertained it. He knows that God made and rules
it somnehow; science tells him hozo.  And thus when
David says "O Lord how manifold are thy works!
in wisdom hast thout made them all: the earth is full
of thy riches," Ps. I04, 24, we may not perhaps be
able to rise to the heights of worship to which David
rose, but we may, with the aid of science, understand
more of the import of his words than he could have
understood.
There are a number of familiar passages in the
scriptures in which the relation of Christ to the phlysical world is explained, and although it will not do to
involve ourselves here in all the profound questions
which centre about the Trinity, let us endeavor to
form some simple, untheological conception of these
passages as far as they have any interest to the ordi narily thoughtful christian mind.
8 
9
Thlie following passages will recur at once to the
reader:
The same was in the beginning with God, all
thingcs were made by him and without him was not
anythin(r made that was made."
"] is Sonl whonm  he hathl appointed  heir of all
thingcs by whom also hl madcle the worlds."
"And now O  Father glorify thou me  with thline
own self wvitll thl g(-lory which I had wvitlh Lhee before
the wvorld wvas."
Froil such passages we may infer that the same
Beingc who took upon Him our sins, and carried our
sorrows  vwhile in the flesh, had, while in the glory in
vlwhich lIe had dcwelt wvitlh the Fathler, miade the phIysical Luniverse.
Ihlerefore as no sotl enters Heaven without Him,
so no blade of gi-ass in tlhe tielcl, or shlell upon the
shlore is wtotitot  -iil Ailniioin we call oulr Iorcl and
Maaster.  tie is the visile) link betweenI the spiritual
and phl\sical IingIdomos of (o1.  In  lim centre all
th,e mn'steries t)otll ofgod-lilness an(d of nature.  Thle law
of love and the law of  lature proceed from Him.
The revelations of scicence and the revelations of
faithl are revelations in tlhe kingloms of the one God
and the one \\orld.
To illustrate this truth:  Do we follow the scientist into all the minutiae of his analysis, or back again
as he builds up his imagnificent synthesis, or do we
LI 
to0
accompany him as he patiently accumulates a vast
number of concurrent facts, and then unfolds to us
some  great natural laxw,  we are all the while but
picking a cloth to pieces, thread by thread, or putting
the same together again, thread by thread, or else
readino- the pattern according to which it was woven
by a Divine workman.
Do we turn from this to the study of the beautiful
character of some saintly christian matured by Divine grace for eternity, we are but examining, another
and a better work fromn the same Divine hand.
Or lastly, do we gco to the inspired word, we there behold in the face of Jesus Christ the moral and personal character of the Divine workman himself, "full
of g(race and truth."
In the light of this doctrine, nature and the study
of nature wear a more satisfactory aspect. For in stance;  in looking  upon  a  mountain  landscape,
everybody is first imnpressed with its beauty, and the
more the eye of the beholder has been trained to dis ce rn the beautifiul, the g'reater will be his appreciation
of the beauty of the scene.  But if the beholder has
a knowledge of ~,eolocv he will, besides perceiving
the beauty of form, color and perspective, understand
the origin, history and structure of the mountains, and
will thus comprehend the scientific significance of the
scene. 
r I
He will not only understand and admire in themselves, the laws and operations of laws by which the
mountains were formed, but hle will consider the
mountains also in their relation to the climate, irrigation and veg,etation of the earth.
If in addition to an eye trained to discern beauty
and a mind furnished with scientific knowledge, the
person possesses a christian mind, hle will see the wisdomn of his Heavenly Father displayed in the origin,
history, structure, effect and beauty of the mountains,
and as he reflects upon it hle will find that his msthletical, philosophical, and religious natures are all harmonized and satisfied.  This aspect would thus include all that a Ruskin, a Newton, a Humboldt, an Agassiz, ora Darwin hav- revcalel to us of nature, conmplemented and sanctified by that which a David and a
John beheld in it.
It will be readily seen what the practical effect of
such an understanding of truth would be both upon
christian faith and upon scientific pursuits.
Christian  faith may  well be s?b.!iici/eeled by a
knowledge of the wisdom of her God, and thus add
the grace of intellectual humility to her graces of the
heart, and afford herself even more grounds for intelligent worshlip and praise.  And on the other hand,
just as a knowledge of botany is incomplete without
knowing the source of the heat and light which sustain vegetable life, so a knowledge of physical law 
I2
needs to be coiz!/eiiz,,:iz/c-i by a knowled-ge of the
Giver of physical law, tlhoulhl reasons much more
momentous an.-  tender than this are not lacking, to
induce the scientist to se,k- -lim I rlnose  pl)hysical
law he so,ell iun,lerstani,ls.
The intellectual anA, rei.4ios satisfaction Vwhich the
christiani  mind  expinrienccs  in view\ of tl-he Divine
wisdom as slhol,n in tile 1,)hI'sical worldl, anc. the Divine goodness as shovl in rv-   eemln  love, under the
liglht of thlis truthl could lharblly h becxl)resse d in more
fitting  lan,ua(,e  thian  the following.   (Lang(uage
larg,ely borrowvecl fromn another, orig,inally used however to convey a co,ntate truth.)
"The reason, as well as the heart craves its sublime consolations.  -Our tlhougt,hts find no rest until they soar upward and rest in God. —\NVhen I can
say to myself withl unfaltering lips, the physical world
with all its laws and systems of laws, its past and future history, and every particle of organic and inorganic matter whichl it contains, and all forms of vegetable and animnal life of the past and present, from the
lowest to the highest are all the work of Divine wisdom, and that nothling of all these is untouched by
the guiding and friendly hand of a merciful God and
Redeemer-whlen 1 can say this what need is there of
further argument?  IMy heart is satisfied, for I have
reached the issue of perfect benevolence; my reason
is satisfied for I have reached  the issue of perfect
wisdom." 
1 3
Nor has the world lacked instances where great
beauty of christian character has been united to a life
of devotion to, and eminent attainment in, physical
science; although some of these christian scientists
may not have clearly discerned the boIld of union between their faith and their science, and others have
felt it their duty to forsake the attractive field of
scientific research  to minister to the transcendent
spiritual interests of their fellow men.
\Vhlen we consider the self-denying and patient researches, the utnswerving4 loyalty to truth, the love of
exactitude, and that beautiful intellectual humility begotten of much knowledge, which are so characteristic of the true man of science, one might think
it was but a step from these to the exalted christian
morality set forth in the sermon on the mount andl in
the i3th Corinthians.   But we must not forget that
christian faith is the only solid foundation of christian
morality.
W\Te may gather some lessons of practical wisdom
from the truth set forth.   VWhat should be the attitude
of the christian toward physical science, especially at
the present time?.  Certainly not one of enmity!
Nior that of indifference either.
We may deeply regret that such and such a man
whom (God has endowed with capacity and opportutnity to understand His works, may not feel his need
of an intelligent christian faith: or that another may 
14
not guard language directed against a short-sighted
interpretation of scripture froIn being understood as
directed against inspiration itself; but we cannot refrain if we would from gladly welcoming the contributions of such mien to scientific knowledge, or from
admiring their intellectual gifts and acquirements.
The revelations of science are to the praise of
God's wisdom.  Let us therefore see to it that we be
not found guilty of bringing a reproach upon God's
benevolence by being too slow in recognizing His
wisdom.
If science should by legitimate reasoning transfer
the greater portion of the history of the physical universe from the domain of the supernatural into that
of the natural, it will b)- no less Divine in its origin
and development.   Nor  do  the scriptures teach
otherwise.   What warrant have we for interpreting
the simple figure of a workman, by which the Creator
is generally represented to us in the Bible, as standingc for one who did not make natural laws as tools
to execute His concepts in that early morning of the
world!
If christian thought should find herself compelled to
admit a longer and wider reign of physical law than she
has been wont, that law will lead her not less sure ly, because to her earthly vision less directly, to the
Creator. 
15
But even if we are unable to convince science of
her need of God, we may insist that she shall be true
to herself. As we insist upon morality in christian
life, let us also insist upon a sound physical science
and then cordially accept her revelations.
It is interesting to notice in this connection the protest which some of Professor Hzckels questionable
data, hasty inferences, and unscientific language have
called forth from scientists in Germany who speak in
behalf of a pure science.
If physical science be but true to herself, she cannot fail of being tru= to God and to an enlightened
interpretation of His word, and so unite with christian
faith in the praise of Him who is the author of both.
WVe may thlen formulate tile fundamental truth which
should guide both christian and scientist in these
words:  Resus Chi-isth Iie aztlzor aind object of zothalezer de~J'ec offai1i  /ie cAh'L/ai maypfossess, is aso /ei
zau/ho7 of         plha/eiz'  ~/is/ca{z law sciecice iia) di'Scozvcr.
This foundation will stand the test of time and of
eternity.  And as between works of the same Divine
mind there can be no discord, the spiritual I and physical
kingdoms of God are in perfect and beautiful harmony.
But let the christian see to it that he understands the
law of love as it is, and the scientist that he interprets
the law of nature as it is.
If the great truth which has been set forth be borne
in mind, and christian faith and physical science are
0 
,7 -
"I- " q,
I'.       c   lil,,7D," "I"