1888 112 We hear a good deal in these days about the conciliation of science and faith —, of aids to faith. One attempts to prove that scripture is really scientific, and so on, but is not all this based upon a delusion? If we have a revelation from God, what does it matter whether science accords with it or not? If it do not, then so much the worse for science. But even pious men, who really believe the word of God, are often so much afraid of the fetish of science, that they make all haste to prove that the Bible is really, if those great of "light and leading" would only graciously allow it, the humble handmaid of science.
Now all this kind of thing will not do: the evidences of a revelation are altogether apart from science. 'He that does His will shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God." "He that believes has the witness in himself." And if (as we KNOW is the truth) the Son of God has been in this world, that one transcendent fact dominates everything, and claims my immediate and absolute surrender. When once I believe this, science, marvellous as are its achievements, is after all a very small thing. It may be admirable for this life (though it be questionable how far torpedoes, for instance, are an unmixed advantage), yet it is only for this life; and the supreme fact of the incarnation and atonement of the blessed Son of God, even my apprehension of it, and bowed belief in it, and contrition of heart resulting from this belief, become the only important things. By faith we KNOW that the Son of God has come, and we are not careful to answer our opponents as to all that they allege, sometimes honestly, sometimes captiously, against the word of God, for that there are immense, perhaps inexplicable, difficulties in the Bible, no one can doubt. But the blessed book does not teach science. It is meant for the heart and the conscience.
It is notorious, on the other hand, that links are wanting in scientific processes. Dare any one affirm that were they all known and applied, science and the Bible would still be at variance? It is conceivable at least that the whole system of geological and physiological theory may have to be recast. Perhaps then fuller accord will be found between the Bible and science than at present obtains. But whether it be so or not, it can make no difference to the christian; for he rests upon the word of the living God, Who cannot lie. R. Beacon. Jr.