Modern scientific views and Christian doctrines compared

Front matter

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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Preface

A PROMINENT American unbeliever observed, not long ago, in a leading periodical: " A profound change has taken place in the world of thought. . . . Christians excuse themselves for belonging to the Church, by denying a part of the creed. The idea is abroad that they who know the most of Nature believe the least about Theology. The sciences are regarded as infidels, and facts as scoffers."

It is, alas ! but too true that many intelligent people of our country have become either open opponents or indifferent to the truths of Christianity, because they labor under the -false impression, that Modern Science has brought facts to light which demolish the very foundation of Christian belief. It is taken for granted by many so-called advanced thinkers, that the Mosaic Account of the Creation and primeval history of mankind has been completely refuted by the results of modern scientific research, that no vestige of a Creator or Supreme Ruler of the Universe is to be found in visible Nature, that the soul of man is essentially alike to the life-giving principle of brutes, and its immortality, at least, doubtful, etc.

Such and similar infidel views, which are destructive of the very fundamental doctrines of Christianity, are more or less openly taught in many schools, colleges, and universities, and published in books, pamphlets, and papers, which are circulated throughout the country. Hence, we need not be surprised to find that many of our intelligent reading people, among them lawyers, physicians, teachers, editors,

IV. PREFACE.

Students, and even mechanics and farmers, have become imbued with would-be scientific views incompatible with Christian belief. In fact, no Christian family-circle is secure from the baneful influence of infidel doctrines.

To ignore the disagreeable fact, that the tendency of many modern so-called advanced thinkers is decidedly infidel and anti-Christian, will not remedy the evil nor neutralize its influence on the Christian youth of this country. The only effective way of combating infidelity, in the usurped garb of Modern Science, seems to be, to show that all assertions about conflicts between Religion and Science are perfectly unfounded.

This I have endeavored to do in the following pages. Believing modern would-be scientific infidelity to be, probably, the most insidious and formidable foe the Church has to contend with in this country, a favorite study of mine for the last fifteen years has been, to compare the results of modern scientific research with the doctrines of Christianity.

While preparing the following pages for the press, it has been my aim to avoid all one-sided or nai*row-minded views, knowing these to be the fruitful sources of the so-called conflicts between Science and Religion. For this reason I ha,ve consulted on the different points treated, the works of eminent scientific authorities of various shades of religious belief, Catholic, Protestant, indifferent, and infidel, as the reader will notice in glancing over the names of the authors mentioned. 1 have, moreover, endeavored to select as far as possible, only really eminent and reliable scientific and theological authorities, for such alone can fairly be considered representative exponents of Modern Science and Religion. To avoid the danger of misrepresenting the statements of these authorities, I deemed it best, as a rule, to give their exact words, as is usually done in publications wherein the views of different writers are compared; for the exact meaning of an author can seldom be given any better than in his own words.

PREFACE. V.

I take pleasure in expressing here my sincere thanks to the learned reverend gentlemen, William Mahoney, of St. John's Cathedral, at Milwaukee, and S. Lebl, D. D., Professor of Philosophy, Sacred Scripture, etc., in our Seminary, for their kind and valuable assistance in j)reparing these pages for the press.

May this humble volume be welcome, and, with God's blessing, useful to many: to such as live in infidel society, or occasionally associate with unbelievers; to such as have intidel friends to whom they would wish to give a suitable book to read; to such as sometimes read infidel publications; to students of seminaries, colleges, and universities, who cannot ignore modern scientific views nor their bearings on Christian doctrines; and to reverend pastors in whose congregations infidel influences may be undermining Christian religion.

The sentiments with which I offer this book to the reader, 1 cannot better express than in the words of the great teacher St. Augustine (De Vera Religione, 20): '^ Quae vera esse i)erspexeris, tene et Ecclesiae Catholicae tribue; quaefalsa^ respite et mihi, qui homo sum, ignoscey

REV. JOHN GMEINER,

St. Francis, near Milwaukee, Wis.

Errata: Page 15, line 12, last word, read " all " instead of " alone." Page 64, line 17, fourth word, read " dry" instead of " day."