It is not his science which is in fault, but his philosophy." The astronomer Lalande says that he has searched the whole heaven but has not found God; but that is not the fault of astronomy. "Astronomy may observe the heavenly bodies and their separate phases and developments, and by this means may possibly be able to explain their origin and 'the successive stages through which they have passed till they reached their present state, but it will never venture to decide whether the primary matter and forces with which it starts are eternal or were created in time; whether the combination of this matter and these forces which formed the heavenly bodies was fortuitous, or if it was governed and guided by a higher personal will." No doubt the man of science is in great danger of losing sight of the first and highest cause in his examination and observation of secondary causes; just as the anatomist may be tempted to forget the soul in his examination of the organism of the human body. But if the man of science becomes a disbeliever in revelation, and the anatomist becomes a materialist, it is not their science which leads to this, but false speculations in other branches of knowledge; and their appeal to scientific conclusions to prove their philosophical errors is just as explicable, but also just as wrong, as the doubt which disbelievers in miracles and prophecy cast upon the authenticity and credibility of the Biblical books.

"If the attitude of science towards religion is indifferent, or even hostile," says Deutinger, "it is so, not because science and religion are incompatible, but

'Bibel und Astronomie, pp. 12, 298.

because science has abandoned her own true principles, or has not yet recognised them. There is a great error involved in saying that the two cannot exist together. He who says, In order to know we must give up belief, in order to believe we must give up knowledge, has an equally erroneous idea of both belief and knowledge. If science contradicts religion, it is not owing to scientific accuracy, but to the want of it. It is not science which contends against religion, but ignorance, an unscientific spirit." This holds good of natural science. Our inquiries will show that we may believe not only the fact of creation, but everything which the Bible teaches concerning the creation and primæval history, and this without ever controverting any of the assured results of natural science.

1

We may express this conviction the more confidently because we know by experience that it is possible to be a very thorough and zealous man of science, and also a believing Christian. Noble examples of this are not wanting either in ancient or modern times among Protestants and Catholics."

The Franciscan Roger Bacon, in the 13th century, one of the most eminent representatives of science in the Middle Ages, was at all events a faithful Christian, whatever we may think of his philosophical and theological system. His namesake in the 16th century, Francis Bacon, Lord Verulam, is not quite so blameless; but natural science had not made him an unbeliever, as is clear from his well-known saying that a superficial

1 Renan und das Wunder, pp. 53, 54.

Cf. Hettinger, Apologie, i. 1, p. 202. Berger, Naturwissenschaft, Glaube, Schule. Frankf. 1864.

acquaintance with natural science, or, as he calls it, philosophy, might possibly lead to atheism, but that a deeper study of it would lead back to religion. "Leves gustus in philosophia movere fortasse ad atheismum, sed pleniores haustus ad religionem reducere," or as he says in another passage: "Verum est, parum philosophiæ naturalis homines inclinare in atheismum, ad altiorem scientiam eos ad religionem circumagere." For if the human understanding observes secondary causes scattered and unconnected, it may see nothing beyond them, and thus remain in atheism; but if it goes on to recognise their concatenation and their connection with one another, it must necessarily take refuge in the thought of God, or of a Divine Providence. On the whole, you will allow me to add what follows, which, strictly speaking, does not belong to the subject,—on the whole, atheism is more on men's lips than in their hearts. This is proved by the vigour with which atheists spread and defend their opinion, and endeavour to gain disciples,—the latter only because they mistrust themselves, and would willingly strengthen their wavering convictions by the assent of others. Those alone, he concludes, do not believe in God whose interest it is that God should not exist. "Deum non esse non credit nisi cui Deum non esse expedit." In the introduction to the Novum Organon, Bacon asks of God that the brighter burning of the natural light and the progress of science should not cause unbelief in the divine mysteries, but that, on the contrary, the understanding cleansed from vanity and superstition, and submitting

2

itself to revelation, might yield to faith those things which are of faith.

It is known that the three fathers of modern astronomy, Copernicus, Newton, and Kepler, were faithful and pious Christians. The fact that the Canon of Frauenberg dedicated his account of his astronomical system to Pope Paul III., proves that his conscience was clear in matters of theology.1 Isaac Newton, as is well known, occupied himself with exegetical as well as with astronomical and mathematical studies.

The following passages from his book about the prophet Daniel, prove his belief in the Bible: "We have Moses, the prophets and apostles, and the words of Jesus Christ Himself, and if we will not hear them, we shall be more inexcusable than the Jews. And the giving ear to the prophets is a fundamental character of the true Christian," etc. "The authority of the prophets is divine, which name is also deserved by Moses and the apostles," etc.2

The following words with which Kepler closes one of his books on astronomy will show his religious opinions: "It only remains for me to lift up my hands and eyes from the work table to heaven, and to pray devoutly and humbly to the Father of lights: 0 Thou who awakenest in us through the light of nature the longing for the light of grace, in order that Thou mightest transport us into the light of glory, I give Thee thanks, my Lord and Creator, that Thou hast gladdened me with Thy creation when I was enraptured with the works 1 Cf. Beckmann, Zur Gesch. des Copernic. Systems (Braunsberg), 1862, ii.

p. 12.

2

Zöckler, Gesch. der Beziehungen zwischen Theologie und Naturwissenschaft, 1879, ii. p. 13.

of Thy hands. Look on this work of my calling which I have finished by the help of the faculties which Thou hast given me; I have revealed the glory of Thy works, in so much of their infinity as my finite spirit could conceive, to men who will read these proofs. My soul has striven to be as true as possible in its philosophizing; if I have uttered anything unworthy of Thee, teach me to make it better. If I have been led into too great boldness by the wonderful beauty of Thy works, or if I have sought my own honour at the hands of men in creating a work which was meant for Thy glory, forgive me in Thy mercy and pity. Lastly, grant me Thy grace, that this work may lead to Thy glory and the good of souls, and may never harm them.”1

In spite of Galileo's melancholy contest with the Roman authorities, there is no doubt that he remained a sincere Catholic to his death, and believed that his scientific conclusions were perfectly compatible with his faith.2

1 Cf. Hengstenberg's Ev. Kirchen Ztg. 1830, p. 411. Raumer, Kreuzzüge, ii. pp. 43-45. For another expression of Kepler's on this subject, see above, p. 37, note.

2 "We maintain that Galileo was a sincere Christian and Catholic. Proof of this may be found in his writings, even in those which have been incriminated and condemned; but especially in his most confidential correspondence, which was never intended for publication. No doubt his life was not spotless . . . but never, either before or after his condemnation, in his books, or in his notes, or his correspondence, whether with Protestants or with Catholics, with Fra Paola Sarpi, the Venetian theologian of very doubtful orthodoxy, or with those who were indifferent to religion, did he utter one word which would justify a doubt of his sincere faith-often and clearly expressed-in the Catholic religion. But both before and after his condemnation he invariably believed that his faith was in no way contradicted by the Copernican system, because, as he had said . . . and as Father Campanella, making use of the very terms used by the Lateran Council, had repeated in his eloquent apology for Galileo, two truths cannot contradict one another."-Th. H. Martin, Galilée. Paris 1868. P. 200.