The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library

LECTURE VII.Mm's PLACE IN T~IE WORLD.Human organism modelled on the same plan as lower organisms-Prevailingopinion opposes an attempt to refer allhuman activity to organism-Religious thought not directlyinvolved-Science must include the study of humanlife-Science by discovery of the structure and functionsof the nerve s~stem has explained many phases ofaction formerly regarded as voluntary-The contrast remainsbetween muscular action and human conduct-Acquired aptitudes -Intellectual superiority - Hsckel'ssuggestion of " mind cells "-Adverse evidencle-Nervecells, varied sizes, the largest found in the spinal canal, aswell as in the brain-Government of human conduct--Man's application of a higher law-Benevolence, as anillustration-Contrast with struggle for existence-Man'sideal law, constituting the ought in human conduct. . . . . . 239LECTURE VIESummary of recent scientific conclusions with which religiousthought is to be harmonized-Religious conceptionsas to divine interposition, in their relation to fixed law-MIRACLE-Its place as evidence for the Messiahship of JesusChrisGCredibility of miracles-Our Saviour's miracles-Theirbenevolent purpose as bearing on their evidentialvalue-How related to the laws of naturo-Incapable of explanation by these laws-They do notconflict with these laws in any intelligible sense-Meaningof the old formula, "a violation of the laws of nature"-Importance of the scientific position that violation ofnatural law is inconsistent with our knowledge of thegovernment of the world-Method and result in miracleworking,as related to natural law-Explanation of the antagonismof scientific thought to the conception of miracle