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

BXPERTEKCE FROM PAST CONFLICTS. 61on the sole condition that that solution shallbe raised beforehand to one hundred and tendegrees for twenty minutes, or to one hundredand thirty degrees for five minutes."A Commission was appointed by the Academy,and Dr. Bastian agreed to appear beforeit, but only on conditions he laid down greatlyrestricting the range of inquiry. He ignoredthe first and most searching form of M. Pasteur'schallenge; claimed that the adjudicatioilof the Commission should be only on the second;and further stated that if the Commissionwere " to express an opinion upon the interpretationof the fact attested, and upon itsbearings on 'the germ theory of fermentation,'or ' spontaneous generation,' " he wouldrespectfully decline to take part in this widerinquiry. The Commission refused to be restrictedto the worst form of the experiment,and to be bound to withhold an opinion as toits bearing on the question of " spontaneousgeneration." Dr. Bastian went to Paris, butthe inembers of the Commission declined todeal with less than the challenge given, andthe meeting was never properly constituted." Thus ended," as Dr. Bastiai~ has said, " theproceedings of this remarkable Commission