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Hesperian Student.
1
VOI-., 'I.
University of Nebraska.
NO 1.
JANITAKV,
Qui non rroilolt,1colt.
1875.
Prof. Tyiulnll.
In iv short paper last month we. adverted
to some of the conclusions of Prof. Tyn
dull's Belfast uddress.'cspooiully to Unit
part in which he claims for mutter the or
igin and potentiality of all forms oV life,
while at the same time lie confesses, the
whole subject lies beyond tho boundary
of experimental vcritlcation, and hence
beyond the domain of science. Perhaps
in this inconsistency it was lmenueu i
give a practical illustration of the possible
" Uses of the Imagination in Science," an
idea to which ho has heretofore devoted a
volume. One thing is certain, that while
suggesting the possibilities of matter, he
does not claim that it has been proved
that tho life which is manifested through
matter, and tho molecules of matter are
the same. Nay, he plainly admits that
tiro " cosmical life" is unknown and prob
bly unknowable to us. But matter is
known as subject to mechanical and
chemical laws. Hence what is called
"the potentiality" of matter may be, after
all, nothing else than tho "divine life" or
"cosmic life," which is everywhere man
ifesting itself, as possessing intelligence
and design.
I. The Professor would also have us
greatly change our conception of matter.
Mutter, with him, is composed of atoms
or molecules plus this cosmic life. This
last assumption seems essential in order
to maintain plausibly the doctrine of Ev
olution. For if there is no principle ol
life interspersed among tho molecules,
from them no llfo could be evolved. Ex
itihilo nihil jit. Now that life may be in
corporated with atoms of matter and may
bo displayed through them is an old, famil
iar idea; but force, life and attraction,
are conceptions entirely dill'erent and
distinct from atoms and molecules. Nor,
when wo think of atoms, do we necessari
ly include tho ideas of force and life. In
thought and philosophic investigation wc
always distinguish them. The one does
not nccesBurily include tho other. There
is no living investigator in molecular
physics, whose authority is greater than
that of Prof. Clerk Maxwell of Aber
deen. Ho has made atoms or molecules
a speciality, and his conclusions have
been recently given to the public as fol.
lows-. "No theory of Evolution," he says,
"can be formed to account for the sirni
Unity of tho molecules throughout all
time, aiui throughout tho whole regloi'i of
tho stellar universe; for Evolution neces
sarily implies continuous change, and tho
molecule is incapable of growth or dccayi
of generation or destruction." "Nono of
tho processes of nature, since the time
nature began, have produced tho slightest
difference in tho properties of any mole
cule. Oil tho other hand, tho exact
equality of each molecule to all others of
tho same kind precludes the Idea of its
being eternal and self-existent. Tlieso
molecules conthiuo this day as they wore
created, perfect, in numbor and measure,
and weight."
These statements of this eminent phy
sicist show conclusively, that matter us
composed of atoms, has no potency to
to evolve life; mid Mint llfo Is something
independent of and superadded to matter,
whenever llfo is manifested. And speak
ing of this life force tho Professor Is
candid enough to admit that it is abso
lutely inscrutable to science Hence tho
pustulate that is put forward by him, that
atoms and llfo constitute matter, which
lias a potency to evolve all forms of llfo,
is not supported by tho scientific thought
of tho present day.
2. This newest phuso of philosophy, of
which Prof. Tyndall is an eminent apostle,
admits there may be found innumerable
Instances of wonderful adaptations, but It
denies that there is manifest anywhere
evidences of design ; and hence from a
survey of nature wc may not infer an in
telligent designing, infinite mind that has
ordained the variety, and harmony of the
material and spiritual Universe. This
source ol thought minis in manic ana
cheerless atheism. All is relegated to
the control of impersonal law, rigid, in
flexible and inexorable; of whose origin
and end wo cannot obtain the slightest
rational conception. This view when
thus fairly stated is revolting to every
sentiment of tho soul, and is Instinctively
rejected.
If Mils question of design in the adap
tations of nature could be settled by the
authority of great names, an overwhelm
ing preponderance of authority would be
found in its favor. Since tho time that
Socrates confounded that "iniKios kui
uthoos," Aristodemus by pointing out in
detail the dill'erent parts, of tne eye, ask
ing whether all those parts were thus
made and disposed with or without ti de
signing intelligence, tho argument for
design in nature, lias been well-nigh ir
resistible. It is absolutely incredible
that the purpose served by all nuturo,
animate and inanimate In the mass
and minute, the nice intcrd'ipcndon
ces and correlations of matter to mat
ter, and mind to matter, aro all tho
result of chance or of a law working
without a design. To maintain Mint there
Iv no prescient will manifest in nature, to
the average mind, is as absurd, as to be.
Hove that with sufllcient letters of tho
alphabet in a box, there could bo raked
out of it tho Iliad of Homer, the Para
diso Lost of Milton, or tho Principiu of
Newton.
And with respect to this idea of pres
cient design in the ordor of nature, It
does not matter whothor nature is the re
sult of Evolution or of separate creative
acts. For, in the words of Bishop Butler,
in his Analogy of Religion to the Nature
and Constitution of things, "an intelli
gent Author of Nature being supposed, it
makes no alteration in tho matter before
us whether ho acts in nature every
moment, or at once contrived and
executed his own mirt in tho plan of
tho world." If creation by Evolution
should ever becomo an established fact
It could bo held in ontiro harmony and
good fellowship with the idea of a crea
tion by an Intelligent mind.
The high sounding phrases which some
superficial or ono sided scionti' s employ
to upset tho revered and soul-sustaining
beliefs of the ages, are mere " brutum
fulnwi" and liko other wonders of tho
hour will in time be upset by other moral
philosophies. Let no one, therefore, be
alarmed at the transcendental nonsense of
rythmic vibrations of tho brain, proto
plusmic energy or cosmic life as being
likely to drive from the human soul the
world wide beliefs of an intelligent Cre
ator, Preserve, and Judge of the Uui
verse. For with the Apostle may wojsay,
which is also tho highest generalization
of Science, of Him are all things, by Ilim
aro all things, and to Him aro all things.
Ho is the source, the efllcient agent, and
the end for which all has been made.
A. R: B.
The Crisis.
rcaUKC that the hated German statesman
huu triumphed. Thus, the last offensive
A crisis is imminent. Just how long it
will be before the decisive moment shall
arrive In this country, I would not under
take to say. In Europe, it is at hand. In
this article I shall ncf take either side, pro
posing simply to state facts, and the causes,
as I understand them, that brought about
the present condition of all'airs.
About the year 182"5, a warm discussion
was had in the British Parliament on tho
question of admitting Catholics to a seat in
that body. If they were compelled to obey
the mandates of tho Pope in moral and civ
il matters as well as religious, it was urged,
they were incompetent to legislate for an
independent people like the Britons. The
result was, that certain leading Catholics of
that country denied the infallibility of the
Pope. How far the decrees of the Vatican
should lie obeyed, was very much a matter
of discretion. Catholics were admitted,
and in unglunu, the great question was
neglected or slumbered altogether for years.
The next Held of strife was between Prus
sia and Austria. How eagerly tho Pope
and his counsellors on one side, and the
Protestants on tho other, watched that strug
gle is beyond conjecture. Tho "battles were
fought between the armies ol Prussia and
Austria, but the contest was one more effort
on the part of the Vatican to regain its
lost prestige. With tho overthrow of the
Austrluns in their last great battle wus
gained another victory for Bismarck the
inveterate enemy of tho church. What
was to bo done? At the bidding of the
Pope, seven hundred and thirty delegates
assembled at Rome for the purposo of dis
cussing measures tending to revive the
waning inlluence of the church among the
powers of Europe.
France was ever faithful and it is notice,
able that the declaration of war against
Prussia, and the ominous proclamation of
tho infallibility of tho Pope, Avere heralded
to the world almost simultaneously, and
that both followed close upon the dissolu
tion of tho General Council. What the
motives were that prompted Louis Napo
leon to inaugurate the war that ended sc
disastrously to France, Is a problem that
the wlsost could not solve. 1 accent that
which at this time looks to me most plaus
ible: Bismarck must be overthrown. Who
was to do it, and how was it to be done?
It was not altogether certain that Napoleon
could do it; but lie must try. Napoleon
was a usurper, and his throne was already
tottering, liable at any moment to fall. It
is not improbable, therefore, that fiequent
and urgent messages from Rome, and the
hope that thereby his own cause would bo
strengthened, induced him to attempt the
perilous undertaking. He tried it. Napo
leon III was made prisoner, and with his
fall at Sedan, the Pope was again forced to
move was a failure.
Now Bismarck was prepared to assume
the offensive; and lie is not the man to stop
until either his enemy or himself is com
pletely humbled, if not vanquished. The
German Parliament henceforth became the
scene of his operations. His notion wus
that if u man and woman were married in
accordance with the laws of the state, they
were man and wife, the rules of the church
to tho contrary notwithstanding. The cler
gy remonstrated. Remonstrances to noth
ing! WJiiucnreu lie tor clerical renion
strances or papel bulls? Certain Catholic
professors refused to accept some new dog
ma, which was followed by a summons for
their expulsion from the universities, with
which .summons the state refused to com
ply. Here, then, the issue had been reach
ed at last: Shall the state be supreme with
in its own domain, refusing ull foreign eccle
siastical dictation, and preserving to every
ecclesiastical body within its limits just and
e(Mniberties; or shall papacy bo permit
ted to exercise its sovereign will in tho
state, independently of the state. Bismarck
declared that papacy could have nothing to
do Avitli ruling tho German Empire.
A law was introduced leaving the inner
life of all churches untouched, but stating
in unmistakable language, that in eioil af
faiv3 the state is supreme. With the abovo
named policy, Bismarck wus recently
sustained in the German Parliament by a
vot of 190 to 71.
There it stands. Bismarck is ahead,
but his victory is not complete. His op.
poncuts aro untiring, numerous, and
constantly on tho alert. While ho lives,
his party will, no doubt, hold its own.
and more. But Bismnrck is old. His
life has been one of active service of
unremitting toil. He is not so old in
years, but as the tall oak must bear tho
brunt of every storm, swayed backward
and forward at tho will of the storm-king
and at times, even selected as a target for
tho lightning; so Bismarck has for years
borne the brunt of battle In a diplomatic
and military war hardly equalled in cither
ancient or modern times ; so has ho been
subject to tho whirlwinds of popular pas
sion, coming, llrst from ono direction
then from another, but received indifl'cr'
ontly; and, finally, singled out ns a target
for the bullet of the assassin hold by an
ignorant youth, but directed by opponont3
Without his great energy aud imperious
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