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

EXPERIENCE FROM PAST CONFLICTS. 63ory of species has given a conception of theunity of organic life in the world, which evenin its most modified form has an imposinggrandeur. Influenced by this, scientific menare naturally concerned to make out, if possible,some connection between inorganic andorganic being. To work at this, is part of theinevitable task of science, even though the resultshould be only to establish the helplessnessof science in dealing with it.We have chemical and dynamical theoriesof life which stimulate repetition of experiments,in the hope that some grand discoverymay be made. Those just described presenta curious illustration. In the circumstances,we can well underst,and the persistence withwhich Dr. Bastian clung to his supposed discoveryof the physico-chemical conditions forproduction of living organism.Science finds in these experiments a freshlesson of the need for caution, guarding againstthe hampering influence of popular notions, asin reference to the probable effects of the boilingprocess. For if the experiments haveproved a failure so far as support to a theoryof spontaneous generation is concerned, theyhave revealed a tenacity of life belonging to'