FOR THE SABBATH.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 534, 18 January 1913, Page 6

FOR THE SABBATH.

RELIGIOUS BELIEFS OF SCIEN- * TISTS. Dr William J. Holland, M.A., a distinguished naturalist, director of the Carnegie Museum, Pittsburg; vice-president of the Carnegie Hero Fund Commission s r nce 1904; Chancellor of the North-Western University, Pennsylvania, 1891 - 1901; naturalist of the U.S. Eclipse expedition to Japan, 1887, and Africa, 1889;' an authority on zoology and palaeontology : Fellow of zoological 'and entomological societies, London; and also member of many American scientific associations; author of acientific papers bearing 225 titles; ia a Doctor of Science, Doctor of Philosophy, and a Doctor of Laws. The doctor answers: —

"Replying to your lines of February Btb, I desire to say, it is hardly worth while to pay any attention to the utterances of persons such as the one of whom you speak, who declares that present scientific research has shown the Bible and religion to be untrue, and that leading men of science are anti-Christian and irreligious. Both of these statements are not correct, as any one who is at all acquainted with the world of scientific men very well understands. Between pseudo-science and religion, and between pseudo-theology and science, there of necessity exists conflicts, but what is true in science is not in conflict with what is true in religion. Truth throughout this universe of ours is harmonious, probably have as extensive an acquaintance with the scientific men of all lands as it falls to the good fortune of most men to have, and I know that the vast majority of my acquaintances in scientific circles are reverent- and many of them devout men, who find nothing whatever in Mie facts of science to conflict with, their faith in the existence of "a Power making for righteousness," "in Whom we live and move and have our being." Of course, there are irreligious men in the ranks of scientific men, just as there are unscientific men among the ranks of those who are religious. It wouldj be invidious fo? me to cite the namse of multitudes of living men whom I could mention on both sides of the Atlantic' who are distinguished alike for their scientific attainments and for their faith. Nobody who knew them, however, could deny that such men as Joseph Henry, Joseph le Conte, and the elder Agassiz, who were princes in the world of Bcience, were also men of deep religious convictions. Both Dr Henry and Dr le Conte, I happen to recall, were officebearers in Christian churchaß to which they belonged. Henry, as you know, was ona of the greatest physicists, and Le Conte one of the greatest geologists. I could multiply instances by the hundred of eminent men of science who are consistent and faithful members of Christian churches. Y,ou.have scores of them in your own city of London. It is mere twaddle to talk about the conflict between Science and Religion. When a man indulges; in that kind of chatter, I am always certain he either does not understand what Science is, or is devoid of an understanding of the fundamental teachings of true religion."

DESCENDING INTO HELL. What is the explanation of "Descending Into Hell?" and do the righteous and unrighteous, before taking their final state of happiness or misery enter the same place? i First of all, with regard to hell, just a word to explain this, which ia much misunderstood. When it H said that Christ "descended into hell," it does not mean that He went down into the place of lost spirits, but that He went into the\unseen*world, and as far asl can understand —I never dogmatise about these things, I only say as far as can understand —there seems to be a place of waiting souls of two descriptions, one, as it werp, the ante-room to Heaven and one the ante-room to hell. For instance, take that picture of Dives and Lazarus. It is clear the Lazarus was not in Heaven, because th« judgment day had not yet come. He was in what is called "Abraham's bosom," which is otherwise described as "Paradise." On the other hand, it is clear that Dives was not in a place in which there was no influence upon him to improve or teach him, for Dives clearly was growing in good ideas when he began to think of - his brethren. And therefore, as far as we can understand, Heaven and hell are states or places which come after the great day of judgment, and besides them in this unseen world there aeems a "gulf fixed" between the two ante-rooms; waiting souls are not jn the same place, but one in one place and one in another. And therefore when I hear St. Paal say, "It h better to depart and be with Christ—far better"; when I hear our Lord say to the penitent thief, "To-day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise," my belief is that He is promising a place in that happy waiting place of souls where He Himself is: where soula grow in grace every day, become more Ghristlike, and a re-preparing for the glorius life with . the holy an 3 the blessed and the angel in Heaven at last. , —Bishop of London.