congenial to sceptical minds than are the religious methods (which may
broadly be defined as accepting truth on authority), but the results of
the former have more than once directly contradicted those of the
latter: science has in several cases incontestably demonstrated that
religious teaching has been wrong as to matters of fact. Further still,
the great advance of natural knowledge which has characterized the
present century, has caused our ideas upon many subjects connected with
philosophy to undergo a complete metamorphosis. A well-educated man of
the present day is absolutely precluded from regarding some of the
Christian dogmas from the same intellectual standpoint as his
forefathers, even though he may still continue to accept them in some
other sense. In short, our whole key of thinking or tone of thought
having been in certain respects changed, we can no longer anticipate
that in these respects it should continue to harmonize with the
unalterable system of theology.

Such I conceive to be the ways in which Science has exerted her
influence upon Religion, and it is needless to dwell upon the potency of
their united effect. No one can read even a newspaper without perceiving
how great this effect has been. On the one hand, sceptics are
triumphantly confident that the light of dawning knowledge has begun
finally to dispel the darkness of superstition, while religious persons,
on the other hand, tremble to think what the future, if judged by the
past, is likely to bring forth. On both sides we have free discussion,
strong language, and earnest canvassing. Year by year stock is taken,
and year by year the balance is found to preponderate in favour of
Science.

This being the state of things of the present time, I think that with
the experience of the kind and degree of influence which Science has