Science and the Old Testament.
By George R. Brister
WE are told that science disproves many of the Old Testament statements; that instead of six days, the world required billions of years in building; that the sun could not stand still for a brief hour, because the sun does not move at all, and so on through a long list of objections. It does not satisfactorily answer to say that the mission of the Bible is not to teach science, but to save men's souls. The fact is true, but as an argument it is a begging of the question. While the Bible may not teach science, it must not teach a lie. If a book claiming inspiration announces as a fact what later science proves to be false, all the claim of inspiration is destroyed. Yet the falsity of the Book must not be accepted upon the mere claim of science. And the church need not fear from science's errant boast. A student of science does not graduate into a theologian. A superficial knowledge of stones and soils does not necessarily give knowledge of the mind of God. When so-called science announces her facts, let us be chary of following her conclusions into theological fields. The larger part of the science of to-day heralds itself with a false cry. Its voice is to be heard, it declares, and its conclusions heeded, because it stands not upon intuitions, but upon deductions from clearly proven facts. But is this true? Then science stands only upon facts, never upon inferences. Let us remember, however, against this, that it was the science of the day that taught that baser metal could be changed into gold; that read the future by the stars; that gave to necromancers their silly authority; it was the science of his day that put out Galileo's eyes because he declared the earth moved. Then it is insisted that science deals only with the tangible, the seen, while the Bible deals with Heaven, and angels, and faith, the unseen; and therefore the dicta of science are sure and reliable, while the statements of the Bible are uncertain and visionary. But science tells me that yonder apple falls to the ground by the law of gravitation. Show me gravitation. Do you answer by pointing to the apple on the ground? That is a result merely, not the attraction. So while I cannot show you the Spirit of God, of which the Bible speaks, yet I can point you to where the mourner has from contact with him had a new song put in his mouth, even of praises unto God. Science talks of power. Who has seen it? The answer is: A moment ago that man stood upon his feet, but from the power in the fist of his opponent he now lies bleeding and bruised. A result again, not the thing itself. And while I cannot show you biblical faith, yet I can show you its result in the miserable drunkard, by it transformed into a sober disciple of Jesus. Science announces that the ball discharged from a Minie rifle describes a parabola. No human eye ever saw that parabola. So faith in the processes and conclusions of science, is as necessary as faith is requisite in believing God. To believe in man's growth from the tadpole or protoplasm requires faith in Darwin or his coadjutors. None else have found the connecting link. Between faith in Darwin's word and the word of the living God—not of man's interpretation, however—certainly but one reasonable way is open.—Geo. R. Brister, D. D.