THE SCIENTIFIC SPIRIT.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 214, 4 June 1919, Page 4

THE SCIENTIFIC SPIRIT.

.LECTURE ,BI THE -NEW: DEAN 01' . ■ . <-■ '..KING'S.,-COLLEGE. -.."■':. •■ liev."W> 1?. Mnttiiows,^.B;t).Vtivhb has .recently.-.been-appointed Dean of King's College, gave his first important .public Ichiro oir Starch 31, rightly described by Professor Andrews,... who,., presided; as "not the lodiit brirlitint.of one of the most brilliant series delivered 'in ''London for a good wliilo-past." v His .subject was "Tho Christian Church and. the Scientific Spirit," .Thethi^e.Salient features of .the scientific attitude—objectivity; its. .by ; übsbrva-' lion uiider confrolleii'conditions; and its 'desire of'lrutli foi- its-own 'fake/ 'with ail explanation of-facts if possible by laws. , - While many 'causes -of .-conflict between religion and science ' had. disiibpenr«j-. some .were still at work. Tlie (scientific spirit tended to extend the .out-ward-at: the expense of Hie inward, mid to put efficiency at.'tho siiiiunit of huiuiin values. Tt could not claim to be st-lf-. siitlicient or to occlipy the whole field. We were really-living at .the mil. of a , purely scientific ago. The mechanical conception was tstagijei'ilig under the attacks of- neo-vitalism., The three.iniglity , streams of science, .philosophy, arid theology, so. long'sijiiiijeVed, Were turning .to-, wards each' other.'and' flowing, together.. To hear, and ask. questions was'the proper anilude, of ''the'.Church', towards.'the Hcie.iltific ,spiHt : nt. the 'present .tinie: ; NothiiigVa'S more.fii'tal tlmitti'.'sfift'.refusal; to learivj-but, on.jhij olliet , . 1 haiUl, ye h'aci. : our riglits'-'of ci'ifici'smr; I\Vcentury was infallible! not even ttie j-oiingesv-ot them.. •We- should -learn ■• from' the 'spirit- .of seletico to lie , more flexible'-and adaptable, an'il neverfo present-to the. world'a closed. sy.MemV Almost every advance in scielice h(id been -tiiriiwl to , service- in practical, fife,- and so-ehouldH'be with theology.Tile growing approximation among theo-'. logiahs-of all the Churches should give a lift forward towards ■ genuine reunion. Behind oui , diverse expressions there was really a common Christianity,- and the task of an enlightened > and progressive theology was to .bring the modern roirid back to the obodienco of the Gospel.