subsequent
centuries did her leading men spend themselves in, as the phrase then
went, 'drawing forth the internal juice and marrow of the scriptures for
the explaining of things.' Universal history from the _third_ to the
_sixteenth_ century shows with what result. The dark ages owe their
darkness to this fatal policy."

The pure Christianity, as well as Christians of 231 years, are exonerated
by Mr. Draper. Unbeliever, will you remember this? Many unbelievers, like
drowning men catching at straws, have endeavored to make it appear that
Mr. Draper's book, entitled "Conflict Between Religion and Science," makes
a square fight between the Bible and science. So far is this from the
truth that, on the contrary, it does not even set up a square issue
between Protestantism and science; its issue lies between Roman Catholic
religion and science. Hear him: "Then has it, _in truth_, come to this,
that Roman Christianity and science are recognized by their respective
adherents as being absolutely incompatible; they can not exist together;
one must yield to the other; mankind must make its choice--it can not have
both. While such is, perhaps, the issue as regards Catholicism, a
reconciliation of the reformation with science is not only possible, but
would easily take place if the protestant churches would only live up to
their maxim taught by Luther and established by so many years of war. That
maxim is the right of private interpretation of the scriptures. It was the
foundation of intellectual liberty." (Did Luther say the foundation of
intellectual liberty?) But if a personal interpretation of the book of
Revelation is permissible, how can it be denied in the case of the book of
nature? In the misunderstandings that have taken place, we must ever bear
in mind the infirmities of men. The generations that immediately followed
the reformation may perhaps be excused for not comprehending the full
significance of cardinal principle, and for not on all occasions carrying
it into effect. When Calvin caused Servetus to be burnt he was animated,
not by the principles of the reformation, but by those of Catholicism,
from which he had not been able to emancipate himself completely. And when
the clergy of influential protestant confessions have stigmatized the
investigators of nature as infidels and atheists, the same may be said.
(No man should be called by a name that does not truthfully represent
him.) Now listen to Mr. Draper: "For Cath