nflict as to the criterion of truth--that is, after the Reformation;
indeed, they were substantially included in the present century. They
have been conducted with so much moderation as to justify the term
I have used in the title of this chapter, "Controversy," rather than
"Conflict." Geology has not had to encounter the vindictive opposition
with which astronomy was assailed, and, though, on her part, she has
insisted on a concession of great antiquity for the earth, she has
herself pointed out the unreliability of all numerical estimates thus
far offered. The attentive reader of this chapter cannot have failed to
observe inconsistencies in the numbers quoted. Though wanting the
merit of exactness, those numbers, however, justify the claim of vast
antiquity, and draw us to the conclusion that the time-scale of the
world answers to the space-scale in magnitude.

CHAPTER VIII.

CONFLICT RESPECTING THE CRITERION OF TRUTH.

Ancient philosophy declares that man has no means of
ascertaining the truth.

Differences of belief arise among the early Christians--An
ineffectual attempt is made to remedy them by Councils.--
Miracle and ordeal proof introduced.

The papacy resorts to auricular confession and the
Inquisition.--It perpetrates frightful atrocities for the
suppression of differences of opinion.

Effect of the discovery of the Pandects of Justinian and
development of the canon law on the nature of evidence.--It
becomes more scientific.

The Reformation establishes the rights of individual
reason.--Catholicism asserts that the criterion of truth is
in the Church. It restrains the reading of books by the
Index Expurgatorius, and combats dissent by such means as
the massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve.

Examination of the authenticity of the Pentateuch as the
Protestant criterion.--Spurious character of those books.

For Science the criterion of truth is to be found in the
revelations of Nature: for the Protestant, it is in the
Scriptures; for the Catholic, in an infallible Pope.

"WHAT is truth?" was the passionate demand of a Roman procurator on one
of the most momentous occasions in history. And the Divine Person who
stood before him, to whom the interrogation was addressed, made no
reply--unless, indeed, silence contained the reply.

Often and vainly had that demand been made before--often and