Father Searle's Lecture.

Rev. G. M. Searle, director of the Astronomical Observatory in the Catholic University at Washington, lectured in Sanders Theatre last evening under the auspices of the Catholic Club on "Astronomical Science not Opposed to Christian Faith." After a few brief words of introduction by President Eliot, the lecturer spoke as follows:

For some years past there has been a widespread idea that there is a conflict between the truths of science and religion. By many people religion has been taken as a kind of sentiment rather than a rational belief. The first real difficulty in the way has been the Biblical account of the creation of the world in six days. In view of the gradual development of other planets, it seems hard to believe that the world could have reached so high a state of development in six days. But this account is not to be taken too literally; on the contrary we may fairly assume that the world was many ages in reaching its habitable form.

The second and last great difficulty in out way is the immense proportion which the rest of the universe bears to this planet. This makes many believe that God would not deign to notice our little earth. That the earth is small is no proof that God could not work wonders in it. As far as we have been able to ascertain by astronomical knowledge none of the other planets are or ever will be inhabited. Nothing has hitherto been adduced to show that the Christian faith is wrong. Astronomy never has and never will show us anything which conflicts with the truths of religion.