Dicipulusestpriorisposteriordies
TheTruthshallmakeyoufree——ST。JOHN，viii，
Mybookisreadyfortheprinter，andasIbeginthisprefacemyeyelightsuponthecrowdofRussianpeasantsatworkontheNevaundermywindows。WithpickandshoveltheyarelettingtheraysoftheAprilsunintothegreaticebarrierwhichbindstogetherthemodernquaysandtheoldgranitefortresswhereliethebonesoftheRomanoffCzars。
Thisbarrierisalreadyweakened；itiswidelydecayed，inmanyplacesthin，andeverywheretreacherous；butitis，asawhole，sobroad，socrystallizedaboutoldboulders，soimbeddedinshallows，sowedgedintocranniesoneithershore，thatitisagreatdanger。Thewatersfromthousandsofswollenstreamletsabovearepressingbehindit；wreckageandrefusearepilingupagainstit；everyoneknowsthatitmustyield。Butthereisdangerthatitmayresistthepressuretoolongandbreaksuddenly，wrenchingeventhegranitequaysfromtheirfoundations，bringingdesolationtoavastpopulation，andleaving，afterthesubsidenceoftheflood，awidespreadresidueofslime，afertilebreeding-bedforthegermsofdisease。
Butthepatientmujiksaredoingtherightthing。Thebarrier，exposedmoreandmoretothewarmthofspringbythescoresofchannelstheyaremaking，willbreakawaygradually，andtheriverwillflowonbeneficentandbeautiful。
MyworkinthisbookislikethatoftheRussianmujikontheNeva。IsimplytrytoaidinlettingthelightofhistoricaltruthintothatdecayingmassofoutwornthoughtwhichattachesthemodernworldtomediaevalconceptionsofChristianity，andwhichstilllingersamongus——amostseriousbarriertoreligionandmorals，andamenacetothewholenormalevolutionofsociety。
Forbehindthisbarrieralsothefloodisrapidlyrising——thefloodofincreasedknowledgeandnewthought；andthisbarrieralso，thoughhoneycombedandinmanyplacesthin，createsadanger——dangerofasuddenbreakingaway，distressingandcalamitous，sweepingbeforeitnotonlyoutworncreedsandnoxiousdogmas，butcherishedprinciplesandideals，andevenwrenchingoutmostpreciousreligiousandmoralfoundationsofthewholesocialandpoliticalfabric。
Myhopeistoaid——evenifitbebutalittle——inthegradualandhealthfuldissolvingawayofthismassofunreason，thatthestreamof“religionpureandundefiled“mayflowonbroadandclear，ablessingtohumanity。
Andnowafewwordsregardingtheevolutionofthisbook。
ItissomethingoveraquarterofacenturysinceIlaboredwithEzraCornellinfoundingtheuniversitywhichbearshishonoredname。
OurpurposewastoestablishintheStateofNewYorkaninstitutionforadvancedinstructionandresearch，inwhichscience，pureandapplied，shouldhaveanequalplacewithliterature；inwhichthestudyofliterature，ancientandmodern，shouldbeemancipatedasmuchaspossiblefrompedantry；andwhichshouldbefreefromvarioususelesstrammelsandviciousmethodswhichatthatperiodhamperedmany，ifnotmost，oftheAmericanuniversitiesandcolleges。
Wehadespeciallydeterminedthattheinstitutionshouldbeunderthecontrolofnopoliticalpartyandofnosinglereligioussect，andwithMr。Cornell’sapprovalIembodiedstringentprovisionstothiseffectinthecharter。
Ithadcertainlyneverenteredintothemindofeitherofusthatinallthisweweredoinganythingirreligiousorunchristian。
Mr。CornellwasrearedamemberoftheSocietyofFriends；hehadfromhisfortuneliberallyaidedeveryformofChristianeffortwhichhefoundgoingonabouthim，andamongthepermanenttrusteesofthepubliclibrarywhichhehadalreadyfounded，hehadnamedalltheclergymenofthetown——CatholicandProtestant。
Asformyself，Ihadbeenbredachurchman，hadrecentlybeenelectedatrusteeofonechurchcollege，andaprofessorinanother；thosenearestanddearesttomeweredevoutlyreligious；
and，ifImaybeallowedtospeakofamattersopersonaltomyself，mymostcherishedfriendshipswereamongdeeplyreligiousmenandwomen，andmygreatestsourcesofenjoymentwereecclesiasticalarchitecture，religiousmusic，andthemoredevoutformsofpoetry。So，farfromwishingtoinjureChristianity，webothhopedtopromoteit；butwedidnotconfoundreligionwithsectarianism，andwesawinthesectariancharacterofAmericancollegesanduniversitiesasawhole，areasonforthepovertyoftheadvancedinstructionthengiveninsomanyofthem。
Itrequirednogreatacutenesstoseethatasystemofcontrolwhich，inselectingaProfessorofMathematicsorLanguageorRhetoricorPhysicsorChemistry，askedfirstandabovealltowhatsectoreventowhatwingorbranchofasecthebelonged，couldhardlydomuchtoadvancethemoral，religious，orintellectualdevelopmentofmankind。
Thereasonsforthenewfoundationseemedtous，then，socogentthatweexpectedtheco-operationofallgoodcitizens，andanticipatednooppositionfromanysource。
AsIlookbackacrosstheinterveningyears，Iknownotwhethertobemoreastonishedoramusedatoursimplicity。
Oppositionbeganatonce。IntheStateLegislatureitconfrontedusateveryturn，anditwassooninfullblazethroughouttheState——fromthegoodProtestantbishopwhoproclaimedthatallprofessorsshouldbeinholyorders，sincetotheChurchalonewasgiventhecommand，“Go，teachallnations。”tothezealouspriestwhopublishedachargethatGoldwinSmith——aprofoundlyChristianscholar——hadcometoCornellinordertoinculcatethe“infidelityoftheWestminsterReview“；andfromtheeminentdivinewhowentfromcitytocity，denouncingthe“atheisticandpantheistictendencies“oftheproposededucation，totheperfervidministerwhoinformedadenominationalsynodthatAgassiz，thelastgreatopponentofDarwin，andadevouttheist，was“preachingDarwinismandatheism“inthenewinstitution。
Asthestruggledeepened，ashostileresolutionswereintroducedintovariousecclesiasticalbodies，ashonoredclergymensolemnlywarnedtheirflocksfirstagainstthe“atheism。”thenagainstthe“infidelity。”andfinallyagainstthe“indifferentism“oftheuniversity，asdevotedpastorsendeavouredtodissuadeyoungmenfrommatriculation，Itookthedefensive，and，inanswertovariousattacksfrompulpitsandreligiousnewspapers，attemptedtoallaythefearsofthepublic。”Sweetreasonableness“wasfullytried。TherewasestablishedandendowedintheuniversityperhapsthemosteffectiveChristianpulpit，andoneofthemostvigorousbranchesoftheChristianAssociation，thenintheUnitedStates；butallthisdidnothingtowardofftheattack。
Theclauseinthecharteroftheuniversityforbiddingittogivepredominancetothedoctrinesofanysect，andaboveallthefactthatmuchprominencewasgiventoinstructioninvariousbranchesofscience，seemedtopreventallcompromise，anditsoonbecameclearthattostandonthedefensiveonlymademattersworse。
Thenitwasthattherewasborneinuponmeasenseoftherealdifficulty——theantagonismbetweenthetheologicalandscientificviewoftheuniverseandofeducationinrelationtoit；thereforeitwasthat，havingbeeninvitedtodeliveralectureinthegreathalloftheCooperInstituteatNewYork，I
tookasmysubjectTheBattlefieldsofScience，maintainingthisthesiswhichfollows：
Inallmodernhistory，interferencewithscienceinthesupposedinterestofreligion，nomatterhowconscientioussuchinterferencemayhavebeen，hasresultedinthedirestevilsbothtoreligionandscience，andinvariably；and，ontheotherhand，alluntrammeledscientificinvestigation，nomatterhowdangeroustoreligionsomeofitsstagesmayhaveseemedforthetimetobe，hasinvariablyresultedinthehighestgoodbothofreligionandscience。
ThelecturewasnextdaypublishedintheNewYorkTribuneattherequestofHoraceGreeley，itseditor，whowasalsooneoftheCornellUniversitytrustees。Asaresultofthiswidespreadpublicationandofsundryattackswhichitelicited，Iwasaskedtomaintainmythesisbeforevariousuniversityassociationsandliteraryclubs；andIshallalwaysrememberwithgratitudethatamongthosewhostoodbymeandpresentedmeonthelectureplatformwithwordsofapprovalandcheerwasmyreveredinstructor，theRev。Dr。TheodoreDwightWoolsey，atthattimePresidentofYaleCollege。
Mylecturegrew——firstintoacoupleofmagazinearticles，andthenintoalittlebookcalledTheWarfareofScience，forwhich，whenrepublishedinEngland，Prof。JohnTyndallwroteapreface。
Sundrytranslationsofthislittlebookwerepublished，butthemostcuriousthinginitshistoryisthefactthataveryfriendlyintroductiontotheSwedishtranslationwaswrittenbyaLutheranbishop。
MeanwhileProf。JohnW。DraperpublishedhisbookonTheConflictbetweenScienceandReligion，aworkofgreatability，which，asIthenthought，endedthematter，sofarasmygivingitfurtherattentionwasconcerned。
Buttwothingsledmetokeepondevelopingmyownworkinthisfield：First，Ihadbecomedeeplyinterestedinit，andcouldnotrefrainfromdirectingmyobservationandstudytoit；secondly，muchasIadmiredDraper’streatmentofthequestionsinvolved，hispointofviewandmodeoflookingathistoryweredifferentfrommine。
HeregardedthestruggleasonebetweenScienceandReligion。I
believedthen，andamconvincednow，thatitwasastrugglebetweenScienceandDogmaticTheology。
MoreandmoreIsawthatitwastheconflictbetweentwoepochsintheevolutionofhumanthought——thetheologicalandthescientific。
SoIkepton，andfromtimetotimepublishedNewChaptersintheWarfareofScienceasmagazinearticlesinThePopularScienceMonthly。Thiswasdoneundermanydifficulties。Fortwentyyears，asPresidentofCornellUniversityandProfessorofHistoryinthatinstitution，Iwasimmersedintheworkofitsearlydevelopment。Besidesthis，Icouldnotholdmyselfentirelyalooffrompublicaffairs，andwasthreetimessentbytheGovernmentoftheUnitedStatestodopublicdutyabroad：
firstasacommissionertoSantoDomingo，in1870；afterwardasministertoGermany，in1879；finally，asministertoRussia，in1892；andwasalsocalleduponbytheStateofNewYorktodoconsiderablelaborinconnectionwithinternationalexhibitionsatPhiladelphiaandatParis。Iwasalsoobligedfromtimetotimetothrowoffbytraveltheeffectsofoverwork。
Thevarietyofresidenceandoccupationarisingfromthesecausesmayperhapsexplainsomepeculiaritiesinthisbookwhichmightotherwisepuzzlemyreader。
Whilethesejourneyingshaveenabledmetocollectmaterialsoveraverywiderange——intheNewWorld，fromQuebectoSantoDomingoandfromBostontoMexico，SanFrancisco，andSeattle，andintheOldWorldfromTrondhjemtoCairoandfromSt。PetersburgtoPalermo——theyhaveoftenobligedmetowriteundercircumstancesnotveryfavorable：sometimesonanAtlanticsteamer，sometimesonaNileboat，andnotonlyinmyownlibraryatCornell，butinthoseofBerlin，Helsingfors，Munich，Florence，andtheBritishMuseum。Thisfactwillexplaintothebenevolentreadernotonlythecitationofdifferenteditionsofthesameauthorityindifferentchapters，butsomeiterationswhichinthesteadyquietofmyownlibrarywouldnothavebeenmade。
Ithasbeenmyconstantendeavourtowriteforthegeneralreader，avoidingscholasticandtechnicaltermsasmuchaspossibleandstatingthetruthsimplyasitpresentsitselftome。
Thaterrorsofomissionandcommissionwillbefoundhereandthereisprobable——nay，certain；butthesubstanceofthebookwill，Ibelieve，befoundfullytrue。Iamencouragedinthisbeliefbythefactthat，ofthethreebitterattackswhichthisworkinitsearlierformhasalreadyencountered，onewaspurelydeclamatory，objurgatory，andhortatory，andtheothersbaseduponignoranceoffactseasilypointedout。
AndhereImustexpressmythankstothosewhohaveaidedme。
Firstandabovealltomyformerstudentanddearfriend，Prof。
GeorgeLincolnBurr，ofCornellUniversity，towhosecontributions，suggestions，criticisms，andcautionsIammostdeeplyindebted；alsotomyfriendsU。G。Weatherly，formerlyTravellingFellowofCornell，andnowAssistantProfessorintheUniversityofIndiana，——Prof。andMrs。EarlBarnesandProf。
WilliamH。Hudson，ofStanfordUniversity，——andProf。E。P
Evans，formerlyoftheUniversityofMichigan，butnowofMunich，forextensiveaidinresearchesuponthelinesIhaveindicatedtothem，butwhichIcouldneverhaveprosecutedwithouttheirco-operation。Inlibrariesathomeandabroadtheyhaveallworkedformemosteffectively，andIamdeeplygratefultothem。
ThisbookispresentedasasortofFestschrift——atributetoCornellUniversityasitentersthesecondquarter-centuryofitsexistence，andprobablymylasttribute。
Theideasforwhichsobitterastrugglewasmadeatitsfoundationhavetriumphed。Itsfaculty，numberingoveronehundredand，fifty；itsstudents，numberingbutlittleshortoftwothousand；itsnoblebuildingsandequipment；themunificentgifts，nowamountingtomillionsofdollars，whichithasreceivedfrompublic-spiritedmenandwomen；theevidencesofpublicconfidenceonallsides；and，aboveall，theadoptionofitscardinalprinciplesandmainfeaturesbyvariousinstitutionsoflearninginotherStates，showthisabundantly。Buttherehasbeenatriumphfargreaterandwider。Everywhereamongtheleadingmodernnationsthesamegeneraltendencyisseen。Duringthequarter-centuryjustpastthecontrolofpublicinstruction，notonlyinAmericabutintheleadingnationsofEurope，haspassedmoreandmorefromtheclergytothelaity。NotonlyarethepresidentsofthelargeruniversitiesintheUnitedStates，withbutoneortwoexceptions，laymen，butthesamethingisseenintheoldEuropeanstrongholdsofmetaphysicaltheology。
AtmyfirstvisittoOxfordandCambridge，fortyyearsago，theywereentirelyunderecclesiasticalcontrol。Now，allthisischanged。AneminentmemberofthepresentBritishGovernmenthasrecentlysaid，“Acandidateforhighuniversitypositionishandicappedbyholyorders。”Irefertothiswithnottheslightestfeelingofhostilitytowardtheclergy，forIhavenone；amongthemaremanyofmydearestfriends；noonehonourstheirproperworkmorethanI；buttheabovefactissimplynotedasprovingthecontinuanceofthatevolutionwhichIhaveendeavouredtodescribeinthisseriesofmonographs——anevolution，indeed，inwhichthewarfareofTheologyagainstSciencehasbeenoneofthemostactiveandpowerfulagents。Mybeliefisthatinthefieldlefttothem——theirproperfield——theclergywillmoreandmore，astheyceasetostruggleagainstscientificmethodsandconclusions，doworkevennoblerand