Views of Certain Fathers of the Church.--And now it is essential that we should be clear as to the sources of this dogma of special creation. It is perhaps natural to assume that there was a conflict existing between natural science and the views of the theologians from the earliest times; that is, between the scientific method and the method of the theologians, the latter being based on authority, and the former upon observation and experiment. Although there is a conflict between these two methods, there nevertheless was a long period in which many of the leading theological thinkers were in harmony with the men of science with reference to their general conclusions regarding creation. Some of the early Fathers of the Church exhibited a broader and more scientific spirit than their successors. St. Augustine (353-430), in the fifth century, was the first of the great theologians to discuss specifically the question of creation. His position is an enlightened one. He says: "It very often happens that there is some question as to the earth or the sky, or the other elements of this world ... respecting which one who is not a Christian has knowledge derived from most certain reasoning or observation" (that is, a scientific man); "and it is very disgraceful and mischievous and of all things to be carefully avoided, that a Christian speaking of such matters as being according to the Christian Scriptures, should be heard by an unbeliever talking such nonsense that the unbeliever, perceiving him to be as wide from the mark as east from west, can hardly restrain himself from laughing." (Quoted from Osborn.) Augustine's view of the method of creation was that of derivative creation or creation _causaliter_. His was a naturalistic interpretation of the Mosaic record, and a theory of gradual creation. He held that in the beginning the earth and the waters of the earth were endowed with power to produce plants and animals, and that it was not necessary to assume that all creation was formed at once. He cautions his readers against looking to the Scriptures for scientific truths. He said in reference to the creation that the days spoken of in the first chapter of Genesis could not be solar days of twenty-four hours each, but that they must stand for longer periods of time. This view of St. Augustine is interesting as being less narrow and dogmatic than the position assumed by many theologians of the nineteenth century.