When, about four centuries ago, secular learning and free thought began their first open advances since pagan days, the church, finding in every such movement some disturbance of its traditions, and making no account of their benefit to mankind, brought all its powers to bear for their suppression. In laying to do so it pursued the same cruel policy it had adopted in former contests. These cruelties and intimidations were practiced at a time when within the church were openly perpetrated corruptions of the most glaring character; which together, loosened its hold upon the consciences of men, and made possible that revolt and division known as the Reformation, early in the sixteenth century. Coming nearer our own time, and having to deal with theological conditions not yet entirely removed, a little more detail is necessary. The quarter century before and the century following the Reformation was a remarkable era in the world’s history. It was noted throughout as a desperate and continuous struggle by men of science to dispel the darkness that had so long enveloped the Christian world. The art of printing, then recently discovered, and just coming into practical working effect, and the thoughts of men thereby communicated from one to the rest with a facility never before known, had the effect of arousing mental activities everywhere. From a load only partially removed men began exploring regions of science that had been interdicted, and a great movement in positive knowledge began. The most enlightened men of the time went over to the Reformation, and if within that body, they had found the shelter and encouragement they deserved, the sixteenth century and the one following it would have been the most brilliant period on record except our own, for scientific discoveries and the world’s advancement. Such a conclusion is justified by taking note of the wonderful men of genius who came into the world during that time, who, with all the restrictions and limitations cast about them by the two churches, laid such new foundations in truth and learning, that nothing was to be done by subsequent workers in the same lines but build upon them. Buffon, who may justly be called the father of natural science, with powers of research and gifts of presenting results showing genius of a high order, by his simple statement of truths which are to-day truisms in science, was dragged forth by the leaders of the Reformation, and forced to recant publicly and to print his recantation. “I abandon everything in my book respecting the formation of the earth, and generally all which may be contrary to the narrative of Moses.” Linnaeus, the founder of a scientific system in botany, and the discoverer of sex in plants, was constantly hampered and constrained in his thoughts by the threats of the Reformation. A pretended miracle of turning water into blood appeared in his vicinity, and after looking into it carefully he reported that the reddening of