ROME AND PANTHEISM. 395 



CHAPTER II. 



ROME AND PANTHEISM. 



EVOLUTION would after all be a poor doctrine if it did 

 not affect human affairs at every touch and turn. I pro- 

 pose to devote the second chapter of this Appendix to 

 the consideration of an aspect of Evolution which will 

 always interest a very large number of people the 

 development of the relation that may exist between 

 religion and science. 



If the Church of Rome would only develop some 

 doctrine or, I know not how, provide some means by 

 which men like myself, who cannot pretend to believe 

 in the miraculous element of Christianity, could yet join 

 her as a conservative stronghold, I, for one, should 

 gladly do so. I believe the difference between her faith 

 and that of all who can be called gentlemen to be one 

 of words rather than things. Our practical working 

 ideal is much the same as hers ; when we use the word 

 " gentleman " we mean the same thing that the Church 

 of Rome does ; so that, if we get down below the words 

 that formulate her teaching, there are few points upon 

 which we should not agree. But, alas ! words are often 

 so very important. 



How is it possible for myself, for example, to give 

 people to understand that I believe in the doctrine of 

 the Immaculate Conception or in the Lourdes miracles ? 



