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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



not degraded and disfranchised, as it lias been by bis alleged fol- 

 lowers for ages past. Not only in this respect, as it seems to me, 

 would the adoption of such a word bring science and philosophy 

 into harmony with the true religion of Christ and nature, but it 

 would also compel the beginning of a change in organized Chris- 

 tianity that would eventually bring it into complete harmony 

 with them. 



Whether the best word is metagnostic, metanostic, meta- 

 gnosticism, or metanosticism, or some other form derivable di- 

 rectly or more remotely from the root nous, mind, is to me a ques- 

 tion of minor importance. I would select that which, on the 

 whole, is the truest and best, for the purpose of bringing about 

 the desired reconciliation of religious with other forms of truth, 

 even if it were necessary to manufacture the form for the occa- 

 sion; and this, it seems to me, we are at liberty to do, since, 

 strange as it may seem, while we have in our language and in 

 frequent use all the other words derived from the kindred Greek 

 words, the most important words of all, and the supreme words 

 of the religion of the English race (metanoeite and metanoia), 

 have never, apparently, up to this time, been transferred to or 

 adopted into the English language. 



The suggestion is based upon the proposition that the words 

 to be adopted do and shall express, cover, or include the affirma- 

 tive side of the terms agnostic and agnosticism. The selection of 

 the proper forms I leave entirely to you, in co-operation with 

 Prof. Huxley, if you approve the suggestion and think the mat- 

 ter worthy your and his attention. 



Certainly it must, it seems to me, be considered a desirable 

 thing to find words of affirmative import to designate the affirma- 

 tive meaning hidden under the terms in present use, since it must 

 seemingly tend to foreclose further argument and confusion on 

 that branch of the subject. 



I inclose copies of these papers to be addressed and forwarded 

 to Prof. Huxley, if that course meets your approval. 



My own plan would be, on receipt of the approval of yourself 

 and Prof. Huxley, to bring the matter before the public, through 

 our Association, at one of the meetings of the series now well com- 

 menced for the season, through The Popular Science Monthly, 

 and by other means within my present reach. I am confident 

 that recognition in the Century Dictionary would follow, and 

 that a great impulse would be given to the new philosophy, to 

 what would practically be a new or reformed Christian religion, 

 m harmony with human intelligence and progress, with the ex- 

 press word and thought of the founder of Christianity, and cal- 

 culated to combine them in the interests of the world and the race. 

 Very respectfully yours, James A. Skilton. 



