SCIENCE AND MENTAL IMPROVEMENT. 10 i 



form of the new. Science is come, not to destroy , but, aided by a ra- 

 tional philosophy, to fulfill all the noblest aspirations, the most glorious 

 hopes of our race. Sometimes, indeed, the change which she brings 

 about may be like a metamorphosis : the useless shell is burst and cast 

 off, and a more beautiful and less gross form appears, but still it is 

 always a process of evolution of derivation. We never shall reach a 

 rational philosophy until Ave recognize this fundamental truth. The 

 new must include the old the old must incorporate and assimilate the 

 new, and each must modify and be modified by the other. Progress in 

 all things in geology, in society, in philosophy is by evolution and 

 growth ; not by successive catastrophes with alternate destructions and 

 recreations; by derivation, not by substitution. But these modern 

 materialists, while they are evolutionists in geology (they indeed will 

 hear of nothing else), while they may be evolutionists also in social 

 progress, are, strange to say, catastrophists in philosophj'. They would 

 raze all previous beliefs, faiths, philosophies, to the ground, and leave 

 not one stone upon another; and then, out of entirely new materials 

 furnished by themselves, they would erect another and entirely different 

 philosophy. They reverse the old dogma, " Whatever is, is right," and 

 make it, " Whatever is, is wrong." 



The great bar to the speedy establishment of a rational philosophy 

 is dogmatism, self -opinion, self-conceit. The rarest of all gifts is a truly 

 tolerant and rational spirit. In all your gettings, gentlemen, be sure 

 you get this, for it alone is true wisdom. But do not imagine, however, 

 that all the dogmatism is on one side, and that the theological. Many, 

 indeed, seem to think that theology has a preemption-right to dogma- 

 tism. If so, then modern science has " jumped the claim." Dogmatism 

 has its roots deep in the human heart. It is born of narrowness and 

 pride. It showed itself first in the domain of theology, only because 

 there was the seat of power. In modern times, therefore, it has gone 

 to the side of science, because here now is the seat of power and fashion. 

 There are, then, two dogmatisms, both equally opposed to the true ra- 

 tional spirit, viz., the old theological and the new scientific. The old 

 clings fondly to old things, only because they are old ; the new grasps 

 eagerly after new things, only because they are new. True wisdom 

 and true philosophy, on the contrary, " tries all things," both old and 

 new, " and holds fast only to that which is good and true." The new 

 dogmatism taunts the old for credulity and superstition ; the old re- 

 proaches the new for levity and skepticism. But true wisdom and phi- 

 losophy perceives that they are both equally credulous and equally 

 skeptical. The old is credulous of old ideas and skeptical of new ; the 

 new is skeptical of old ideas and credulous of new ; both deserve the 

 unsparing rebuke of all right-minded men. The appropriate rebuke for 

 the old dogmatism has been put in the form of a bitter sneer in the 

 mouth of Job: "No doubt ye are the men, and wisdom shall die with 

 you." The appropriate rebuke for the new dogmatism, though not put 

 into the mouth of any ancient prophet, ought to be uttered. 



