2 ELEVENTH REPORT. 



eyes upon those struggles of intellect, we cannot help feeling a keen admira- 

 tion for the generals who guided them. At this moment, our minds center 

 about the general-in-chief, Darwin, but close b}" his side were many worthy 

 aids as Wallace, Hooker, Huxley, each deserving commendation for his 

 part. 



Although spiritists and scientists have considered life and its beginnings 

 from two distinct view points, when the time shall arrive to take an inventory- 

 of knowledge in the fields of spiritism and materialism, it will doubtless be 

 shown that ignorance, alone, was and is the real cause of separation. The 

 growth of knowledge will have its mollifying influence upon any harshness 

 or enmit}^ which may have arisen through blind judgment and false con- 

 clusions. Spiritism is going out to seek the facts of nature, and science, as 

 science is, has never failed to recognize the gist of spiritism. That state of 

 the popular mind which was responsible for the production of White's 

 ''History. of Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom," and 

 Drummond's "Natural Law in the Spiritual World," has passed away and 

 in its place has sprung up a mental condition which cries constantly for the 

 truth without any attempt to select that truth by preconceived notions. 

 Adjustments and readjustments have been necessary from time to time, 

 and they have caused alarm momentarily, but in a retrospect of fifty years, 

 even the most extreme of active partisans cannot regret the changes. 



Nature before Darwin was a mere mud hut, but Darwin made it a cathedral ; 

 he took the material available, arranged it carefully and logically into such 

 forms that when seen in its natural setting, it was easy of interpretation; 

 therefore, could be admired and understood. While he did not and could not 

 make his scheme or plan complete — for such is not within the power of any 

 man — he so left it that intelligent direction could be given and safe de- 

 ductions drawn. If the power to appreciate is measured by the extent of 

 knowledge, then Darwin has made it possible to appreciate Nature in such a 

 manner as no one previous to him had done. The fund of information left 

 by him reveals, in its fulness, the beauty of the architecture involved in this 

 cathedral. As the structure has evolved from a mud hut to the magnifi- 

 cent edifice, in like proportions have we seen evolved, also, that which Dar- 

 win was then considered to so antagonize — the morale of man. Before 

 Darwin, Nature was accepted; by Darwin, Nature was revealed, and through 

 those who followed him. Nature will be understood, thus exalting the 

 Handiwork of the Creator in the eyes of men. 



Life! Whence came it and whither does it lead? What is it that makes 

 it so enigmatical, so elusive? Shall we seek for an answer in spiritism? 

 This is outside of our purpose, and cannot be considered in connection 

 with our theme. Shall we look for the answer in some such subtile 

 force as affinity, electricity, radio-activity, magnetism, or in some other 

 quality, property, or concept of matter ; or, is it a composite of these minor un- 

 knowables in one grand, supreme unknowable? I say unknowable, because 

 we must not forget that much of our ultimate knowledge is little more than 

 formulated words and expressions to cover our ignorance. Huxley was 

 honest in his treatment of the "Physical Basis of Life," for he breathed into 

 every line his helplessness in coping with the final analysis which his ad- 

 versaries insisted that he make, and even affirmed that he made. It is plain 

 in these days to the most superficial reader that he brought his gigantic 

 intellect to aid in teaching the masses the beauties and possibilities of life 

 as depicted by or through him and in extending the horizon of men's 

 visions which had become or were so dwarfed and atrophied. HuxJey-made 



