MIND IN EVOLUTION 



there be crystals; let there be life; let there be man with 

 knowledge of good and evil. Each in turn is severally an 

 expression of that which, for lack of a better phrase, we 

 speak of as Divine Purpose, freed from the temporal limita- 

 tions of human purpose; but each is an independent and 

 unconditional expression thereof. 



It may still be asked, however, whether it is not open to 

 us to interpret also in the light of all that science has taught 

 us — that is, in terms of interdependence and the linkage of 

 the natural events themselves — to trace the steps through 

 which and the conditions under which this or that item in 

 the list from atom to man came gradually into being. Is it 

 not open to us to accept evolution without rejecting Divine 

 Purpose? The concept of fiat — if it is still to be retained 

 as helpful — then takes the form: Let there be one natural 

 plan of evolutionary progress exemplified throughout in 

 many and diverse ways. It is because I have been led, 

 through my survey of what seem to be the patent facts, to 

 find one evolutionary plan as the rnanifestation of one 

 Divine Purpose (difficult as this may be to define) that I 

 prefer the unrestricted usage of the word ''evolution." 



On grounds such as these it may be urged that acceptance 

 of unrestricted evolution though many ascending grades, 

 reaching its culmination in the highly-developed mind that 

 plays so great and increasing a part in later evolutionary 

 progress, is not incompatible with belief in God as manifested 

 in all advance from lower to higher. 



In any case many evolutionists hold this belief with sincere 

 and enhanced conviction. What, for one of them, does this 

 imply? It implies reference to God as object of spiritual con- 

 templation; it implies guidance of conduct in the light of this 

 reference; it implies ]oy in attaining such ends as are deemed 

 to be consonant with Divine Purpose. But this joy, this guid- 



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