Morals as a Factor in Organic Evolution 669 



the expressed resultants of the evolving molecules. These 

 molecules also become so placed amongst themselves by deli- 

 cate energy flows that a "habit" or "tendency" becomes 

 more and more fixed. 



Thus one of the most ancient and deep-seated moral acts 

 is to respect the life of a member of one's family or community; 

 still higher is that to respect the life of a member of neighboring 

 communities or tribes, except in times of war; still higher is 

 respect for a neighbor's wives or wife and children, still higher 

 for his movable goods; still higher to show filial regard for 

 one's parents; still higher to respect and foster intertribal and 

 international barter or commercial relations; still higher to 

 aid one's neighbors cooperatively in daily acts; still higher to 

 reverence and respect communal, tribal, or national efforts 

 that attempt to explain natural objects and forces around. 

 And at this point comes in the contact — established for at 

 least 7000 to 10,000 years amongst the more advanced nations 

 — between pure morals and religion. The continuance for- 

 ward of the moral act and the confusing or mixing up of this 

 with the religious act, in thus reverencing the religious outlook 

 for the tribe's or the nation's good, is at once the starting point 

 for the astrologers' and priests' interferences, and the reason 

 why morals and religion have been so confounded in the past. 



Still higher, however, is the peaceful perfecting of the fam- 

 ily life, by monogamy and increased love of wife and children, 

 owing to development of many collateral influences; still higher 

 the Social regulation and prevention of excesses in meats, 

 drinks, and other sensuous pleasures; while in highest place 

 we would put destruction of competition in communities and 

 nations, cessation of all wars, a quickened public desire for 

 service in and promotion of the general public weal, mutual 

 protection and aid to all members of the community, of the 

 nation, and of the internation, against accidents, disease, or 

 immoral conditions. 



How far each of these mento-moral and moral responses 

 has been adopted, or still remains for the future, every reader 

 can readily tell, for the community or nationality in which 

 he may be placed. 



