280 THE LESSON OF EVOLUTION 



Theism is left as the only possible theory of the 

 universe. And I have, I hope, shown that there is 

 sufficient evidence of design in nature to convince us 

 that evolution has not been due to haphazard effort, 

 but to deliberate action leading up to some ulterior 

 purpose, which it is the great wish of man to fathom. 



We know that the sun is in its old age, and that 

 in a few more millions of years it will cease to have 

 any vitalising effect on its planets; also, we know 

 that biological evolution has nearly run its course on 

 the earth. The race of life is over, and man has won. 

 No other animal can ever arise to compete with him, 

 for he could destroy it long before it became formid- 

 able. Psychological evolution alone is in the ascen- 

 dant, and this has yet much to do, especially in the 

 domain of morals. Ethical evolution founded on 

 free-will, which changed the human mind into the 

 human soul is the highest and last form of evolution 

 possible on the earth, and consequently, so far as 

 terrestrial evolution is concerned, the development of 

 the human soul must be the object for which we are 

 seeking; and, if this is so, there ought to be no 

 difficulty in believing that everything which, either 

 directly or indirectly, has been instrumental in this 

 development was designed for that purpose. 



But, if all has been planned for the development 

 of the human soul, there must have been some reason 

 for planning it. There must be some further pur- 

 pose which is hidden from us. We cannot believe 

 that the ultimate object was the happiness of man 

 on the earth, for there is no evidence that psycholo- 

 gical evolution has increased his happiness. It is 



