RELIGION AND SCIENCE 261 



that which we desire with our highest aspirations, 

 but operating blindly; an acceleration of that move- 

 ment by the coming of mind to biological predomi- 

 nance, with certain consequent minor changes in di- 

 rection by major changes in speed and in methods. 

 Three tendencies, but all founded in one unity, and 

 each arising out of the other — that is the picture 

 drawn for us by the present state of science. In this 

 sense, and in this only, can it be said that "all things 

 work together for righteousness." 



One word on an important side-issue — the problem 

 of evil in man, of stagnancy and degeneration in 

 organic evolution. Degeneration often does occur 

 — a reversal, in other words, of the main tendency. 

 But the positive fact remains that the maximum level 

 is progressively raised, and that we fmd that stagna- 

 tion of development and even sometimes degenera- 

 tion have been factors indirectly helping on the main 

 direction. 



We must accept the positive main direction for 

 what it is — an external sanction of faith; confess 

 that we do not understand the detailed working of 

 the whole, but see in the change of methods brought 

 about by the rise of mind a hope that we shall grad- 

 ually learn at least to dispense with much waste and 

 evil and degeneration in the further course of evolu- 

 tion. 



This main direction gives us cause for optimism. 

 The exceptions to it temper that optimism. But tlie 

 direction is there. 



