Evolution of Life. 91 



one who is seeking to expound the truth should be 

 able to fortify his position from the different relig- 

 ions of the world, and to show that on all great r 

 essential, and fundamental truths they speak with 

 a single voice, they teach an identical lesson. 

 Therefore in dealing with my subject this morning, 

 I shall, as before, draw your attention on the main 

 points where challenge might arise to the consensus 

 of religious opinion, to the definite statements of the 

 world's Teachers; so that the tendency towards 

 unity, on which the future evolution of life de- 

 pends, may be helped to develop amongst us. And 

 there is a special reason for that just now. We shall 

 see, as we trace out the evolution of life, that we are 

 in the very crisis of the intellectual evolution, and 

 we shall find that the characteristic of that stage 

 of evolution is division and separation, and the 

 placing of the individual apart from, and somewhat 

 in conflict with, other individuals. And we shall 

 find that the next stage in the evolution of life is 

 the seeking for union amid the individualised 

 units ; that the next divine aspect that man has to 

 develop in the Self within him is the aspect of 

 union and not the aspect of diversity ; and it is of 

 importance that those who are seeking the light, 

 those who are striving to co-operate with nature by 

 understanding her hidden ways, should realise the 



