326 EVOLUTION AND MAN*S PLACE IN NATURE 



in the outbreak of enthusiasm which answered to the 

 appeal of Francis and of Dominic. Judged by its 

 place in our modern civilisation, Christianity has 

 this grand witness, that under its influence there have 

 sprung into being manifold forms of benevolence, with 

 which our modern age has grown familiar. Along 

 with this, there has appeared in our century, an 

 expansiveness of Christian zeal, the more striking 

 that it has flourished in spite of conflict of opinion as 

 to articles of faith, rivalry of organisations, jealousies 

 among official representatives of the same organisa 

 tion, and even an exclusiveness of spirit which has led 

 the adherents of one Christian Church to unchristianise 

 the adherents of another. If the historic testimony 

 for Christianity is strong, it is not that the littlenesses 

 and meannesses of human nature have not appeared 

 within it, but that the power of Christianity has 

 triumphed over them all. If thoroughly unprejudiced 

 evidence be desired, it may be found in the testimony 

 of John Stuart Mill, an honest and manly witness: 

 Others besides Utilitarians have been of opinion that 

 the Christian revelation was intended, and is fitted, to 

 inform the hearts and minds of mankind with a spirit 

 which should enable them to find for themselves what 

 is right, and incline them to do it when found. 1 This 

 is the witness of one who did not wear the name of 

 Christian; it is testimony from the heart of a man 

 distinguished alike for honesty, and for a large spirit 

 of benevolence. Strong as this evidence is, we cannot 

 speak of Christianity as triumphant. The religions 

 of the world, as all else existing in it, encounter the 

 struggle for existence. In the midst of this inevitable 



1 Utilitarianism, p. 32. 



