RATIONAL LIFE 327 



conflict, Christianity shows, of all the historic religions, 

 largest promise of success in vindicating its claim to 

 be the world s religion. 



In this bare outline, I have sketched the religion of 

 Christ, and the evidence from its wide dominion. It 

 is the religion at once the most intellectual, and the 

 most clear in testimony for a pure morality. Its wide 

 acceptance in the world is in itself a striking witness 

 for man s place in Nature, proving the existence of a 

 faith giving large promise for the world s future, and 

 at the same time a faith which sustains in the human 

 soul an inspiring hope of greater good within the 

 Kingdom of Heaven. 



Over against Christianity, the best that can be 

 placed by those who are sceptics in religion is Agnos 

 ticism, a witness for Ignorance. The strong testimony 

 in its behalf, coming from the pen of Professor Huxley, 

 deserves attention. He says, Wise men will pro 

 bably agree to a verdict of &quot; not proven &quot; in respect of 

 naturalistic theology, taking refuge in that Agnostic 

 confession, which appears to me to be the only position 

 for people who object to say that they know what they 

 are quite aware they do not know. l We can honour 

 this position, in consideration of honour done to 

 knowledge, even in that narrow sense which makes it 

 depend on the instruments of observational science. 

 But, there is no finality in it ; it does not supply an 

 adequate theory of knowledge. Search for causes can 

 not end where eyesight finds its limits, nor even where 

 the inductions of observational science offer us sure 

 footing. Outlook far beyond this, belongs to man. He 



1 Prologue to Essays on some Controverted Questions, by Thomas 

 H. Huxley, F.R.S. 



