376 COSMIC PHILOSOPHY. [PT. in. 



at every fitting opportunity, declared that the phenomena 

 of Mind can in nowise be explained as movements of 

 Matter, 1 while at the same time a law of evolution, expressed 

 in terms of matter and motion, is found to include the 

 order of sequence of psychical phenomena : we must now 

 attempt to clear away the difficulties which, to many minds, 

 no doubt cluster around the seeming paradox. We have 

 also hinted that beside the sphere to be assigned to Morality, 

 there is a wider sphere to be assigned to Eeligion: 2 it 

 behoves us now to show what are the general functions of 

 religion, in accordance with our fundamental view of Life 

 as an adjustment between inner and outer relations. And 

 after having done what we can to elucidate these points, we 

 must conclude by describing the critical attitude which our 

 Cosmic Philosophy occupies with reference to other systems 

 of belief and other principles of action. 



The central problem, which must first occupy us, and the 

 decision of which will affect the treatment of all the others, 

 is the problem of Theism. What kind of theism is it which 

 is compatible with the conclusions reached in the second 

 part of this work concerning the past and present states 

 of the universe ? In discussing this question we shall pre 

 sently find that the phase of theism which has until quite 

 recently been the current phase, and which is still the phase 

 officially defended by theologians, does not appjar to be 

 compatible with the conclusions referred to. As in treating 

 of the preliminary evidence for the evolution of the higher 

 forms of life from lower forms, we found ourselves at every 

 step arrayed in opposition to the doctrine of special creations 

 bequeathed to us by ancient mythology, so now upon this 

 wider ground we shall have to note that the Doctrine of 

 Evolution is throughout irreconcilably opposed to the Doc 

 trine of Creation, so that the establishment of the forme/ 



1 See vol. i. pp. 270, 412 ; vol. ii. pp. 80, 162. 

 * See above, p. 357. 



