8o The Highest Morality is not Danvinian. CHAP. 



children ; in a word, into the family, which is the 

 nearest approach to the Kingdom of God that the 

 world of nature contains. And the higher is the 

 moral standard which man sets before himself, the less 

 does society yield to the right of the strong, and the 

 more does it recognise the claims of the weak. The 

 Darwinian principle, if it were applied in what is pro- 

 perly the moral domain, would condemn the weak, 

 the infirm, and the destitute to perish in the conflict 

 of life ; but the highest human morality, on the con- 

 trary, which is that of Him who will not break a 

 bruised reed, nor quench the dimly-burning wick of 

 a lamp, 1 has learned to give them protection, and 

 endeavours to secure what enjoyment of life is 

 possible to them. It is important to note that this 

 morality this conscience which protects those who 

 cannot protect themselves, being anti - Darwinian, 

 cannot have been evolved by any Darwinian pro- 

 cess. 2 All this is at least a forcible suggestion that 

 election, and the preservation of favoured races and 

 individuals, are not the last words, nor the ultimate 

 facts, of the Providential government of the universe. 

 Moreover, although the method of conferring bless- 

 ing on the many through the elect few is continued 

 under the present dispensation, yet the first step has 

 been already taken towards superseding it by a law 

 of equality. The distinction of races of Jew and 



1 Isaiali xliL 3. 



2 See R. H. Hutton's Theological Essays, p. 63. Strahan, 

 1871. 



