94 THE EVOLUTION OF LIFE AND MIND 



to a point which is, comparatively, not much nearer to 

 orthodox theology than is the position of Professor Haeckel. 

 The Churches of our time have reeled under the blows of 

 men of science like Darwin, Huxley, Tyndall, Spencer, 

 Clifford, Maudsley, and Haeckel. Apart from the more 

 scholarly and liberal divines, the Churches still expose them- 

 selves to the force of those blows. The mass of believers 

 are kept in ignorance of the real opinions of their own most 

 learned divines, and the official teaching of all the Churches 

 is such as not a single eminent scholar in Europe (apart 

 from the clergy) can endorse to-day. In face of these 

 attacks the Churches look in vain for allies among men of 

 science. It is a profound mistake to imagine that Sir 

 Oliver Lodge is presenting himself as a champion of the 

 creeds against Professor Haeckel. 



What is his final position on the familiar religious 

 issues? It is true that he tells us "a soul is always 

 immortal where a soul can be discerned" (p. 116), and 

 he speaks of a " transcendent mind " and the " Sustainer 

 and Comprehender " of the universe, though why the 

 universe needs a "Sustainer" when Sir Oliver thinks 



anything "which really and fundamentally exists can 



be trusted not suddenly to go out of existence," is not 

 clear. As the point is interesting, and as Sir Oliver Lodge 

 is widely claimed as a supporter of our Churches, I close 

 with a few observations on his theological position. I find 

 them fairly clearly expressed in an address on Science and 

 Religion that he delivered at the City Temple (November 

 2nd, 1905), and has since published. 



