DARWIN. 169 



sistently maintain that the more orderly and uniform we 

 find the succession of events, the more reason is there to 

 presume that a purposeful intelligence is regulating them. 

 It is certainly impossible to show that the whole system 

 of evolution does not exist for a purpose. The ranks 

 of the evolutionists, and even of the Darwinians, as a 

 fact, embrace believers in the most diverse systems of 

 philosophy, including many of those who accept Christ's 

 teaching as an authoritative Divine revelation. May not 

 this diversity among Darwinians itself teach hope ? Dar- 

 winism is held with vital grip and will therefore not 

 become a dead creed, a fossil formula. The belief that 

 every generation is a step in progress to a higher and 

 fuller life contains within it the promise of a glorious evo- 

 lution which is no longer a faint hope, but a reasoned faith. 



" Man's thought is like Antseus, and must be 



Touched to the ground of Nature to regain 

 Fresh force, new impulse, else it would remain 



Dead in the grip of strong Authority. 



But, once thereon reset, 'tis like a tree, 



Sap-swollen in spring-time : bonds may not restrain ; 

 Nor weight repress ; its rootlets rend in twain 



Dead stones and walls and rocks resistlessly. 



Thine then it was to touch dead thoughts to earth, 

 Till of old dreams sprang new philosophies, 



From visions systems, and beneath thy spell 

 Swiftly uprose, like magic palaces, 

 Thyself half-conscious only of thy worth 

 Calm priest of a tremendous oracle." * 



1 Round Table Series. "Charles Darwin" (1886), by J. T. 

 Cunningham. 



