WHAT fS CREATION? 221 



From this indisputable fact that the universe 

 exists, we are led on by the logic of necessity to 

 seek for an explanation of its existence. The 

 existence of things implies that they had an 

 original cause. Hume, as is well known, sought to 

 undermine the conception of causality by resolving 

 it into invariable sequence. Positivists regard it 

 as vain to inquire into the causes of phenomena. 

 Many modern scientists, while holding to the 

 universality of causation, yet, with a positivism 

 that even Comte knew nothing of, shut out of 

 the proper field of scientific inquiry the search for 

 all causes that are not physical. The only objects 

 of human knowledge, they are never tired of telling 

 us, are phenomena which may be perceived by the 

 senses, and that everything else is vague, uncertain, 

 transcendental, and can neither be observed nor 

 verified. 



This we should readily admit, if by science is 

 meant only material or physical science. But has 

 not science a far wider import ? Is it not tautology 

 to say that science is that which deals with what 

 is cognized by the senses, and then to say that what 

 cannot be examined by the senses is not science ? 

 It is an altogether arbitrary assumption to say that 

 science has only to do with matter, or with matter 

 and its assumed inherent force. That it is con- 

 cerned only with matter and force, we need not 

 object to admit ; for force is what we call mind 

 and will. "Words are poor things at the best, but 

 force which moves, or begets motion, which affects 

 matter, which produces modifications of life and 



