i 2 2 Contemporary Evolution. 



to the Church, but it will manifestly be quite otherwise 

 if either science or philosophy contradicts its dogmas. 



Whatever the effect, however, one thing is certain that 

 science will address itself with greater and greater power 

 to a constantly increasing circle of auditors, and will 

 command an increasing number of cultivators and experts ; 

 and it is to be hoped that the same may be said also of 



philosophy. 



4 

 If, then, either scientific and philosophic evolution is 



hostile to Christianity, the progress of such evolution must 

 be fatal to it, and political evolution, by giving them 

 increased liberty, must hasten their fatal effect. To these 

 aspects of evolution then we must next address ourselves. 



NOTE. 



Some months after the above passage was first published, the 

 views and expectations expressed in it were remarkably confirmed 

 by three articles which appeared in the Pall Mall Gazette, in the 

 numbers for December the 24th and 29th, 1874, and January Hth, 

 1875, respectively. From these articles the following passages may 

 be cited : 



" DEMOCRACY AND THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH." 



"Whether Monsignor Meglia did or did not say that, except in 

 America, Belgium, and England, the Revolution was the only means 

 by which the Roman Catholic Church could hope to recover her 

 lost liberties, the idea is one which must at times present itself to 

 the minds of the younger school of ecclesiastics. A new pope may 

 acquiesce in, if he does not originate, a radical change of policy, 

 and the next vacancy in the chair of Peter may hereafter be looked 

 back to as the starting-point of a new fight for spiritual supremacy 



