Scientific Evolution. 135 



early part of the Middle Ages), they must have even less 

 and less chance of often occupying distinguished positions 

 in the scientific arena, such as those filled by numerous 

 continental abbes before the epoch of the great French 

 Revolution. Besides relative numerical decrease in the 

 clergy and the increasing sub-division of the field of 

 physical science labour just spoken of, a simultaneous 

 growth in theological science must render the attainment 

 of eminence in any one of the more and more restricted 

 branches of physical science still more difficult, and all but 

 a matter of impossibility to a clergy devoted to a theology 

 which, whether true or false, is also ever increasing in com- 

 plexity as well as mass by a development responsive to the 

 actions of surrounding influences. Thus it appears to be 

 inevitable that as time goes on we shall come to have a 

 population more and more imbued with physical science, 

 and at the same time a clergy less and less raised above the 

 mass of the laity as regards a knowledge of such science. 

 These conditions, accompanying as they will a growing 

 appreciation of physical science, must favour the already 

 wide-spread belief in a real antagonism of reason between 

 science and Christianity. The mere existence of such a 

 belief (coinciding as it does, with anti-Christian tendencies 

 which it helps to intensify) cannot but produce results, 

 temporarily, at least, very hurtful to the Christian or- 

 ganism, since it tends altogether to divert from the 

 examination of the Church's claims inquiring minds 



