66 



Contemporary Evolution* 



Vienna proved really but cobwebs to the expansive 

 efforts of advancing paganism, while the last Napoleon, 

 powerful in invoking it in Italy and Austria, proved 

 utterly impotent in his efforts to exorcise the spirit he 

 had raised. The loyal troops of Francis Joseph, though 

 momentarily all but triumphing against both France and 

 Prussia, nevertheless actually failed against both, and the 

 success of Germany in the recent war, instead of con- 

 firming and extending over the whole empire that modi- 

 fied theocracy which existed so peacefully and prosper- 

 ously in Prussia, has had a directly opposite result. 



It would seem that an action so wide-spread, so con- 

 tinuous, and so deep, proceeding as it is with accelerated 

 rapidity, cannot easily be arrested, but rather must con- 

 tinue to proceed much further. 



Nevertheless, there are many who believe that a re- 

 versal will at length ensue, and some modification of the 

 old theocracy be again generally established. At pre- 

 sent the only power which seems to contain enough of 

 the old material is Russia. It may be that, instead of 

 politically assimilating itself to western Europe (like the 

 manners of its highest class), it may come to exercise a 

 powerfully reactionary tendency. It does not seem im- 

 possible that, availing itself of the mutually enfeebling 

 wars and revolutionary disintegrations of western powers, 

 it may hereafter come to play that part in Europe which 

 was played of old by Macedon in Greece. 



