196 



Contemporary Evolution. 



fore conceive at least two forces, or force and matter. 

 But for a solitary force to act upon matter, that matter, 

 even if consisting of but a single element, must have 

 certain qualities and powers of response to incident forces 

 i.e., we must conceive latent potentialities which inci- 

 dent forces may render actualities. " Hence we get the 

 formar law of cosmical evolution whereof Mr. Spencer's 

 law is the material expression. This formal law may 

 be defined as the continuous progress of the material 

 universe by the unfolding of latent potentialities through 

 the action of incident forces in harmony with a pre-or- 

 dained end, such unfolding exhibiting a change from 

 indefinite incoherent homogeneity to definite coherent 

 heterogeneity/' * 



It was before observed, that reason shows us that phe- 

 nomenal changes, even if eternal, require an eternal ab- 

 solute cause. It shows it us thus : The principle of 

 causality teaches us that everything must be absolute or 

 caused. Science reveals to us an indefinite series of 

 passed phenomenal changes, but points to no beginning. 

 Reason does not affirm that such changes may not have 

 proceeded in cycles from all eternity, owing to an eternal 

 collection of causal factors. If such collocation and 

 factors be the absolute, we have pantheism, which is to be 

 refuted by d priori demonstrations of reason as well as 



" Lessons from Nature," p. 361. 



