18 A THEORY OF LIFE DEDUCED 



Religion, as we have seen, concerns itself solely with that 

 which lies outside the domain of knowledge. It is only for 

 the purpose of drawing the line of demarcation between 

 the knowable and the unknowable, and pointing out the 

 necessary inferences to be deduced from the distinction, 

 that science can be said to touch on the subject-matter of 

 religion. In other words, after proving that there is an 

 unknowable as well as a knowable aspect of things, science 

 surrenders to religion a vast territory over which it can 

 claim no lawful dominion. In expressing ourselves thus, 

 we give those gifted with more wit than insight an 

 excellent opportunity of exercising their powers for 

 the amusement of the unreasoning multitude. Despite 

 all that has been said above on the subject, the field 

 assigned to religion will doubtless be pictured as a barren, 

 desolate waste, which science in a fit of altruism has 

 graciously deeded over to its mighty opponent, for the sake 

 of keeping peace in the evolutionist's kingdom. But when 

 it is remembered that this ' ' barren, desolate waste " stands 

 in truth for the inexplicable origin and the unknowable 

 substance of all things knowable and stands also for a 

 boundless expanse of unexplorable space whose illimitable 

 immensity eludes and baffles the human mind and makes 

 our very imagination tremble ; and when it is further 

 remembered that this congeries of incomprehensible 

 realities, through the all-powerful mystic influence which it 

 must inevitably exert ever the souls of enlightened men, 

 shows itself in every way adequate to the spiritual 

 demands of highly civilized communities, criticism of the 

 kind above indicated to the thoughtful reader, at least, 

 will seem not more shallowly amusing than profoundly silly. 

 Carefully bearing in mind, then, what it is the object 

 of these preliminary remarks to bring into prominence, 



