ETHICS 295 



valid, binding and beautiful, because, if they are set at 

 naught, human society becomes impossible."^ 



(3) " However men may differ as to the origin of 

 morality, they tacitly unite in subjecting all ethical 

 maxims to the test of practice, and in judging them by 

 the standard of results." ^ 



(4) " It is the struggle for existence which gives these 

 things all their force and meaning, and which alone 

 makes possible the existence of vice and virtue." ^ 



(5) "By 'holiness' we mean high moral character, 

 and affirming that morality could be developed only 

 under such chequered conditions as this world affords, 

 we hold that altruism or holiness loses none of its beauty 

 when we discover that its origin may be found in the 

 instinctive yearnings of lowly parent organisms towards 

 their helpless offspring, and that it forms part of the 

 machinery of natural selection which aims at the pre- 

 servation and elevation of the race." ^ 



(6) " The ages of faith were ages of ignorance, im- 

 morality and crime. The growth of civilisation is de- 

 pendent upon the growth and spread of Rationalism ; and 

 few persons will deny that the modern rise of the ration- 

 alistic spirit has been accompanied by a slow but sure 

 uplifting of the manners and the morals of the people. 

 Sound rationalist doctrine has a wider and firmer hold 

 of the human mind than at any previous period in the 

 history of mankind, and we think no well-informed 

 observer will deny that in the Western world the aver- 

 age ethical standard is higher than it has ever been 

 before." ' 



(7) " The Rationalist hopes and believes that while 

 at present the reconciliation between Egoism and Al- 



1 O/-. cjf., pp. 41, 42. "Op. cit.,p. ^3, ^Op. cit.,p. ^g. 



* Op. cit., p. 50. ^Op. cit., p. 60. 



