zx 



with theoretical atheism, holding as he does this ultimate reli- 

 gious idea. 



From the North American Review. 



The law of organic development announced in the early part 

 of the present century, by Goethe, Schelling, and Von Baer, and 

 Taguely expressed in the formula, that '" evolution is always from 

 the homogenous to the heterogeneous, and from the simple to the 

 complex," has recently been extended by Herbert Spencer so as 

 to include all phenomena whatsoever. He has shown that this 

 law of evolution is the law of all evolution. Whether it be in the 

 development of the earth or of life upon its surface, in the devel- 

 opment of Society, of government, of manufactures, of commerce, 

 of language, literature, science and art, this same advance from 

 the simple to the complex, through successive differentiations, 

 holds unifoi-mly. The stupendous induction from all classes of 

 phenomena by which Mr. Spencer proceeds to establish and illus- 

 trate his theorem cannot be given here. 



From the Christian Spectator {English), 

 Mr. Spencer claims for his view that it is not only a religious 

 position, but preeminently the religious position ; and we are most 

 thoroughly disposed to agree with him, though we think he does 

 not appreciate the force of his own argument, nor fully under- 

 stand his own words. For let us now attempt to realize the 

 meaning of this fact, of which Mr. Spencer and his compeers have 

 put us in possession ; let us endeavour to see whether its bearings 

 are really favorable or adverse to religion. They are put forward 

 indeed avowedly as adverse to any other religion than a mere 

 reverential acquiescence in ignorance concerning all that truly 

 exists ; but it appears to us that this supposed opposition to reli- 

 gion arises from the fact that the doctrine itself is so profoundly, 

 BO intensely, so overwhelmingly religious, nay, so utterly and en- 

 tirely Ckristiax, that its true meaning could not be seen for very 

 glory. Like Moses, when he came down from the Mount, this 

 positive philosophy comes with a veil over its face, that its too 

 divine radiance may be hidden for a time. This is Science that 

 has been conversing with God, and brings in her hand His law 

 written on tables of stone. 



