XI 



EVOLUTION AND RELIGION 1 



MR. PRESIDENT: 2 The thought 

 which you have uttered suggests so 

 many and such fruitful themes of dis- 

 cussion that a whole evening would not suffice 

 to enumerate them, while to illustrate them pro- 

 perly would seem to require an octavo volume 

 rather than a talk of six or eight minutes, es- 

 pecially when such a talk comes just after din- 

 ner. The Amazulu saying which you have cited, 

 that those who have " stuffed bodies " cannot 

 see hidden things, seems peculiarly applicable 

 to any attempt to discuss the mysteries of re- 

 ligion at the present moment ; and, after the 

 additional warning we have just had from our 

 good friend Mr. Schurz, I hardly know whether 

 I ought to venture to approach so vast a theme. 

 There are one or two points of signal impor- 

 tance, however, to which I may at least call at- 

 tention for a moment. It is a matter which has 

 long since taken deep hold of my mind, and I 



1 Speech at the farewell dinner given to Herbert Spencer, 

 in New York, November 9, 1882. 

 Hon. W. M. Evarts. 



268 



