of the Evolution Philosophy. 7 



throughout the universe of physical and mental phenomena, 

 then indeed must we confess that it is not merely a method 

 whereby the myriad forms of organic life have come into 

 being it is a method which searches into the deeper 

 problems of religion and philosophy, compelling a recon- 

 sideration of old conclusions a reconstruction of many 

 of their fundamental conceptions. To speak of " the phi- 

 losophy of Evolution," therefore, is not without warrant. 

 We may well term it, with John Fiske, a '< cosmic phi- 

 losophy," since it is thus universal in its scope and applica- 

 tion; or with Mr. Spencer, a "synthetic philosophy," 

 since, like the founder of Christianity, it comes not to 

 destroy but to fulfill, discovering the measure of truth 

 which resides in each antagonistic system, and by a new 

 and deeper synthesis combining them into a harmonious 

 and perfect whole. 



If it should appear to some superficial thinkers that the 

 advocates of this philosophy unnecessarily antagonize the 

 creeds and methods of the prevalent religious faith, 

 ideas and conceptions that by many are deemed sacred, 

 the reply must be that the truth is more sacred than any 

 existing institution, or theological or cosmological concep- 

 tion, however venerable. In the language of Emerson, 

 " Nothing at last is sacred but the integrity of your own 

 mind." There is an ethics of the intellect which imposes 

 upon every reverent thinker the obligation to follow abso- 

 lutely the dictates of his enlightened reason, and frankly 

 to confess his innermost convictions. In the noble passage 

 with which Mr. Spencer concludes the first part of his 

 " First Principles of Philosophy," he says : 



" Whoever hesitates to utter that which he thinks the 

 highest truth, lest it should be too much inadvance of the 

 time, may reassure himself by looking at his acts from an 

 impersonal point of view. Let him duly recognize the 

 fact that opinion is the agency through which character 

 adapts external arrangements to itself that his opinion 

 rightly forms a part of this agency is a unit of force, 

 constituting, with other such units, the general power 

 which works out social changes ; and he will perceive tliat 

 he may properly give utterance to his innermost convic- 

 tion : leaving it to produce what effect it may. , . . He 

 must remember that, while he is a descendant of the past, 

 he is a parent of the future ; and that his thoughts are as 



