x.J MR. DARWIN'S CRITICS. 239 



attempt has met with the fate which the Scripture 

 prophesies for all such. 



Catholic theology, like all theologies which are based 

 upon the assumption of the truth of the account of the 

 origin of things given in the Book of Genesis, being 

 utterly irreconcilable with the doctrine of evolution, the 

 student of science, who is satisfied that the evidence 

 upon which the doctrine of evolution rests, is incom- 

 parably stronger and better than that upon which the 

 supposed authority of the Book of Genesis rests, will not 

 trouble himself further with these theologies, but will 

 confine his attention to such arguments against the view 

 he holds as are based upon purely scientific data and 

 by scientific data I do not merely mean the truths of 

 physical, mathematical, or logical science, but those of 

 moral and metaphysical science. For, by science, I 

 understand all knowledge which rests upon evidence and 

 reasoning of a like character to that which claims our 

 assent to ordinary scientific propositions. And if any 

 one is able to make good the assertion that his theology 

 rests upon valid evidence and sound reasoning, then it 

 appears to me that such theology will take its place as 

 a part of science. 



The present antagonism between theology and science 

 does not arise from any assumption by the men of 

 science that all theology must necessarily be excluded 

 from science ; but simply because they are unable to 

 allow that reason and morality have two weights and 

 two measures ; and that the belief in a proposition, 

 because authority tells you it is true, or because you 

 wish to believe it, which is a high crime and misde- 

 meanour when the subject matter of reasoning is of one 

 kind, becomes under the alias of " faith " the greatest 

 of all virtues, when the subject matter of reasoning is of 

 another kind. 



