62 The Higher Usefulness of Science 



science. Christianity's working hypothesis of the 

 origin of man makes him a fallen angel. Very many 

 persons suppose the fundamental conception of that 

 splendidly terrible story Paradise Lost has been 

 eliminated from modern Christianity. But it has not. 

 The Doctrine of the Fall comes under the Yes or No 

 form of logic. Square is absolutely not round; hence 

 it is utter folly to try to make it so. 



But on the other hand the corresponding hypothesis 

 of modern science makes man an untransformed brute. 

 Though he possesses much more wit than his fellows, 

 this hypothesis says, he is yet in all essentials a brute. 

 Do not miss the main purpose for which this matter 

 is brought up here. It is not to pass upon the truth or 

 untruth of either, hypothesis, nor for weighing the in- 

 fluence each has had on human life and conduct, but 

 for the purpose of calling attention to the indubitable 

 fact that neither hypothesis rests primarily on induc- 

 tive research upon the human species in the totality of 

 its manifestations, but rather on evidence and consid- 

 erations drawn from various more or less secondary 

 and remote sources. And it may be affirmed, though 

 the affirmation can be made only somewhat dogmat- 

 ically now, that the hypotheses on both sides contain 

 many elements which from the nature of the case are 

 unprovable. Due attention to all the conditions makes 

 it appear certain that exactly when and where and how 

 man originated we not only do not know, but in all 

 likelihood never shall know. And even more certain 



