276 THE MEANING OF EVOLUTION 



to run counter to our deepest convictions. It seems 

 impossible to us that both can be true. Sometimes 

 the more we debate the questions the more contra- 

 dictory they seem to become. Every good mind 

 needs unity in itself. No clear thinker can be quite 

 content when two distinct departments of thought are 

 at sharp variance in his mind. He may pursue one 

 of two courses. He may hold to one view with con- 

 viction and earnestness and look upon the other 

 as essentially false. To many religious people all 

 science that runs counter to their convictions is neces- 

 sarily false. They label it pseudo-science and pass it 

 by. If the word pseudo-science is unknown to them, 

 they stigmatize it as rationalistic, or still worse as 

 materialistic and let it go at that. 



The other course is to have faith both in religion 

 and in science. 



Such a fair-minded man must ask himself, what is 

 the truth in the matter? If the scientific fact is true 

 it is to be believed. It may run counter to what we 

 have believed before. It may seem at first entirely 

 incredible. But when once he becomes convinced of 

 its truth the clear thinker must not only accept it, 

 but must accept all legitimate deductions from it. If 

 it seems true to us we must believe it. Absolute 

 demonstrable truth, except in the simplest of matters 

 is almost unattainable. The best we can ordinarily 



