x Introduction. 



digestion remained unsolved; or a philosopher 

 might as well refuse to eat, because he admits 

 himself to be incapable of proving either 

 his own existence or that of his dinner, it 

 is perhaps unnecessary to add that the above 

 remarks are intended to apply to Eeligion 

 in the abstract, quite independently of any 

 system of dogmatic theology. 



As, however, the bias of an author must 

 affect his whole work, it may be stated that 

 the existence and perfection of the Deity are 

 here assumed from the outset, without any dis- 

 cussion of evidences, which would lead us too 

 far from our main object. The chief points 

 which we have endeavoured to establish are : 

 (1) the worthlessness of the opinions of antiquity 

 on matters of natural science ; (2) the great 

 superiority from a scientific point of view, as 

 well as in physical and moral evidence, of the 

 Theory of Evolution over that of Special 

 Creation; and (3) that Evolution is perfectly 

 consistent with an enlightened Theism. Some 

 of the supporters of Evolution claim for it 

 that it is wholly opposed to the belief in 

 a God, and many of its opponents brand 

 it as thoroughly Atheistic in its tendencies. 

 We shall attempt to show that this is not 

 the case : but that as the Theory of Special 



