318 THE RIDDLE OF THE UNIVERSE. 



course of this great struggle ; especially seeing that 

 the attacks of the "Church militant " on science in 

 general, and on the theory of evolution in particular, 

 have become extremely bitter and menacing of late 

 years. Unfortunately, the mental relaxation which 

 has lately set in, and the rising flood of reaction in 

 the political, social, and ecclesiastical world, are only 

 too well calculated to give point to those dangers. If 

 anyone doubts it, he has only to look over the conduct 

 of Christian synods and of the German Reichstag 

 during the last few years. Quite in harmony are the 

 recent efforts of many secular Governments to get on 

 as good a footing as possible with the " spiritual 

 regiment," their deadly enemy — that is, to submit to 

 its yoke. The two forces find a common aim in the 

 suppression of free thought and free scientific research, 

 for the purpose of thus more easily securing a com- 

 plete despotism. 



Let us first emphatically protest that it is a question 

 for us of the necessary defence of science and reason 

 against the vigorous attacks of the Christian Church 

 and its vast army, not of an unprovoked attack of 

 science on religion. And, in the first place, our 

 defence must be prepared against Romanism or 

 Ultramontanism. This " one ark of salvation," this 

 Catholic Church " destined for all," is not only much 

 larger and more powerful than the other Christian 

 sects, but it has the exceptional advantage of a vast, 

 centralized organization and an unrivalled political 

 ability. Men of science are often heard to say that 

 the Catholic superstition is no more astute than the 

 other forms of supernatural faith, and that all these 

 insidious institutions are equally inimical to reason 

 and science. As a matter of general theoretical 





