ON THE EVOLUTION MATERIALISM AND THEOLOGY. 32$ 



But morality, as already said, was prior to religion. 

 Men had moral notions at least as early as religious 

 feelings, and moral practice long before religion became 

 organized into a system of worship with prescribed rites 

 and ceremonies, so that religion was in no sense the 

 source, but only appeared subsequently as an ally, of 

 morality. 



Long after religion had appeared, when a breathing- 

 time in the fierce battle of existence was allowed, when 

 leisure was possible, in an auspicious climate, and amidst 

 happier conditions of life, art was born, and following 

 quickly upon art, science and philosophy not from an 

 immediate material necessity as in the case of practical 

 inventions, nor from a social necessity as in the case of 

 morals, but in order to satisfy a new and inner need, a 

 higher craving born in the souls of men for beauty and 

 truth. 



And, indeed, when one reflects, it might with a far 

 greater show of reason be contended that a G-od was 

 required to teach men the rudiments of art and science 

 than of morality ; to implant the new perceptions of 

 beauty and the new relish for truth both such strange 

 and unlikely visitants to the primitive savage soul than 

 to sow the seeds of morality, or teach men the primary 

 virtues, so certain to be developed amongst them from 

 the evident necessities of the case, without any external 

 instruction. Or, if a divine author were postulated, to 

 produce the first dispositions to moral practice, the first 

 dim feelings of pity, of sympathy, of affection, and still 

 more the disposition, so antagonistic to his inmost essence 

 of self-conservation, to carry virtue to the extreme of 

 self-sacrifice, the argument might have some force. But, 

 couched in the Kantian form, that God exists as the 

 original Author of the moral law, the argument, as we 



