ON THE DEVELOPED CONCEPTION OF GOD. 349 



But further, this transcendent and stupendous Power, 

 however far it has progressed in its mysterious but 

 glorious march of evolution, will, according to Science, 

 exhibit itself in still more surprising results and perfect 

 productions in future times, at least in our earth; in 

 productions which we can now no more conceive than 

 could our rude prehistoric ancestors conceive within 

 their dark and narrow brains all the marvellous dis- 

 coveries, inventions, and improvements of our modern 

 life and civilization. 



This Ultimate Power in the universe, mysterious and 

 unfathomable for ever, however much we or future 

 generations may know of its manifestations, is thus 

 described by the philosopher of evolution, Herbert 

 Spencer: "There is a power behind humanity, and 

 behind all other things ; a power of which humanity is 

 but a small and fugitive product ; a power which was, 

 in the course of ever-changing manifestations, before 

 humanity was, and will continue through other mani- 

 festations when humanity has ceased to be." * 



But the Power is unknowable, he assures us, save 

 only in its manifestations. It would be equally incorrect 

 to describe it as either matter or mind ; for it is more 

 than both, and more fundamental than either. In both 

 cases alike, should we attempt to describe it as material 

 or as mental, we are only applying our imperfect, phe- 

 nomenal, and provisory predicates and notions, our 

 scarcely approximate symbols and words anthropomor- 

 phic when borrowed from our minds and actions, 

 materialistic when borrowed from matter and Nature's 

 actions to something wholly beyond the reach of any 



* According to Spencer, this mysterious Power is the original and 

 abiding source of the religious feelings, which can never find a proper 

 object in any " religion of humanity" as conceived by Comte (Study of 

 Sociology, pp. 311, 312). 



