of the Eocdation Ph'dosopJtij. 7 



throughout the xmiverse of physical and mental phenomena, 

 then indeed must we confess that it is not merely a method 

 whereby the myriad forms of organic life have come into 

 being — it is a method Avhich searches into the deeper 

 prolilems of religion and philosoj^hy, compelling a recon- 

 sideration of old conclusions — a reconstruction of many 

 of their fundamental conce])tions. To speak of " the phi- 

 losophy of Evolution/' therefore, is not without warrant. 

 We may well term it, with John Fiske, a ^'cosmic phi- 

 losophy," since it is thus universal in its scope and applica- 

 tion ; or with Mr. Spencer, a " synthetic philosophy," 

 since, like the founder of Christianity, it comes not to 

 destroy but to fulfill, discovering the measure of truth 

 which resides in each antagonistic system, and by a new 

 and deeper synthesis combining them into a harmonious 

 and perfect whole. 



If it should appear to some superficial thinkers that the 

 advocates of this philosoi»liy unnecessarily antagonize the 

 creeds and methods of the prevalent religious faith, — ■ 

 ideas and conceptions that by many are deemed sacred, — 

 the reply must be that the truth is more sacred than any 

 existing institution, or theological or cosmological concep- 

 tion, however venerable. In the language of Emerson, 

 " Nothing at last is sacred but the integrity of 3-our own 

 mind." There is an ethics of the intellect which imjioses 

 u))on every reverent thinker the obligation to follow abso- 

 lutely the dictates of his enliglitened reason, and fi-inkly 

 to confess his innermost convictions. In the noble passage 

 Avith which Mr. 8i)encer concludes the first part of his 

 " First Principles of Pliiloso}»hy," he says : 



"Whoever hesitates to utter tliat which he thinks the 

 highest truth, lest it should be too much in. advance of the 

 time, may reassure himself by looking at his acts from an 

 impersonal point of view. Let him duly recognize the 

 fact that opinion is the agency through Avhich character 

 adapts external arrangements to itself — that his opinion 

 rightly forms a ])art of this agency — is a unit of force, 

 constituting, witli other such units, the general poAver 

 Avhich works out social changes ; and lie Avill perceive that 

 he may pro]!er]y give utterance to his innermost convic- 

 tion : leaving it to produce Avhat effect it may. . . . He 

 must remember that, Avhile he is a descendant of the past, 

 he is a parent of the future ; and that his thoughts are as 



