nf the Evolution riiUosophy. 19 



ingmun anxious that liis w(jrk shall be well dune, rather 

 than make hiui strive to do as little as possible for his 

 wages ; which shall abolish shoddy clothes and Buddensiek 

 buildings ; which shall do aAvay with the adulteration of 

 foods and drugs; wliich shall create a divine discontent 

 with the '' old clothes " of superstition and unreason Avith 

 Avhich the average man has been satisfied to array his intel- 

 lectual and religious nature, — this, if not answering to all 

 that we mean by religion, is the natural and consistent 

 product of a Eeligion of Life. Go into yonder church — 

 select it almost at random, if you please, from any quarter 

 of these two great cities — these Siamese twins whose 

 common artery is our beautiful Brooklyn bridge — raid 

 question its members as to the character and jueaning of 

 its creed. How many will you find who really know any- 

 thing about the dogmas which they are supposed to profess 

 and believe — a belief in which, in many instances, is 

 deemed essential to salvation ? How many of our city 

 congregations, of whatever sect, would sit patiently and 

 hear the cold logic of Calvinism brought home to their 

 understandings ? Against all these duplicities of thought 

 and life, so prevalent in this transition period, the phi- 

 losophy of evolution enters an emphatic protest, seeing that 

 that only can promote growth of manly and womanly char- 

 acter which is vitally and really appropriated by the under- 

 standing, and allowed its legitimate bearing upon the 

 healthful activities of life. 



Evolution recognizes the continuity of thought — the 

 solidarity of the race — the indebtedness of the present to 

 the past. It does not therefore endeavor to establish the 

 new truth or the higher social ideal by violent or revolu- 

 tionary methods. It seeks for the soul of truth in things 

 false — for the soul of good in things evil — seeing that 

 evils and falsehoods are usually goods and truths out of 

 their pro])er relations. Evil is mal-adjustment. Its cor- 

 rection should therefore be sought by readjustment, rather 

 than by destruction. Evolution would build on the exist- 

 ing good, rather than seek to lay an entirely new founda- 

 tion. In the church. Evolution beholds an institution 

 capable of bestowing infinite benefits u})on mankind; yet 

 as organized and directed in the past, and to a great degree 

 in the present, it lias been and is an institution of doubtful 

 utility. It has repressed the individual reason, teaching 



