294 THE THRESHOLD OF EVOLUTION 



chased at the cost of a heavy fee in the form of scientific 



retrogression. 



But it must not be lost sight of that Thought is the motive 

 force of Revolution ; Imagination the motive force of Reli- 

 gion; Knowledge the motive force of Human Will. These 

 are the three forces of Nature most prone to err, whereas 

 Comprehension is the motive force of Agriculture ; Logic and 

 Mathematics, Truth. Understanding is the motive force of 

 Science and Invention, and Wisdom the motive force of Civi- 

 lisation, Charity, Justice and Mercy, and that Comprehension, 

 Science and Wisdom are the three progressive forces of Nature 

 on which reliance alone can be placed. 



And, surely, the work of Religion is less to teach the Truths 

 of Revelation, which man only acquired as a result of Philo- 

 sophy and Inspiration, than it is to adjust the laws of State 

 and Social Government and to bring the results of Philosophy 

 and Inspiration down from the Realms of Imagination, Fairy 

 Tale and Fable to some form of practical Utility compatible 

 with the comprehension of man's mind at the age of Civilisa- 

 tion and existence at any stage of Evolution, by ruthlessly 

 destroying past beliefs to make practical and possible new 

 forms of State and Social Government. I will now recall at- 

 tention to what I have elsewhere pointed out, that Religion 

 is not to be an eternal force but ceases to exist when we attain 

 true human wisdom. For then man will arrive at a perfect 

 knowledge of right and wrong, and though he will ever be 

 liable to err, because he will ever lack divine knowledge, he 

 will have attained sufficient reason and judgment to commit 

 no crime, because he will realise that all crime is foolish and 

 destroys the happiness of he who commits it. He will then 

 have arrived at perfect manhood and will no more require 

 the assistance of the guiding hand of Religion than the ordi- 

 nary man of to-day requires to be led by a nurse about the 

 streets. 



Before concluding my remarks on the seven stages of Pro- 

 gress, just tabulated, I will call the reader's attention to a 

 significant point. In this table each of the seven progressive 

 stages corresponds to the seven highest virtues that are to 

 remain as the constant progressive forces that are to make 

 this earth Heaven when man at last attains the perfection of 

 Human Wisdom : 



