44 THE LESSON OF EVOLUTION 



confidence that there is no natural process of rejuvene- 

 scence ; no possibility of the present universe coming 

 back again to its original starting point. 



Now, for anyone who believes that mind has been 

 the organiser of energy, there can only be two compet- 

 ing theories of the universe Pantheism, now usually 

 called Monism ; and Theism, now often called Dualism. 

 But either there is some process of rejuvenescence 

 which has not yet been discovered, or Pantheism is 

 impossible. As reasonable men and women we must 

 follow the best available evidence ; and I do not see 

 how it is possible for anyone to believe in Pantheism, 

 or Monism, so long as the origin of life remains unex- 

 plained. 1 Consequently, Theism is left as the only 

 possible theory of the universe. And I have, I hope, 

 shown that there is sufficient evidence of design in 

 nature to convince us that evolution has not been due 

 to haphazard effort, but to deliberate action leading up 

 to some ulterior purpose, which it is the great wish of 

 man to fathom. 



We know that the sun is in its old age, and that 

 in a few more millions of years it will cease to have 

 any vitalising effect on its planets ; also, we know that 

 biological evolution has nearly run its course on the 

 earth. The race of life is over, and man has won. 

 No other animal can ever arise to compete with him, 

 for he could destroy it long before it became formid- 

 able. Psychological evolution alone is in the ascendant, 

 and this has yet much to do, especially in the domain 



1 If the monists are to maintain their position, thej must explain 

 the relation between matter (which is endowed with gravity and 

 absorbs or emits heat), and ether (which is not endowed with gravity 

 and can neither absorb nor give out heat), as well as the relation 

 between living and dead protoplasm. 



