1387 AN EPISCOPAL TRILOGY 



169 



former was instanced as a blunder due to the desire of 

 finding support for the Darwinian theory in the existence 

 of this widespread primordial life; the latter as a case in 

 which a new theory had been systematically burked, for 

 feaV of damaging the infallibility of Darwin, who had pro- 

 pounded a different theory of coral reefs ! 



Huxley's reply to this was contained in the latter half 

 of an article which appeared in the Nineteenth Century for 

 November 1887, under the title of " Science and the Bish- 

 ops " (reprinted both in Controverted Questions and in the 

 Collected Essays, v. 126, as " An Episcopal Trilogy "). 

 Preaching at Manchester this autumn, during the meeting 

 of the British Association, the Bishops of Carlisle, Bedford, 

 and Manchester had spoken of science not only with knowl- 

 edge, but in the spirit of equity and generosity. " These 

 sermons," he exclaims, " are what the Germans call Epoche- 

 machend ! " 



How often was it my fate (he continues), a. quarter of a 

 century ago, to see the whole artillery of the pulpit brought to 

 bear upon the doctrine of evolution and its supporters ! Anyone 

 unaccustomed to the amenities of ecclesiastical controversy 

 would have thought we were too wicked to be permitted to live. 



After thus welcoming these episcopal advances, he once 

 more repudiated the a priori argument against the efficacy 

 of prayer, the theme of one of the three sermons, and then 

 proceeded to discuss another sermon of a dignitary of the 

 Church, which had been sent to him by an unknown cor- 

 respondent, for " there seems to be an impression abroad — - 

 I do not desire to give any countenance to it — that I am 

 fond of reading sermons." 



Now this preacher was of a very different mind from 

 the three bishops. Instead of dwelling upon the " supreme 

 importance of the purely spiritual in our faith," he warned 

 his hearers against dropping off any of the miraculous in- 

 tegument of their religion. " Christianity is essentially 

 miraculous, and falls to the ground if miracles be impossi- 

 ble." He was uncompromisingly opposed to any accom- 

 modation with advancing knowledge, or with the high 

 standard of veracity, enforced by the nature of their pur- 



