AGNOSTICISM 325 



ing? Are the affairs of the universe so out of joint — 

 is mind so distorted in its relation to facts that fic- 

 tions must be substituted for them? 



I cannot believe that this has been made necessary 

 through the long history of man, and that it must 

 continue through the ages to come. 



Mr. Spencer's teaching is that the race cannot be 

 elevated by Agnosticism, but that this can be done 

 only by the other creeds. Agnosticism is the only 

 true doctrine, but we must not teach it because it 

 would be destructive to morality. The creeds are 

 false, but we must teach them to save humanity. 

 The moral quality of teaching, according to this, does 

 not consist in its truth, but in the fact that it will 

 accomplish a certain purpose. Truth and falsehood 

 are equally good if they perform a certain work. 



If practical results are to determine the nature of 

 the teaching, and if Agnosticism would be demoraliz- 

 ing to the great mass of humanity, on what ground 

 can Mr. Spencer justify his teaching? Why not seal 

 the creed of Agnosticism up and lay it away in the 

 heart of an Egyptian pyramid until humanity is pre- 

 pared to receive it? Even if the creed should be lost 

 sight of for -some millions of years, the mind of man 

 will discover it at the proper time, for, according to 

 his theory, all religions are evolved, and every people 

 has as much truth as it is prepared by evolution to 

 assimilate. Why, then, should the demoralizing creed 

 of the Agnostic be introduced into the world at pres- 

 ent? Looked at in relation to duty to humanity, I do 

 not see any justification for the introduction and 

 defense of Agnosticism. 



Mr. Spencer justifies its announcement at present 

 as follows: "He must remember that while he is a 

 descendant of the past, he is a parent of the future; 

 and that his thoughts are as children born to him, 



