375 
further from their junction. On the one hand we find science, in 
the hands of its extreme adherents, pushing on into the darkness 
of materialism, on the other wo find theology, as represented at 
least by one school of thought, working along the line of a hard 
and mechanical theory of inspiration, finding itself further and 
further from the positions of modern science. I do not for one 
moment believe, that light will ever illuminate mankind through 
those whose work is leading in the direction of materialism. I 
cannot doubt but that there must be some unsuspected element of 
error in the reasoning which would lead to such a result. On the 
other hand it would be treason to truth, if from any fear of 
unpopularity or offence, I were to hide from you my conviction, 
that the prospect of reconciliation along the line of a literalistic 
interpretation of those parts of Scripture which ileal with scientific 
subjects, becomes more and more improbable. The past contro- 
versies between the book of Genesis and science were never really 
settled, they have been rather forgotten in the presence of newer 
and more urgent difficulties. It is not to be wondered at, that the 
geological controversies are lost sight of in the presence of the far 
greater difficulties to literalistic views raised by the certainty of the 
antiquity and the possibility of the descent of man. The fact, 
however, of this increasing divergence seems to me a reason why 
theology should hesitate still to entrench itself behind the non 
possumus of the infallibility of its interpretation of Scripture, 
rather setting itself to search whether there may not have been 
also in its processes some error which has led it astray. 
In conclusion, the light which science throws on the past history 
of our race seems to me a prophecy of hope for the future. In 
pre-historic times, during the palaeolithic, the neolithic, and the 
bronze periods, we can trace a distinct progress in those matters 
which tend to raise man above the rest of creation. The same 
thing is unmistakeably evidenced by history ; although its pages 
are often darkened by retrogression, by relapses into barbarism, 
although the progress of civilization has been far from uninter- 
rupted, yet progress has undoubtedly been made. And as regards 
