Mental Evolution. 
September, 
558 
It is not, however, on scientific grounds that the opponents 
of Mental Evolution really take their stand, but rather, as 
Mr. Romanes pointed out, from an idea that if it be true 
then the Soul cannot be Immortal. Now let us suppose 
any one were to maintain a contrary opinion, and to affirm 
that Mental Evolution is a proof that the Soul is Immortal, 
how could such a conclusion be shown to he any less true 
than its opposite ? It would certainly he nothing new for a 
supposed opponent of religious dogmas to become a pillar of 
the church ; in fadt every scientific opinion has passed 
through these two stages. Astronomy, Geology, the Origin 
of Species, and a host of others have at first been regarded 
as implacable enemies of religious dogmas, and then as their 
staunchest allies, and there is no reason why Mental Evolu- 
tion should not go through a similar process. The facft is 
that Science is neither the enemy nor the ally of religious 
dogmas, and hence the reason why it is so differently re- 
garded by different persons and at different times. Science 
rests upon experience, and nothing is good in Science that 
cannot be proved by experience, which is the touchstone for 
trying every fadt and theory ; now religious dogmas have 
nothing whatever to do with experience. 
The Soul may be said to be the central idea of all such 
dogmas, yet any attempt to define, in terms of experience, 
or, in other words, to materialise the soul, would be gene- 
rally considered as most irreverent. In the June number of 
this Journal a review was given of a work in which such an 
attempt was made, and, though the reviewer did what he 
could to put it in the most favourable light, it only adds 
another instance to the many that have preceded it of the 
hopeless nature of what, were it a fadt, would be too evident 
to admit of doubt. This is no argument whatever against 
the reality of the Soul, as there may be many things in 
heaven and earth which are not dreamt of in the philosophy 
of experience, but it is an absolute bar against any attempt 
to test the teachings of the latter by an appeal to the former, 
or vice versa ; for what relation can there be between that 
which wholly ignores the tests of experience and that which 
knows no other test but experience ? 
