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But, whence, then, it may be asked, if all this be true, has 
the idea of human advancement and progress come to enter 
men's minds at all ? To that I reply, it has no doubt also been 
derived from human experience, and is best explained by the 
religious theory. Ours is no dark and fatalistic creed that always 
and only points downwards. We have, thank God, a knowledge 
and experience 01 advancement and human progress in the 
world's history, as well as of man's degeneration. The real 
fact is, indeed, that we have lived so much in the light of this 
state of advancement, in which we were born, that some of us 
have forgotten its. cause, and that it is an absolute reversal 
of a previously existing state of things. Not a reversal of 
any natural law let us leave that to those who believe that 
intellect and speech could come of themselves, and the noblest 
manhood be developed out of apes or speechless savages 
not a reversal of any natural law, but the introduction of a higher 
law, that claims to regenerate man, and to elevate his nature. 
Just as by our theory we believe that some thousands of years 
ago man was created very good by God, yet afterwards fell, and 
so the human race degenerated ; — by slow degrees no doubt, for 
he always had a better spirit that strove within him, and an 
intellect that could not lose its lustre in a day ; — so we also 
believe that some eighteen hundred years ago the progress of 
this human corruption was arrested, by a revival of new 
spiritual life and fresh power of becoming upright." We 
appeal equally to the facts of history, to prove both man's fall 
and his restoration. Since the second Adam came, in fact, 
tne history of human advancement and of the highest civiliza- 
tionS' from the time the Roman empire fell, is little else than 
the history of the progress of Christianity. The students of 
the science of man" will never understand their whole subject 
if they ignore this crowning fact of all, which completes the 
religious theory of man's past and present condition. 
My argument required that I should chiefly dwell upon the 
downward course of humanity, but I gladly recognize that 
that is only half the truth with which we are concerned. “ The 
question of questions for mankind (well says Professor Huxley) 
“the problem which underlies all others, and is more deeply 
interesting than any other, is the ascertainment of the place 
which man occupies in nature, and of his relation to the 
universe of things. Whence our race has come ; what are 
the limits of our power over nature, and of nature's power 
over us; to what goal we are tending; are the problems 
which present themselves anew, and with undiminished in- 
terest to every man born in the world." 
these words of the learned Professor are worthy of the 
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