Thoughts on Religion Part 10

[74] I should somewhere show how much better a treatise Butler might have written had he known about evolution as the general law of nature.

[75] See Gore's _Bampton Lectures_, lect. ii.

[76] _Pensees_, pp. 205 ff.

[77] [Romanes' line of argument in this note seems to me impossible to maintain. The emphasis which Jesus Christ lays on diabolic agency is so great that, if it is not a reality, He must be regarded either as seriously misled about realities which concern the spiritual life, or else as seriously misleading others. And in neither case could He be even the perfect Prophet. I think I am justified in explaining my disagreement with Romanes' argument at this point particularly.--ED.]

[78] [There is nothing in Darwin's _writings_ which seems to me to justify Romanes in attributing this difficulty to him specially. But he knew Darwin so intimately and reverenced him so profoundly that he is not likely to have been in error on the subject.--ED.]

+Concluding Note by the Editor:--+

The intellectual att.i.tude towards Christianity expressed in these notes may be described as--(1) 'pure agnosticism' in the region of the scientific 'reason,' coupled with (2) a vivid recognition of the spiritual necessity of faith and of the legitimacy and value of its intuitions; (3) a perception of the positive strength of the historical and spiritual evidences of Christianity.

George Romanes came to recognize, as in these written notes so also in conversation, that it was 'reasonable to be a Christian believer' before the activity or habit of faith had been recovered. His life was cut short very soon after this point was reached; but it will surprise no one to learn that the writer of these 'Thoughts' returned before his death to that full, deliberate communion with the Church of Jesus Christ which he had for so many years been conscientiously compelled to forego.

In his case the 'pure in heart' was after a long period of darkness allowed, in a measure before his death, to 'see G.o.d.'

_Fecisti nos ad te, Domine; et inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te_.

OXFORD: HORACE HART PRINTER TO THE UNIVERSITY

ADVERTIs.e.m.e.nTS

The Oxford Library of Practical Theology

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+RELIGION+. By the Rev. W.C.E. NEWBOLT, M.A., Canon and Chancellor of St. Paul's. [_Fifth Impression_.

'_The Oxford Library of Practical Theology_ makes a good beginning with Canon Newbolt's volume on religion.... The publishers have spared no pains in making the appearance of the volumes as attractive as possible. The binding, type, and general "get up" of the volume just issued leave nothing to be desired.'--_Guardian_.

+HOLY BAPTISM+. By the Rev. DARWELL STONE, M.A., Librarian of the Pusey House, Oxford. [_Third Edition_.

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[_Third Impression_.

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It is thoroughly practical, and gives exactly the kind of teaching that is wanted.'--_Guardian_.

+THE HISTORY OF THE BOOK OF COMMON PRAYER+. By the Rev. LEIGHTON PULLAN, M.A., Fellow of St. John Baptist's College, Oxford, [_Third Edition_.

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+HOLY MATRIMONY+. By the Rev. W.J. KNOX LITTLE, M.A., Canon of Worcester. [_Second Edition_.

'Canon Knox Little has given us a most exhaustive treatise on Holy Matrimony written in his best and happiest style, and giving ample proofs of wide research and deep study of the various aspects, and the essential characteristics of Christian marriage.... We would strongly advise the clergy to place this work upon their shelves as a book of reference, while it forms a complete manual of instruction to aid them in the preparation of addresses on the subject.'--_Church Bells_.

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--_Guardian_.

+FOREIGN MISSIONS+. By the Right Rev. E.T. CHURTON, D.D., formerly Bishop of Na.s.sau.

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+THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION+. By the Rev. LEIGHTON PULLAN, M.A., Fellow of St. John Baptist's College, Oxford.

'Mr. Pullan affirms that the critics of orthodox Christianity are now destroying one another's theories much more than they are destroying the Catholic Faith. However that may be, his book should render some a.s.sistance in determining what is and what is not "The Faith once delivered to the Saints." It is a worthy addition to the series to which it belongs.'--_Westminster Gazette_.

+BOOKS OF DEVOTION+. By the Rev. CHARLES BODINGTON, Canon and Precentor of Lichfield.

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+HOLY ORDERS+. By the Rev. A.R. WHITHAM, M.A., Princ.i.p.al of Culham College, Abingdon.

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+THE CHURCH CATECHISM THE CHRISTIAN'S MANUAL+. By the Rev. W.C.E.

NEWBOLT, M.A., Canon and Chancellor of St. Paul's.

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+RELIGIOUS CEREMONIAL+. By the Rev. WALTER HOWARD FRERE, M.A., of the Community of the Resurrection, Examining Chaplain to the Bishop of Rochester. [_In preparation_.

+THE BIBLE+. By the Rev. DARWELL STONE, M.A., Librarian of the Pusey House, Oxford. [_In preparation_.

+OLD TESTAMENT CRITICISM+. By the Very Rev. HENRY WACE, D.D., Dean of Canterbury. [_In preparation_.