Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 33.djvu/139

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
LITERARY NOTICES.
129

posed to find much fault with the present tendency of things. H they could be persuaded that the instability of business was due in no small degree to government interference with commerce and industry, and that it would be greatly to their advantage to rely on a world-equilibrium in business matters rather than upon one made and unmade by national tariff legislation, their influence would probably be thrown in favor of commercial freedom, instead of, as is now the case, mainly in support of commercial restriction. Could they also be made to realize that, if their present increased wages, coupled with comparative lowness of prices, leaves them in many cases still in the grip of what seems like poverty, it is because they allow their desires for the enjoyments of life to outrun even their enlarged means. Any one may land himself in misery who does that. Finally, it can never be superfluous to preach the ever true doctrine that the key to happiness is conduct. Of those who really feel imbittered against the existing condition of things how many can truly say that they have been true to themselves; that they have made the most of their opportunities; that they have not, by some want of self-control, marred their own careers? No social state could by any possibility be invented in which a certain number of malcontents would not be counted. With malcontents, who are so by defect of nature or faults of conduct, the hand of power must deal. There is much good to be effected, we firmly believe, by dealing with men as men, individually intelligent and individually responsible, and doing away as far as we possibly can with the preposterous notion that they are pawns to be moved hither and thither by manipulators of the tariff and other gentlemen of protective proclivities. Self-help founded on knowledge is the master-principle of individual and national salvation.


We invite special attention to three articles on "Darwinism and the Christian Faith," the first appearing in this number of the "Monthly," which were recently published in "The Guardian," the leading Church journal in England. These articles are spoken of as "remarkable" by the editor of "Nature," who further characterizes them as follows: "The author is anonymous, but is understood to be an Oxford College tutor, and Honorary Canon of Christ Church. The orthodoxy of 'The Guardian' is, we believe, unimpeachable. We notice, therefore, with gratification that not only is Darwinism thoroughly accepted and lucidly expounded by the writer in 'The Guardian,' but that he is an exceptionally well-informed and capable critic, whose scientific knowledge is varied and sound. The publication of these articles in 'The Guardian' is a proof that the clergy as a body are not so unwilling to accept new scientific views as might be supposed were we to regard Dean Burgon as a fair sample of his class." The other two articles of the series will appear in early numbers of the "Monthly."



LITERARY NOTICES.

Evolution and its Relation to Religious Thought. By Joseph Le Conte. New York: D. Appleton & Co. Pp. 344. Price, $1.50.

This volume, by the Professor of Geology and Natural History in the University of California, is a notable contribution to a discussion perennial in its interest. No question to-day more profoundly stirs the minds of thoughtful Christians than how the philosophy of evolution shall modify their convictions. With every passing year it is becoming better understood that it is not with religion, but with theology, that science has had conflict. By a necessity, purely and simply historical, theology has united elements very diverse in value. Its core and essence, religion, has been presented in tenet and dogma always plainly limited by the time, place, and knowledge of creed-makers. With religion have been