imation of science
as the supreme judge in all matters of inquiry (F.R. Tennant: "The Being
of God in the light of Physical Science", in "Essays on some theological
questions of the day". London, 1905.), to the supposed destruction of
mystery and the disparagement of metaphysic which marked the last age,
as well as to the just recommendation of scientific method in branches
of learning where the direct acquisitions of natural science had no
place.

Besides this, the new application of the idea of law and mechanical
regularity to the organic world seemed to rob faith of a kind of refuge.
The romantics had, as Berthelot ("Evolutionisme et Platonisme", pages
45, 46, 47. Paris, 1908.) shows, appealed to life to redress the
judgments drawn from mechanism. Now, in Spencer, evolution gave us a
vitalist mechanic or mechanical vitalism, and the appeal seemed cut off.
We may return to this point later when we consider evolution; at
present I only endeavour to indicate that general pressure of scientific
criticism which drove men of faith to seek the grounds of reassurance
in a science of their own; in a method of experiment, of observation,
of hypothesis checked by known facts. It is impossible for me to do more
than glance across the threshold of this subject. But it is necessary to
say that the method is in an elementary stage of revival. The imposing
success that belongs to natural science is absent: we fall short of
the unchallengeable unanimity of the Biologists on fundamentals. The
experimental method with its sure repetitions cannot be applied to our
subject-matter. But we have something like the observational method of
palaeontology and geographical distribution; and in biology there are
still men who think that the large examination of varieties by way
of geography and the search of strata is as truly scientific, uses as
genuinely the logical method of difference, and is as fruitful in sure
conclusions as the quasi-chemical analysis of Mendelian laboratory work,
of which last I desire to express my humble admiration. Religion also
has its observational work in the larger and possibly more arduous
manner.

But the scientific work in religion makes its way through difficulties
and dangers. We are far from having found the formula of its combination
with the historical elements of our apologetic. It is exposed,
therefore, to a damaging fire not only from unspiritualist psychology
and pathology but also from the side of sc