ses, as
fear dies, and as the brain develops. After all, it is a question
of intelligence. Only cunning performs a miracle, only ignorance
believes it.

_Question_. Do you think that evolution and revealed religion are
compatible--that is to say, can a man be an evolutionist and a
Christian?

_Answer_. Evolution and Christianity may be compatible, provided
you take the ground that Christianity is only one of the links in
the chain, one of the phases of civilization. But if you mean by
Christianity what is generally understood, of course that and
evolution are absolutely incompatible. Christianity pretends to
be not only the truth, but, so far as religion is concerned, the
whole truth. Christianity pretends to give a history of religion
and a prophecy of destiny. As a philosophy, it is an absolute
failure. As a history, it is false. There is no possible way by
which Darwin and Moses can be harmonized. There is an inexpressible
conflict between Christianity and Science, and both cannot long
inhabit the same brain. You cannot harmonize evolution and the
atonement. The survival of the fittest does away with original sin.

_Question_. From your knowledge of the religious tendency in the
United States, how long will orthodox religion be popular?

_Answer_. I do not think that orthodox religion is popular to-day.
The ministers dare not preach the creed in all its naked deformity
and horror. They are endeavoring with the vines of sentiment to
cover up the caves and dens in which crawl the serpents of their
creed. Very few ministers care now to speak of eternal pain. They
leave out the lake of fire and brimstone. They are not fond of
putting in the lips of Christ the loving words, "Depart from me,
ye cursed." The miracles are avoided. In short, what is known as
orthodoxy is already unpopular. Most ministers are endeavoring to
harmonize what they are pleased to call science and Christianity,
and nothing is now so welcome to the average Christian as some work
tending to show that, after all, Joshua was an astronomer.

_Question_. What section of the United States, East, West, North,
or South, is the most advanced in liberal religious ideas?

_Answer_. That section of the country in which there is the most
intelligence is the most liberal. That section of the country
where there is the most ignorance is the most prejudiced. The
least brain is the most orthodox. There possibly is no more
progressi