other hand, the scientists are
equally right in maintaining that no physical answer to prayer can be of
the nature of a miracle, or produced independently of strictly physical
causation; for, if so, the physical and the psychical would no longer be
coincident. But, until the scientists are able to perform the hopeless
task of proving where the possibilities of physical causation end, as a
mere matter of abstract speculation and going upon the theory of Monism,
it is evident that the theologians may have any latitude they choose to
claim, both as regards this matter and that of so-called miracles.]

[Footnote 12: It may be explained that by Agnosticism I understand a
theory of things which abstains from either affirming or denying the
existence of God. It thus represents, with regard to Theism, a state of
suspended judgement; and all it undertakes to affirm is, that, upon
existing evidence, the being of God is unknown. But the term Agnosticism
is frequently used in a widely different sense, as implying belief that
the being of God is not merely now unknown, but must always remain
unknowable. It is therefore often represented that Mr. Herbert Spencer,
in virtue of his doctrine of the Unknowable, is a kind of apostle of
Agnosticism. This, however, I conceive to be a great mistake. The
distinctive features of Mr. Spencer's doctrine of the Unknowable are not
merely non-agnostic, but anti-agnostic. For the doctrine affirms that we
have this much knowledge of God--namely, that if He exists, He must for
ever be unknown. Without question, this would be a most important piece
of definite knowledge with regard to Deity, negative though it be; and,
therefore, any man who holds it has no right to be called an agnostic.

To me it has always seemed that the doctrine of the Unknowable, in so
far as it differs from the doctrine of the Unknown, is highly
unphilosophical. By what right can it be affirmed that Deity, if He
exists, may not reveal the fact of His existence to-morrow--and this to
the whole human race without the possibility of doubt? Or, if there be a
God, who is to say that there certainly cannot be a future life, in
which each individual man may have unquestionable proof of Theism? It is
a perfectly philosophical statement for any one to make that, as matters
now stand, he can see no evidence of Theism; but to say that he knows
the human race never can have such evidence, is a most unphilosophical
statement, seeing that it