conditions of a speculative atheism are as undoubtedly present on the
other, there is thus in both cases a logical vacuum supplied wherein the
pendulum of thought is free to swing in whichever direction it may be
made to swing by the momentum of preconceived ideas.

'Sec. 6. Such is the outcome of our investigation, and considering the
abstract nature of the subject, the immense divergence of opinion which
at the present time is manifested with regard to it, as well as the
confusing amount of good, bad and indifferent literature on both sides
of the controversy which is extant;--considering these things, I do not
think that the result of our inquiry can be justly complained of on the
score of its lacking precision. At a time like the present, when
traditional beliefs respecting Theism are so generally accepted, and so
commonly concluded as a matter of course to have a large and valid basis
of induction whereon to rest, I cannot but feel that a perusal of this
short essay, by showing how very concise the scientific _status_ of the
subject really is, will do more to settle the minds of most readers as
to the exact standing at the present time of all the probabilities of
the question, than could a perusal of all the rest of the literature
upon this subject. And, looking to the present condition of speculative
philosophy, I regard it as of the utmost importance to have clearly
shown that the advance of science has now entitled us to assert, without
the least hesitation, that the hypothesis of Mind in nature is as
certainly superfluous to account for any of the phenomena of nature, as
the scientific doctrine of the persistence of force and the
indestructibility of matter is certainly true.

'On the other hand, if any one is inclined to complain that the logical
aspect of the question has not proved itself so unequivocally definite
as has the scientific, I must ask him to consider that, in any matter
which does not admit of actual demonstration, some margin must of
necessity be left for variations of individual opinion. And, if he bears
this consideration in mind, I feel sure that he cannot properly
complain of my not having done my utmost in this case to define as
sharply as possible the character and the limits of this margin.

'Sec. 7. And now, in conclusion, I feel it is desirable to state that any
antecedent bias with regard to Theism which I individually possess is
unquestionably on the side of traditional beliefs. It