"guesses at
truth" there have been a great multitude, and of dogmatic assertions
not a few; but demonstrations are things which do not yet appear.
We now take leave to report progress, and give the subject a little
ventilation. We do not expect to furnish an Ariadne's thread, but we
may hope to find some indication of the right way out of this
labyrinth of uncertainty. _Veritas nihil veretur nisi abscondi_: or, as
the German proverb says, "Truth creeps not into corners"; its life is
the light.

But before we advance a single step, we desire to preclude all
misunderstanding on one point, by distinctly avowing our
conviction that the teachings of Christian theology are not at all
involved in the issue of this discussion, whatever it may prove.
Infinite harm has been done by confusing the religion of science
with the science of religion. Religion _is_ a science, and science is a
religion; but they are not identical. Philosophy ought to be pious,
and piety ought to be philosophical; but philosophy and piety are
two quantities and qualities that may dwell apart, though, happily,
they may also be found in one nature. Each has its own faculties and
functions; and in our present investigation, religion has nothing
more to do than to shed the influence of reverence, humility, and
teachableness over the scientific student as he ponders his problem
and works out the truth. In this, and in kindred studies, we may
yield without reluctance what a certain professor of religion
concedes, and grant without grudging what a certain professor of
science demands. Dr. James Martineau says, "In so far as Church
belief is still committed to a given kosmogony and natural history of
man, it lies open to scientific refutation"; and again, "The whole
history of the Genesis of things Religion must unconditionally
surrender to the Sciences." [421] In this we willingly concur, for
science ought to be, and will be, supreme in its own domain. Bishop
Temple does "not hesitate to ascribe to Science a clearer knowledge
of the true interpretation of the first chapter of Genesis, and to
scientific history a truer knowledge of the great historical prophets.
Science enters into Religion, and the believer is bound to recognise
its value and make use of its services." [422] Then, to quote the
professor of science, Dr. John Tyndall says. "The impregnable
position of science may be described in a few words. We claim, and
we shall wrest from Theology, the entire