The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library

262 SCIENCE AND RELIGION,I must here be content to rest an argumentfor the insufficiency of physiology, and thenecessity for observation of our own experience,if we are to have an intelligible accountof the most familiar characteristics ofhuman life. By way of securing a sharp contrastserviceable for illustrative and argurnentativepurposes, I take an extract from Mr.Darwin. His statement is this,--" There isno evidence that any animal performs an actionfor the exclusive good of another." *Alongside of this statement, for the purposeof comparison and contrast, let me place this.It is an essential law of human life, havingdaily application, that man shall so act as tomake the good of his fellowman the expressencl of his action. This is a law of moral lifewhich we do not dream of applying to anylower order of beings, but which we do regardas binding on all men equally. Explicit testimonyto this law of human life may be drawnfrom the philosophy of Greece and of Chinain times so remote as to precede the Christianera, or from the teaching of our Saviour, orfrom the daily life of men in any land in thisnineteenth century. The contrast is thus sharp* Origin of Species, 6th ed. p. 208.