So I at least am compelled
to read the finding of biological history.
But let us grant for the sake of argument that man contains still
undeveloped germs of faculties capable of perceiving and attaining
something as much higher than wisdom and love as these are higher
than brute force. You will answer, this is not only inconceivable,
it is impossible. Still let us grant the possibility. We notice,
first of all, that it is against the whole course of evolution that
these faculties should be other than mental, and what we class under
powers pertaining to our personality. For ages past evidently, and
no less really from the very beginning, evolution has worked for the
body only as a perfect vehicle of mind, and for this as leading to
will and character. And human development has led, and ever more
tends, as Mr. Drummond has shown, to the arrest, though not the
degeneration, of the body. It is to remain at the highest possible
stage of efficiency as the servant of mind. These higher powers will
thus be mental and personal powers. And how has any and every
advance to higher capabilities been attained in the animal kingdom?
Merely by the most active possible exercise of the next lower power.
This is proven by the sequence of physical and mental functions. We
shall attain, therefore, any higher mental capacities only by the
continual practice of wisdom and love.
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