The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-03
HUXLEY'S TOMB AND WORKS.

ontologist, with relics of the pre-
historic era about his coffin. Now
the great protagonist of Darwinian-
ism is laid to rest, even the most
jealous and bitter opponent of the
Darwinian hypothesis speaks kindly
of this formidable controversalist,
who to literary and philosophical
training added scientific equip
ment which made him the central
figure in the fray that for so many
years ragged around the question of
the Origin of Species. MIR. Huxley
accepting at first Darwin's great
work as key to problems that had
baff1ed him in the domain of biology,
soon forgot the caution and impair
TALLY which Darwin himself always
maintained and plunged into the
controversy with the theologians af-
firming as experimentally proved
what Darwin himself only considered
as probable. Losing sight in the
heat of the controversy of the pro-
visional character of Darwin's gener-
alization, and bringing wit, an admi-
rable literary style, and dialectical
dexterity which was match for his
most redoubtable opponents, to the
controversy, Professor Huxley de-
Tended Darwinianism 80 ably and SO
zealously that in some instances he
outran even Spencer in generaliza-
ton. 1t was here chiefly, that he
laid himself open to the shafts of his
opponents and there was in the
whole the most vigorous cut and
thrust, give and take, over the ques-
ton of Evolution that the history of
science and scientific discussion re-
cords.
Several years ago writer in the
Spectator took Prof. Huxley to task
quite severely for his interest in those
things which lie outside the domain
of science. This writer remarked
that "Prof. Huxley's genius is doubt
less for science, but his weakness is
for theology and metaphysics" and
speaking of his articles on the Evolu-
ton of Theology as Spontaneous ir-
ruptions into a sphere not at all sci
entific and irruptions made after
most unscientific fashion" This ten
dency on the part of Huxley to in
wade the domain of theology was
then denominated his weak side"
Whether Professor Huxley exposed
strength or weakness in dealing with
this class of subjects, one fact is
clear, his anxiety to discuss them-an
anxiety more or less shared by all
the foremost scientific men of the
age, witnessed to deep and earnest
interest in the vital questions of the
ology and life. The trend is unmis-
takably in favor of such discussion.
1t invades all departments of consis-
tent and rational thought. The
question of the age, the one clearly
at the front of the intellectual move
ment, commanding and comprehen-
sive, compelling and irresistible, is
this of the validity of religion-a
question which has the eternal ages
of history at its back, which is now
discussed as never discussed before,
investigated with larger brains, wider
requirements and a more reverent
spirit than in any previous period of
the worlds history.
There is no fear for religion when
this trend is manifest in direction
heretofore regarded as hostile and an
tagonistic. Prof. Huxley's interestin
this class of questions and his period
ical "irruptions" into the sphere of
philosophy and religion, taking him
quite away at times from his biologi-
cal studies, is evidence that the great
professor recognized the paramount
Importance of such discussions. Hulk
ley's career showed plainly that he
was never averse to entering upon a
field where his materialistic science
did not, and could not help him.
Hence his critics could truly say that
he made these "irruptions" into the
domain of theology and metaphysics
in "most unscientific fashion" The
fact remains that the great apostle OF
agnosticism was not Indifferent to the
great question Of the ages and by
evincing this interest in his multiplied
controversies he rendered a valuable
service to religion, perhaps unwit-
tingly, and with no purpose to serve
its manifold and related interests.