II EVOLUTION

IT behooves us to take an optimistic view of human affairs no matter how cruel and discordant they may still seem from a present viewpoint. We are surely marching in the right direction, upward and onward, for every thoughtful observer is aware that we are living in a Progressive World, a world in which we know more today than we did yesterday, and will know more tomorrow than we know today, a world of progressive culture and refinement.

We are all aware that the progress of the world in many directions during the last thousand years has been remarkable, and we have every reason to believe, as I shall point out, that the progress of the next thousand years will vastly outstrip that of any previous ten centuries, for progress is itself progressing.

As may be seen by the Geologic Chart, Fig. 1, Evolution has already been busy for millions of ages. In the organic world, it began its progressive development in accordance with the Law of the Survival of the Fittest way back of the single cell, and out of it slowly evolved the Plant and Animal Kingdoms with all their multiplicity of Forms and Functions with the present man as the crowning model of physical and mental development so far evolved, 14and that this Evolution will continue immeasurably further, there can be no doubt.

Man as a distinct human being has likely existed and slowly developed in body and mind for more than a million years, so that we are now very much superior to our primitive ape-like ancestors, and posterity will also be vastly superior to our present generation.

As the Reader may see by referring to the Geologic Chart, the fossil remains in their ascending scale are approximately indicated where they first successively appeared on Earth. There were no worms when the sponge first appeared, no birds when the fish was the dominant creature, and no Man when the bird first made its appearance. It required millions of ages to produce these progressive changes from the one to the other by the Laws of Slight Variations and the Survival of the Fittest.

We must also bear in mind that every creature from the lowest to the highest must possess at least so much mentality, so much Mind, whether we call it Instinct or Reason, that it can procure (1) food, (2) some sort of protection and guidance, and (3) reproduce its kind. With less Mentality the species would have to become extinct. This shows that Body and 15Mind of all creatures, including man, work and develop together for their mutual benefit. If there were no Body to feed, guide and reproduce, there would seemingly be no use for Mind.