Unknown, or neutral, or hostile power: a movement similar in direction to the direction in which history on the whole shows we are moving, and to that which we desire with our highest aspirations, but operating blindly; an acceleration of that movement by the coming of mind to biological predominance, with certain consequent minor changes in direction by major changes in speed and in methods. Three tendencies, but all founded in one unity, and each arising out of the other--that is the picture drawn for us by the present state of science. In this sense, and in this only, can it be said that “all things work together for righteousness.” One word on an important side-issue--the problem of evil in man, of stagnancy and degeneration in organic evolution. Degeneration often does occur--a reversal, in other words, of the main tendency. But the positive fact remains that the _maximum_ level is progressively raised, and that we find that stagnation of development and even sometimes degeneration have been factors indirectly helping on the main direction. We must accept the positive main direction for what it is--an external sanction of faith; confess that we do not understand the detailed working of the whole, but see in the change of methods brought about by the rise of mind a hope that we shall gradually learn at least to dispense with much waste and evil and degeneration in the further course of evolution. This main direction gives us cause for optimism. The exceptions to it temper that optimism. But the direction is there. As we shall see later, we may either call the sum of the forces acting in the cosmos the manifestations of God, who in this case must be the Absolute God, and unknowable except through these manifestations. Or we may confine the term God to its anthropological usage, as denoting the objects of human religion, in which case we must admit that the term God as understood by man is constituted by _man’s idea of_ the forces acting in the cosmos, so that not only are these forces involved, not only a possible Absolute God behind them, but also the organizing power of human mind.