_Origin of beauty_--Explanation of, in higher animals--In flowering plants--But in many cases we can’t explain 269 _Incipient organs_--Difficulty of explaining--But these are not objections to the _fact_ of evolution, but only to the sufficiency of the present _theories_ of evolution. Therefore, all discussion concerns special theories. The fact of evolution is certain 270 PART III. _THE RELATION OF EVOLUTION TO RELIGIOUS THOUGHT._ CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTORY. _Evolution if true affects every department of thought_--What will be its effect on religious beliefs?--Objection that truth-seeker has nothing to do with effects--Answered 275 _Relation of the true and the good_ 277 _Relation of philosophy to life_--The three necessary elements of a rational philosophy--Application to the case in hand-- And the subject of Part III justified--Exaggerated fears-- Different forms of the conflict of science and religion--(1) Heliocentric theory--First effect and final result--(2) Law of gravitation--Effect and result--(3) Antiquity of the earth and cosmos--Effect and result--(4) Antiquity of man --(5) Evolution 277 CHAPTER II. THE RELATION OF EVOLUTION TO MATERIALISM. _Supposed identity_--Tendency of the age--Evolution does not differ in this regard from other laws of Nature--Absurdity of identification illustrated in many ways--(1) Effect of discovery of process of making--(2) Effect of new form of old truth--(3) Manner in which vexed questions are settled and rational philosophy found--Illustrated--A true philosophy is a reconciliation of partial views--Three possible views of origin of individuals and of species; two one-sided and partial, and the third combining, reconciling, and therefore rational--The only bar to speedy reconciliation is dogmatism --Theological and scientific--The appropriate rebuke for each--Therefore evolution does not differ from other laws in regard to its relation to materialism--Nevertheless, great changes in our traditional beliefs impending--Main changes are notions concerning God, Nature, and man, in their relations to one another 284 CHAPTER III. THE RELATION OF GOD TO NATURE.