And their tendency, as yet latent, towards pessimism is therefore most momentous 200 If it is to be cured, it must be faced 200 It takes the form of a suppressed longing for the religious faith that is lost 200 And this longing is wide-spread, though only expressed indirectly 201 It is felt even by men of science 202 But the longing seems fruitless 203 This dejection is in fact shared by the believers 203 And is even authoritatively recognised by Catholicism 204 The great question for the world now, and the one on which its whole future depends, is, will the lost faith ever be recovered? 205 The answer to this will probably have to be decisive, one way or the other 206 CHAPTER IX. THE LOGIC OF SCIENTIFIC NEGATION. What gives the denials of positivism their general weight, is the impression that they represent reason 208 They are supported by three kinds of arguments: physical, moral, and historical 209 The two first bear upon all religion; the latter only on special revelations 210 Natural religion is the belief in God, immortality, and the possibility of miracles generally 210 Physical science prefers to destroy natural religion by its connection of mind with matter 210 1st. Making conscious life a function of the brain. 2nd. Evolving the living organisms from lifeless matter. 3rd. Making this material evolution automatic 210 Thus all external proofs of God are destroyed 212 And also of the soul's immortality 213 External proof is declared to be the test of reality 213 And therefore all religion is set down as a dream 215 But we believe that proof _is_ the test of reality, not because it is proved to be so, but because of the authority of those who tell us so 215 But it will be found that these men do not understand their own principle 216 And, that in what they consider their most important conclusions they emphatically disregard it 217 One or other, therefore, of their opinions is worthless--their denial of religion or their affirmation of morality 219