The second reason for withholding a statement of the scientific principles involved in his manifestations of power and his spiritual philosophy was that he foresaw the time approaching when the world would reason it out for itself; and that when that time came, mankind would be prepared to receive it. He foresaw that in the progress of civilization and enlightenment the time would surely come when the world would not be content to rest its belief upon the doctrine of any one, whatever his claims to inspiration or authority. In other words, he foresaw the present age of materialism, and its tendency towards scepticism regarding everything which cannot be scientifically demonstrated by the inductive processes of reasoning. He knew that when that epoch should have arrived in the history of man's intellectual development, the truth of his doctrines would be all the more forcibly impressed upon mankind if they could be proved by the inexorable rules of logic. Besides, science and inductive reasoning would have been lost upon the people with whom he had to deal. That he fully realized this is shown by his implied rebuke to the nobleman of Capernaum, when he exclaimed, "Except ye see signs and wonders, ye will not believe." To have attempted to reason with them would have been like "casting pearls before swine." He appealed to them by the only logic they could understand. He offered to them the only evidence they could appreciate,--the evidence of their senses. That Christ foresaw the time when the world would be in possession of indubitable evidence of the truth concerning him, but that he knew that the time had not yet come, is clearly shown by his remarks to his disciples in his memorable interview with them just previous to his crucifixion: "I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now."[40] This refers to the then existing conditions. He had given them all the proofs that they were capable of appreciating of the truth of his doctrines. In the next sentence he refers to the time to come, when still more evidence would be given to the world. "Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth."[41] This clearly refers to the time, which was yet to come, when mankind should seek the truth and demand to know it. The "Spirit of truth" is a personification of that spirit in man which seeks to learn the truth for its own sake, by the only process known to this world,--inductive reasoning. That day has come. The Spirit of truth is abroad throughout all the civilized world, and it demands reasons for the faith that is in the Christian Church. Again Christ said:-- "But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: "And ye shall also bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning."[42]