Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-22

A letter from Algeria, dated July 25th and
published in the Paris Journal DIES Debats, states
that the rebellion in that province is really very
formidable, and quite beyond the power of the
French military force now employed in attempts
to suppress it. The French government has au-
thorized the publication of assurances, that this
rebellion was nearly suppressed, and would give
no further trouble. The writer thinks the gov
eminent is either every poorly informed, or
| stimulated by desire "to disguise the character
Of events occurring here" The African insur-
| gents blockade towns and defy the French
troops to relieve them. They have blockaded
| Djidje, since June 9th They burn the mag.
| nificent forests owned by Frenchmen, pillage
business establishments, and destroy mills,
farms, buildings, and crops, belonging to Euro
peans. They appear to have capable leaders,
and their ability to defy the French troops, has
made them holder and more menacing. The
letter says with great earnestness, the govern
ment must send strong achievements, for cal
geria is lost forever, if these savages be not
promptly subdued."
THE DEVELOPMENT THEoRY.-At the closing
session of the British Association, which con-
sists of eminent scientists, Mr.. j. Kaines read
paper on Auguste Comte, in which he sought
to show that Comte's writings authorize what
is known as the development theory" He
maintained that the difference between man and
the rest of the animal kingdom is not very great,
while their resemblanccS are very numerous.
Man simply stands at the head of the geological
series. This reused a discussion which was
more pertinent and effective than elaborate. The
development theory was closely questioned. One
speaker replied to Mr.. Kaines that man is very
poorly qualified to be at the head of the animal
kingdom, so far as his physical organization is
concerned. Many of the animals are vastly SUI
periOr to him in strength, agility, and general
fitness to struggle in that kingdom for exist
ence. His dominion over animals is due to some
thing else, something higher, something that
does not belong to the sphere ofphysical science
A part of thediscussion is reported as follows -
Canon Trstam said the question raised here
was-is man, in his nature, tipartite, or is he
in his whole organization, one in his origin
from animals. He granted what Comte or his
followers might say as to mans physical organ
ism being like that OF the lower creation; but
was there not metaphysical side to this ques-
ton? (Hear, hear) He maintained that the
metaphysician has standing place here, from
which ii would be impossible TO GUST him.
Granted that man, physically, is very poor
kind of beast indeed; but is he not the top of
the pyramid, gilded with the light and warm
with the glow, from above? (Hear, hear.)
Professor Macgreggor said that ii any person
seriously believed he was mere ANIMAL he was
very likely to be right. Uaughter) The man
of science who, because there is not within the
ken of his science anything but animalism,
| maintains that there is nothing beyond, wrote
| himself down barbarian. A laugh.) 1t was
late for small coterie of men of science to at
| tempt to declaim down the fact that man has a
| soul. Man has a sense of religion; he has a felt
need OF God; and men of science would not de-
stroy that sense and feeling without destroying
him. No amount Of scientific defamation would
| ever in the least affect that faculty in human
| ity. 1t might not be competent to science to
| NEEDLE with that. Well, do not NEEDLE with il;
| do not declaim against it,
| Mr.. Boyd Dawkins thought all naturaliSts
| must be agreed that man has descended, so far
| as his body goes, from the lower anmals-that
| he is bodily an animal, linked TO them the
| crown and front of the animal creation. But
as regarded mans mind, and moral and intel
lectual faculties, he denied that any evidence
whatever had. been adduced, up to the present
time, to show that the rudimentS of our moral
and intellectual nature were to be found in any
of the animals which were not man. (Hear
hear)
The Rev. Mr. GOodsir remarked that the an
thrOpolOgy of Comte formed as they all knew,
the foundation of the new religion which that
philosopher had wished to establish in the world.
| A great authority in anthropolOgy Professor
Huxley, had laughed at that religion bur the
professor himself wanted to introduce new re-
ligiOn-a religion of science In considering
the lower animals and man, metaphysics could
| not, he commended, be turned out of doors.