Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-01-09
DARWINIAN THEORY.
Henry Ward Beecher on the Origin Of Man.

henry ward Beecher on the Origin OF Man.
Henry Ward Beecher in his ser
mon, Sunday morning said: Their,
has been so much light and darkness
thrown by recent researches as tC
the origin of man on earth, that mer
need to be taught what are facts
and what are fancies. That specula.
tive deductions from scientific fact.
have worked and are working mis-
chief, is undeniable. They are I'm.
girding the loins of Christians anC
sending them out without any his
toric faith. Seeing this mischief
there are some who shut their eyes
and close their ears, and will have
none of science, and these aer almost
as mischievous. AS to tho antiqu.
ity of race, it may certainly be said
that the old cronologists were incor.
rect and imperfect. Man began far
Their back than the 5000 years they
fixed for his beginning. The Scrip
lures do not undertake TO NEEDLE
with this question, and in removing
the date OF mans appearance we do
not unsettle them. All present or
CARNATIONS have probably developed
from previous form. lie Divine
method Of creation was through a
long series of gradually occurring de-
velopments, so it is only the method
of operation which need be doubted
the operation itself remains the same.
Concerning mankind there are three
views: first that the race descended
from one pair in Eden, who were or
iginally perfect, but who degenerated
through some moral delinquency,
and whose descendants, inheriting
their badness, have been plunged in
to all sorts Of moral confusion. The
second view is that, according to the
Bible there were several distinct or
igins, and that this is true of only
one line of the race aud the third
view regards man as but the extern
ton of the animal kingdom. This
view gives greater offence to COM
mon people on moral ground, and al
so for scientific reasons, it oif3nds
many. Logicians say sit is reason
that, like the kangaroo, proceeds by
mighty jumps. 1t is an instance OF
philosophical imagination, rather than
! philosophical research and deduction.
1t is not to be denied that there are
mutitudes doubling, aye, and unbe>
lieving, because OF these speculations:
they have also tended to enhance
the power which makes the strong
domineer over the weak. These
serve to make the negro a human
being in the same sense that eau
casion was. The plan OF the Fthio
plan seemed that Of service. A new
theory OF rights has thus come into
vogue, that right is only question
marking certain degrees of position
and power.
There are now two points present
ing themselves for consideration
First, that whatever theory prevails
as to the origin Of man, it cannot ale
ter the fact that man came into the
world by divine method; and sec.
ondly as far as our duty is concern
ed, we are more interested in know
ing what he is than how he came to
be here. Man may be studied-it is
for US to know of what he is suscep'
tible-and this is a question of more
Importance than what road he took
to get where be is now. In regard
to myself, | am patient waiter for
light. | neither accept or reject, but
am bound to say that my faith is
not afraid to take light from what
ever scource it may come. The
truth is better for us than anything
else AS TO the present condition OF
the human family, am very clear
and confident. The race of man is
in every respect SO much one that
we ara all heirs alike of moral bene,
fits, however we came here. God
made all mankind of one blood.
| reach out hands TO science.
believe it to be Gods elect, not yet
knowing its own mission. 1t is 6
means God has used TO reveal himself
more clearly. | bid them speed but
l cannot afford to say to any modern
deducator, "Take my faith" That il
too precious to be abandoned. Ny
greatest desire is to see higher spiri
of sympathy for every good and pro
gressive work in the earth.