, 1874-05-17
EVOLUTION.

VINO has not heard OF that town whose 11Qab-
itants, alarmed at the insecurity OF their Jail,
voted to build a new one? There was good
logic in this; but they at proceeded to COM
plicste the matter by declaring that the new
building should be erected out OF the material OF
the old one; and, furthermore, that, until tho
new building was completed the old one should
be used for the confinement Of prisoners!
It seems to us TINT the opponents OF the mod
crn theory OF Evolution are in the same position
as these townsmon. They recognize the ncces-
sity Of the new structure; they confess the abso-
lutte need of it.; they arc willing to uso tho old
material over again; they admire the propor-
tions, symmetry, and convenience Of the new
plnn; but they gro unwilling to vacate the old
eheli and to witness its demolition. They cling
to it with tenacity that speaks more for their
reverence Of the old than their willingness to be
for time in q state Of partial exposure to rudo
| conflicting, and often harsh experiences. They
are indisposed to undergo tho mental perturba-
| ton and pain which accompany the birth OF an
idea. The old structure is decrepit and worn
With time It has lost here u corner there wall;
| scattering fragments fall with every blast; but
| around the foundations such mass Of rubbish
| has accumulated that it seems yet solid aod en-
during, and they dread to clear away the debris,
| and see if, after ali. it rest not upon sand
Breaches in the wall they carefully repair props
| are supplied here and there to strengthen the
structure, and in the meantime, each Interested
party takes pains to keep far from tho build
ing as he possibly can, while seeming to be aotive
| in the work Of its restoration and preservation
| For the opponents OF Evolution are curiously
| divided among themselves. From that homo
eeneous condition OF holding simply to the int:
| Z. Let the Garth bring forth the living creature
after his kind, cattle, and creeping things, and
beasts Of the earth after his kind; and it Was
eo," they have arrived at IN exceedingly hete1o-
| geneous state; being strung along the line from
those who still hold that Evolution ia Atheism,
pure and simple, to those who arc willing to ad-
NIT that Religion has no interest In holding
absolutely to one side OF the other Of this ques-
| ton which it ia for scientific men to settla"
| (McCosh).
The position is simply this: Not the most
vehement supporter OF Evolution but admits its
many and grave shortcomings. Hardly any OF
the more intelligent Theoiogians but admits its
vast accumulation Of explanatory phenomena
which, however much they may lack in giving an
unqualified support to Evolution are still enor-
mously in favor OF its probability, and amply
| sufficient to cause the abandonment of the doc
trine of Special Creation For this, let it be re-
Il 1uembered is the party Of the second part It
!: is one of two. Either the Special Creation OF
| species, approxlm1ting in number (lncludng
living and extinct orgauismB) some ten millions,
| holds good or some process Of Evolution and
Development has produced thom. Some procesa
| Of Evolution We say, for upon this side authorl-
| ties differ soma EEolutoniste holding that tho
| effects are due to the action Of external forces,
| from physical surroundings and the conflict OF
| individuals others, that. through the internal
forces OF generation, influenced md aided by
external conditions. the result has been reached
But the deep and fundamental chasm which
divides the two parties lies beyond and above
these matters of fact, which time alone is CON-
potent to unfold and explain, with m increasing
| knowledge from observation and experiment.
| The lion in the path--placed there by the Iheo-
| loeians-is, not the manner Of Evolution, but
its cause. Science claims that knowledge OF
| the cause is in no wise necessary to q knowledge
| of ths manner Of Evolution. But holding to
this position, it is not thereby to be charged
With 8 denial Of the existence Of this cause; and
here ia precisely where the difficulty occure.
The cause exists, cay both. We, say the Theo-
1oeians. hold that it is revealed qualitasivey
to erery rational being, and the cause OF
| Evolution is Eode or yolition OF the
Incompreheneible Mind. We. say the sclen-
: fists, hold TINT the progresa OF Religion is
, | toward q more complete recognition OF a mys'
terry; that Science. By substituting for specific
| comprehensive agency less specific one, arrires
| at the saus mystery, aud that both coalesco In
, ! the Unknowable
| Meanwhile the preconcelyed 1deaB Which many
centuries nave 1nefa''eu upon ueu 1o4 t-1s to-s
ser4es OF hefeol'ars tfanen'ee1ou, auo .4o
which oes1fe ior e"a'epAuon .ae 4-,a 10 h.s'
. WORKED 1ts spen' olno tneu' ~ "...sfah;. "4 1922
OF steel 10 .ne uogma "a ;.,; ~ ~ tha;r % ~ ah1e com.
| agency which must oe "i1nl1 .oen -. aoeoto eoN
3 prebenslon ano unoesstauuS a,:; :. .4as. ~
eonsider, says 1ohn stuh.' Aiu' 'ne EleA.uest 't
and wisdom Of uoo, ones 1ol a caaa 10 osa trash .-
, think themselves oonno ~ oe nus A -
guments Tor IT IN e'esy cup or e.oe' ,,,1aa. 1"u
they think nothing ptoo1 ., s's"snt1a .a;',aa
t they can "onoer d. ~ 49, ~ - H. ua',<
: "onoer e1pl"'neo <," - "o :. - 4Ss;r .onoon
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