New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-28
NEW PUBLIC
DARwINlsM AND EVOLUTION.

wIscHELis IL. ID. limo PIP. Harper bO'nois'
The Simultaneous publication OF these Noiui"oe y
writera of eminent authority In ther roSpoV''o
branches OF learning may be Regarded aS an
Of the deep hold that the questions 10 whon ..ioy
are devoted have taken of the minus ol 'n'nN,"'
man and viii be welcomed as valuable contnDu-
g., 90 ,ho understanding of the subject by those
who have little opportunity for profound persohl
research. The author of the irst work at inc head
az Ibis article is the celebrated Princeton professor
Tho has devoted long life to the pursuit OF the
everest studies ripe and thorough scholar, with
great logical acumeu and skill, whose wide attain
mcnts have not impaired the strength OF ms con-
vietions who has never been tempted by novelties
Of specuation TO swerve from the stTctness OF the
ancestral faith which he has done so much to Illus
,rste and snstain, and who by general consent.
vonld be placed in point of learning, acuteness OF
thoueht luedty of expression, and power OF argu-
ment among the most accomplished masters Ill
American theology. The second WRITER whom we
have named the chancellor of Syracuse university
I'm this State is much younger man. less addicted
10 theology than to natural science, not known TO so
large public, but held in the highest esteem IN SCI
entifc and literary circles, tho author OF seVeral
works Of excellent fame i'll his favorite department.
Of study with freshness aud earnestnessof Thought
which gives promise of future achievements OF high
jmport. and with a mental courage that does not
shrink from the sacrifice of custom and tradition Tor
LOYALTY 10 truth. brief comparison OF the ideas oil
wosuch men on pregnant'subject ofsn1uiry cannot
fail to be instructive to the student and may be Oh
some interest 10 our readers.
l. According TO Professor Hodge, Mr.. Darwin does
not undertake to set forth philosophical system
He never speculates on the origin OF the universe
OIL the nature of matter, OF force. lie Is SIMPLY
n naturalist sl,illful in his descriptions, and OF
sinoular candor in regard TO the difficulties OF bis
doctrine His sole problem is TO account Tor the
varieties of animal and vegetable life on the earth
In the solution Of this problem, no assumes the
existence Of matter the efficiency of physical causes
aud the existence of life in the form of one or more
prmordial germs. He does not adopt the theory OF
spontaneous generation, but accounts Tor the eX-
istence of matter and of life by the agency OF the
Creator All living organisms through all the stages
of the history of the globe have descended from the
prmordial germs. Growth, organization, and re-
production are the functions Of physical life. Hence
the primordal germ began TO grow and exercise its
natural functions as soon as it began to live. The
descent Of animals and plants from the primordial
anmalcule is explained by the law of heredity, or
the fact that the offspring are like the
parent; by the law of variation. or the fact,
that while the offspring resemble their immediate
paogentor Ithey also vary within narrow limits
from their parent and from each other; by the law
of over production or the fact that all plants and
causing a struggle for life, in which only few of
She myriads born can possibly survive; and, finally,
by the law of natural selection, the survival OF
che fttest that is, if any individual of given
species of plant animal has slight deviation
from the normal type favorable to its in the
struggle for hfe it will survive This variation is,
by the law of heredity transmitted to its offspring,
and by them again to theirs. The favored ones gam
She ascendency the less favored perish, and thus
III. HI
In Mr. Darwin's view, there is no limit to the
changes which may be produced by these simple
laws IN the course of ages. Years of no account
IN this process. As astronomers take the diameter
OF the earths orbit as the unit Of space Darwin
iens must take a geological cycle as their unit OF
duration Tho .I~-~"t 90 *I.~ h-'''"- -"00 10 OK
plsined on the same principles. - He who de-
pounces these views Jas irreligOusl" says Mr. OAR
win. as quoted by Dr. Hodge, ais bound to explain
vhy il is more irrelgiOus to explain the origin Of
man as a distinct species by descent from some
lower form through the laws of variation and ma
tural selection, than to explain the birth Of the in
dividual through the laws of ordinary reproduc-
lion"
But in order TO get at the heart of Mr. Darwin's
theory, Professor Hodge affrms, we must advert to
his of the word natural" in the two Senses
antithetical to the word artificial, and as anti
thetical TO the supernatural. Natural selection is
intention and design. Hence it is opposed not only
20 artificial selection, which is made by to &C
eomplish given purpose, but also to supernatural
selection, which means either selection originally
Attended By power higc- .lan nature or which is
carried out by such power. In using the expression
natural selection, Mr. Darwin intends to exclude de-
sigp or final causes All the changes in plants or
animals, including man, descended from the primor-
dial germ, have been brought about by uninteligent
causes Natural selection is the operation of natural
laws analogous to the action of gravtatiOn and of
chemical aiinities. 1t is denied that it is process
originally designed or guided by Intelligence Arti-
2eal selection is intelligent process, natural Sc
tection Is not.
Darwinlsm then, under the analysis of Dr. Hodge
includes three distinct elements First, evolution
or the assumption that all organic forms have been
evolved from one or moro prmOrdial living germs.
Second that this evolution has been effected by nat
ura selection, or the survival of the ftest. Third,
that this natural selection is without design, being
conducted by unintelligent physical causes The
last named element Is the most important and the
only distinctive element of the theory Neither the
first nor the second of these elements constitutes
Darwinism, nor do the two combined. man.
therefore nav be an evolutionist without being
Darwinian Nor is the theory of natural selection
the vital principle of Mr.. Darwins theory unless the
word natural be taken in sense antlthetical to
snpernatural The of his doctrine is the re-
lection ofnal causes. 1t is this feature of his sys-
TEN which brings it into conflict with theology.
The denial of design in Nature is virtually the de-
NAL of God Hence Mr.. Darwins theory is virtually
atheistic as he denies all design in Nature.
In connection with Professor Hodges conclusion
that Mr. Darwin's theory is atheism, we must take