The Portland daily press., 1876-10-09
Mr.. Hayden on Evolution.

| INTO hASyuCE Oh EVOtuuO0,
Mr. Hayden, who leaves for Europe in The
afternoon train today, instead of sermon yes
serday, gave discourse on Evolution which
excited much interest and attracted large
a udience. Thesopponents of Darwin have gen.
| orally met him on his own standpoint of scieu-
ti6c facts, and not having made so profound
researches as that distinguished naturalist,
have had less illustrations for their arguments
| than the evolutionists have been able 70 pro-
| duce. Perhaps the most satisfactory is that
| illustration of DR.. Hill, who showed that the
Island of Juan Fernandes had not been up
heaved sufficiently long for evolution to have
produced the new varieties of natural life found
there. The Swedenborgians found their argu-
ment on that great theory that the Spirit is
absolute and of divine origin, and must there
lore control the development Of the material.
Mr. Hayden took for his text the first and
second verses of Genesis: 'Iu the beginning
God created the heaven and the earth. Aud
| the earth was without form, and void; and
| darkness was upon the face of the deep; and
| the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
waters He spoke without notes, coming for
ward ard addressing the audience in a CONVEX
sational tone which was very attractive. He
said: You are all familiar with the conflict be-
tween science and religion for one hundred and
fifty years past; but the New Church takes
different standpoint owing to her different in.
depreciation of the Scriptures. A psrson see
ing building from one side fnd3 it looks quite
different when he gets in front. If we We're in
the Glen House valley on a cloudy day we
should get dull and indistinct view of the
mountains and the beautiful valleys surround
ing them, but pass on to the top and end
clear substituting, and how different and how
glorious the view. So with the study of nature.
1t depends upon the standpoint from which we
view the works of God, and the text which be-
gins with creation gives us the true standpoint
Creation and science began not in the mud as
scientists believe, but in the diviGe mind, AID
thence descended to the 10 west forms. There
is grand truth in the theory Of evoutioo; Gre
alton is series of steps from the lowest to the
highest; there is a law by which the divine
purpose is evolved: aud when all is discovered
undoubtedly all the missing links will be
found. But every link was made separately
and joined to the preceding one, and each Gre
alton developes upon its own plane. Creation
begins inwardly and clothes itself with matter
Withdraw the Inward spirit and tine progress
stops This may tie illustrated by the great
mountain chains which have thrust themselves
up 10 different heights until the Himalayas
reach i've miles into the sky, but each halted
when the propeliug power stopped 1t had no
which fills a l nature is the power which makes
development; withdraw that and creation would
be but heap of ashes. Some find it difficult to
discover matter from force, but il is
easy to discover. Does not the ldmberma an
discriminate between the stream which carries
and the inert log which is moved by the waters?
There is but one force in the universe, and that
is the forge of will, Divine for human. 1t is
the blast of the Divine nostrils which keeps
sun on fire and carries forward the whole
framework of nature Science is very limited
in its proper field; give it the microscope and
1t finds its greatest power; but when it works
down TO the smallest cell, to the Protopasm. it
can only look at the outside OF that cell, and
knows nothing of the power which develops it
within, and the higher intellect must then
supply its place, and by the aid of theology
ascend to the higher mountain tops to find the
clear sunshine. If you ask how is man to
study this? | answer that man was inves ted
from the first with knowledge of the method,
and had bestowed upon him Divine revelation
which gives the true method. Theology pre-
coded science, and should always keep in ad.
vance. The last great revelation was made one
hundred and twenty years ago, long before the
laws of evo luton were announced, and by
giving the true Interpretation Of the Scriptures
it anticipated modern science and welcomes all
its advances, and it is possible to walk by the
light of the New Jerusalem here
But doubtless science is lot yet prepared to
lay down definitely the laws which will stand
permanently without modification, and among
them are doubtless Darwin's theory of the
development of the higher species from the
lower, and Huxley's theory of natural selec-
ton and the survival of the fittest. The star
fish did not develop out of the trobie, but after
it.; nor did the trilobite develop into the reptile,
but was followed by it. No higher life is
developed from a lower, but succeeds it, and
every link in creation is forged by that AL
mighty will which pervades, creates and impels
the universe, which ''laid the foundations of
the earth, that it should not be removed fol-
ever"
Church Notes.
Rev. Mr.. Depew of Auburn, preached at the
First Baptist church yesterday afternoon aud
evening.
Rev. j. c. Berry of Gorham, preached at
Pine street church yesterday upon the CONVEX
sion of Paul. Rev. j. W. Johnston will
preach his farewell sermon next SabJa
Rev. J. w. Lindsey, D. D., of Boston,
preached at Chestnut street church 10 the |
morning and afternoon.