, 1877-11-24
RUDTMENTARY ORGANS.

IfIwere permitted | would ask your
attention To rudimcntary organs tor
they illustrate strikingly the theory o.
evolution. They are organs existing in
All apparently nndevcloprd and useless
condition. Such, Tor instance, are the
incisor teeth in the rind bone OF the
upper jaw in the embryo of common
cotIlc the rudimenmry wings Of the
penguin aud dddu; the mammW Of the
mllc mammalian; the suhcutaneOus
feet Of certain snakes. In the embryo
OF whales, teeth are found IN the Jaw,
precisely rs we find them at birth in the
human infant. In the latter instance VIC
think we see wise provision and
foresight Ot nature, which does not give
to man those maStcating organs before
the time they are wanted. But wmt
are we to uNkc OF the parallel case of
the whale, shut upas these rudmrnta.
ry teeth are in the interior of the jaw,
never to be developed, and never to be
used Does not this look something
like useless work And why has Na.
tnrr, in the case Of certain snakes, phced
under the skin bony representatives, Of
the cXtremitics, the movement Of those
animals being 10y the use If the ribs Nnd
feet never being wantedl Rudim"nta-
ry organs came into existence us part
of the general plan. They are the man
itrstutions OF hcrcdity in the type of life
OF the animals or plants in which they
occur They prove that the torn has
hecn developing, not teleologicoly or
lor purpose, but in obedience to law.
And this brings us face to face with the
third division of my subject. | have
spoken on the origin and progress OF !
the hypothesis of evolution. and should
now consider the consequences of ac-
cepting it. Here it is only word or
two that time permits, and very lew
words must suffice.
The consequences! What are they z
Nobler views of this great universe OF
which wo form n part; noblcr, views OF
the manner in which it has bd n devel-
oped in past ages to its prcscht state;
nobcr views of the laws by which it Is
now maintained; nobler expectations as
to its future. We stand in presencN OF
the unshackled as to force, Of the ut~~
measurable rs to space, Of the unlimite
as to time Above ALL our conception
OF the Interchangeable purpose, of the aw
ful majesty Of the Supreme Being, be
cone more vivid. We realize what is
meant when it is said, with Him there
is no variabeness, no shadow of turn
ing" Need I say anything more in
commencing the doctrine OF evolution
to you.
Now, in parting, let rs hear thisin
mind; so great. is the intellectual
advance we have made, that qucstsons
which at one time divided Christendom
into sects are now far out of sight. They
are replaced by Others Of very different
order. Among such, one of surprising
Importance confronts US, the eternal reign
Of law. Let us bear IN mind what the
theory OF evolution so loudly proclalms
we are what we are because the universe
is what it Is If il acts upon US, we
react upon it. Our conception OF the
sphere OF being we occupy is enargiDg
and we are thus brought into close rela
tionship with all that is beautiful on
earth, all that Is magnificent in the heav
ems. Then let us reverenty commune
with nature. Let us try to raise our eyes
from the varying phenomena OF the world
to the solemn grandeur of that silent,
that unimpeachable reign of law that gov
erns all those changes. Let each of US
earnestly address TO himself the remon
STRANGE OF the minstrel:
"Oh! how Canst thou renounee the
boundless store
Ot charms that Nature to her votary
yields
The warbhDg woodland, the resounding
shore,
The gloom of groves, the garniturc Of
fields;
All that the genial rAY Of morning pil1 ~