The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1877-02-10
10. q. THE following are TIE Ofscers elect 81
Z" Queen Emma" Lodge No. 2. Good TsDPlafs. for
fke anaatnr tarrn
Evolution.

lie theory OF EVOLUTION has pcen Drooght
80 prominently before the public just now. that
VIC give place 10 the following criticism on the
lectures Of Professor Huxley, which We find IN
a recent editorial in the Journal If ConTocs OF
New York. The wcllknown character and ability
Of that paper will make the article worthy Of the
special attention Of those interested In tho Sab
jcct.
The lectures Of Prof. Huxley may be regard.
cd as among the most important events Of late oc-
currencc. IL is not 10 be denied that many
minds for years past have been, consciously or
unconsciously, greatly impressed with the conf
dent assertions Of the anti Bible school Of thco-
rists-assertions which arc. in substance, that
discoveries have furnished proof that the Bible
history IL a mere myth. The arrogance with
which these insertions have been made by the
Darwin and Huxley school has, with the usual
effect OF arrogance allied 10 supposed learning
won the respect OF many who had not The time.
the ability or the inclination 20 study and invcs-
tigate for themselves, whilo all that cla@. unlor-
~tunAtely somewhat large, who have a secret de-
sire TO overthrow the authority OF revelation,
have eagerly seilcd on the crude gcneralities Of
the evolutionists and accepted them AZ final facts,
established and conclusive. Students who have
followed the evolutionists aud carefully watched
their reasons and reasoning have always under
stood that they had no just claim 20 the name OF
scientists, and that " evolution" 10 not a science.
~ 10 btoA nav w aaN -
Theory is only a tool Of science. But tho strong
hold which the evolutionists had obtained ON tho
public attention made IL very desirable that the
American mind should have the opportunity of
judging whether their theories had approximated
20 the domain Of true scientific investigation.
4" Hence MIR. Huxleyis visit and lectures have
been timely and their effect important. This e.
feet may be summed up IN n very brief state
ment. We have no doubt that we express
the practically unanimous sentiment Of tho
thinking minds OF the country, or Of all who
have heard or read his lectures, that the doctrine
Of evolution, as explained and illustrated by its
great apostle, is the most vague OF all vague
theories. The ardent friends OF he doctrine
tell us that Prof. Huxley has failed 10 do justice,
that there is a vast deal more In 1t than he has
told, that in fact he was not the man 10 illustrate
il. But this we are as competent 10 judge OF M
they, and il may be accepted On true that all
that can be uaid in support Of the theory has
been said, clearly, compactly. ably, by the man
who is better able TO say IL thus than amy Other
believer in the theory"
After giving Mr.. Huxley special oOwnendsuon
for the clearness and simplicity OF his style. this
writer says further
He went into the subject with dcliberAtion,
uttered no claptrap or bombast, but calmly en-
amined the neid, stated az well as he or any
In evolution could, tho weakness OF the
theory. and then proceeded 20 deyeiope the line OF
which be regards as conclusive In its
1hRPoAb AbNAtN0ttf wv thfNt 0a Wy ~
mind Ii the more remarkable, and 10 us
who have no sort OF faith In the theory, the moro
satisfactory. For n time at least the evolution
have been thoroughly demolished Ia tho
minds OF American thinkers; and even In the
pages OF publications where they have heretofore
favor, we now Ind jokes and jests. ridIcu-
ing their pretensions 10 be called science.
Whatever be the value OF evolution theories In
we do not mistake the effect ~prodOoed
By their apostle here. There IL but one voice,
rom press and mouth, and that voice rather a
that anything else.
"A few possibly still ask, Is this an there n
1f itp Yes, this 10 emphatically all there IL OF
L. Professor Huxley has stated the docrine, with
b full force, and supported II with is strongest
much. And the argument, derived from the "ons-
lorse " pedigree, still lacks q leg 10 stand on, or
lacks a Toe. And II all the force Of all the
were directed successfully 10 the
Of the missing toe, the argument would
till lack a leg, In fact would lack ali its legs, for
I would prove nothing, and remain only a vague
heory.
az II twice City were nInety nine, we could show
,ou many mathematical truths which we believe
'ut which you do not see. We believe them be-
ause twice hfty IL q hundred, and that In within
ne Of ninety.nine, and 80 close 10 II tina. we are
ure we shall some day End where the missing
raction Is, and we shall then prove AL we wiaho
bis 10 the method Of argument In all the schools
( science, 90 called. 10 which evolution belongs.
'.lt wonld be Idle TO argue against theories
vhich are so weak as Professor Huxley has shown
10 TO be. But the man who IL tempted 10 adept
IL a~ssuredly as wild as the men who attempt
U discover perpetual motion. The theory OF eyo.
ution Is precisely like the theory OF prepetuAi
since Il reduces itself 10 this ststepent
was ever createdj all thugs Krev out
{ other things This surely is only another
Drm Of stating the theory OF n perpetual motion
Machine. And 40 plainly IL this seen by clear
llnds In the evolution school that they have been
breed 70 the adoption Of the theory that all sen
bile things are results Of motion, all motion n
effect Of force, all force a. eternal, self-regula-
selfexistent. And just here a scbool-boy over
1rows the philosopher with the question: Why.
force acts and thinks and regulates itself and
lakes things, / don't see why you doubt the re-
Of Moses; you call htm Force, but Moses
allied him by the Hebrew word that We translate
ioD.v'