The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1879-05-03
from the Journal Of Educational
DARW INISM.

burg, w. Va, lectured in the Uni
vcrsity Chapel Hall, on Tuesday
evening, on "Darwinism. The
audience was one of the largest
ever gathered in the hall to listen
to lecture. All were repaid for
their attendance. The lecture was
scholarly, candid, entertaining, in
structive, and at times, eloquent.
Mr.. CARTER held the close atten-
ton of his large audience for an
hour and quarter, sustaining the
severer portions of his lecture by
delightful salics of wit. He treat
cda living subject in live way.
Mr., CARTER prefaced his ad-
dress by saying: If | shall, du-
ring my remarks, quote from Oar
win, it will be from the American
and not from the English edition
OF his work.
About twenty years ago, a book
called The Origin ofthe Species, !"
written by Charles Darwin, of Eng
land, appeared. 1t was a thought
full, well-arranged, and carefully
written book. Mr.. Darwin was an
attractive writer, and his book is
free from impurity and dogmatism.
He is ever courteous to his OPP
ponents, and ever ready to accept
their opinions, when such opinions
showed marks of FEASIBILITY.
His Origin Of the Species is
his ablcst work, and that from
which arises the term 'Darwinism.'
In this work, he holds that all
species of life which now exist
have sprung from eight or ten
original species that existed some
time in the distant past. 1t has
already been ascertained that above
IS, 200 species Of animals, and more
than IL, 900 species of plants exist
upon the globe. Prof Aggassiz
alone discovered more than 1000
species of fish in the Amazon.
Now it is held that all living or
ganisms have originated in four or
five species of animals and not
more than the same number of
plants. The enormous number OF
organisms now known serve to
puzzle and confuse many an accu-
rate and ardent scientist, and the
microscopes of the future may
almost infinitely extend the series.
There are, according to Darwins
view, three primary laws upon
which the theory of the evolution
of the species depends
Ist. Inheritance.
I'd. Variation.
sd. Natural Selection.
The second law is closely con-
nected with and modihes the first,
while the third is that which is
commonly knownas the OF the
Law Survival of the Fittest''
This third law is, in substance,
that the most robust and well-de-
veloped individ ual Of any species
becomes the subject of develop
mcnt and the connecting link be-
tween that and the next species.
The theory of Evolution holds that
these three laws, operating through
immense periods of time have pro-
duced these wonderful changes in
animal and vegetable life.
Many persons who are not &C
uuainted with Darwin or his writ
ings accuse him of attempting to
disprove the existence of God.
Many of his blinded but enthusi-
astic adherents also claim this,
and endeavor to uproot the idea OF
Deity on scientific grounds.
Darwin nowhere denies a God,
but holds to firm belief in the
Evolutionary theory. He says
that by using analogy, he would
be led to the conclusion that all
life has been developed from
but one original form, but that an
alogy is an un- safe method Of
reasoning. Other thinkers call this
first form a kind of structureless
mass, or protoplasm others still
cling to Huxley's idea of fiery
cloud. These men deny the power
agency or of an un seen and al
mighty God, while Darwin was
himself a firm believer in God.
He says that the question of the
existence of a God is entirely dis
tinct from that Of the evolution OF
the race.
Now if we acknowledge OAR
winism to be true, it does not &C
count for life, but for the wide dis
tribution of life. Huxley says
that we know absolutely nothing
of the origin of life in the world.
Who created the wondrous prin-
ciple of life? Admit that the first
faint germ Of life was spontane-
Gus outgrowth of matter, and still
the question arises, who made mat
ter? That Evolution pre-supposes
reform involution is an automatic
truth. You cannot get more out