New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-03-12
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
PROFESSOR GRAYs NATURAL SCIENCE AND
RELIGION.
NATIRAI SCIENCE AND RELIGION. BY ASA GRAY.
- lomn M Ill. Charles Scribners Sous.

iemo pp. Ill Charles scribner's Sons.
In this volume which consists Of two lectures de-
l;vo,ed N the Theological School of Yale College.
Professor GRAY discusses the tendencies Of certain
Bcientilic theories of recent Development whlch
have excited strong opposition in the rehgiouS
world but which have made a deep often faVOr-
able impression upon the public mind IN general
Many of these theories, although newly presented
are of ancient date. Among the questions, saws the
autbor which awakened much alarm in his Younger
DAYS but which have ceased to cause disqu'et, are
those respecting the age and gradual DEVELOPMENT
of the earth and of the solar system, which came III
with geology and modern astronomy. lie remembers
the time when the question was preached whethef
geology was compatible with orthodox ChrlstahlV'
II was perhaps owing to the Christian character as
much as to the scient ifc ability of the late Proes-
sor Silman that tie answer inclined to the afiirma
tive among the theologians of New-EDgand.
The antiquity of the habitable world and of ex-
listing races was among the questions that soon io-
lowed. This gave some anxiety fifty years ago. out
it is now pretty generally admitted that many ex
isting species of plants and animals have been IN ex
istence for thousands of years As TO their assec-
ate man, Professor Gray remarks, that the date OF
his occupations as all scientific is not de
termned by the Biblical chronology, but must
await the result of the discussion whether the cars
lies. traces of is presence IN the quartenarN rim
the latest tertiary deposits 1t not great while
aco when schemes for recOncilng Genesis with geo-
ogv mad an importance in the churches winch thev
do not command at present. In order to reconcile
the two forced constructions Of LANGUAGE we're maze
use Of which would now offend our critical. ana,
perhaps our moral sense. The change OF view Is
simply this It formerly held that the Scrip
lures were valid authorities in natural science
while the most that is now mtclligenI claimed Is
that the TEACHINGS of the two, properly understood,
are not Incompatible The idea Is generally accepted
that the Mosaic books not intended for instIuc-
ton in scientific knowledge, which must he
grounded on observation and induction without
reference TO considerations of different order The
yeneration due to the Old Testament is not impaired
by the discovery that the Mosaic cOsmOgohy Is not
original hit compiled.
But laying aside questions OF this KIND, professor
GRAY proceeds to discuss the changes in scientific
belief which have occurred within compare
lively recent period. One of the most important
points on which change of view has taken place.
is that of the dstnctness IF the animal and vege-
table kindoms. Ii was formerly believed that the
two Kingdoms wholly different IN structure, III
kind of life. although plants and animals APP
preached each other very closely in their lower and
simpler forms. But it was Supposed that every Nv
lug thing was dstinctivey plant or animal, without
blending. This belief has not been confirmed by
modern scientific discovery 1t has been found
that there are many forms which not distinct
lively either paut or animal. The two lines, widely
diverging above join below in loop. Not many
years ago 1t was taught that plants and animals
were composed Of !lerent materials. But 1t was
soon ascertaned that the matter of the animal
body was chemically the same in the plant. was in
fact elaborated in the plant, and only appropriated
by tile animal. Next it was fonnd that the Dhysio-
logical structure the same in the plant. that 1t
was the living part Of the plant AID did the work
n vegetable as well as in animal organisms |
This substance, which is manifold III its FERNS has,
in its state of living matter, the name which has
become familiar, that of Drotoplasm. The state
ment that "protOplasm is the physical basis of !
lfe" must be accepted true. 1t is affirmed by |
Professor Altman, wherever there is life, from its
lowest to its highest manifestations there is protO
plasm and wherever there Is protoplasm there is |
life" on has been.
In regard 10 the great question of the origin of |
species Professor GRAY remarks that entirely new
belief is now held by scientific naturaists. There
is no doubt that ages have passed since the earth
was stocked with living beings of numerous kinds.
Kind after kind has appeared, hourished and dsap-
peared. 1t was taken for granted that these |
kinds bore no relation to each other The received |
doctrine was that the earth had often been depopu-
lated and repopulated each time with distinct |
at present occupy the surface of the earth belong to
q peculiar and independent creation, having no ac-
tual connection with those that preceded. This
view has but very recently disappeared from Sci
ence 1t died o royal death with Agassiz, who
chung to it as long as it was tenabie, but has now
not single scientific advocate 1t Is certain, ac-
cording to Professor Gray, that there has been no
absolute separation between the present ard the
past While some species have taken the place OF
other species, not few have survived nearly or
quite unchanged 1t is most probable that this holds
throughout, and that no universal catastrophe has
ever blotted out life from the face of the earth.
Life seems to have gone on through many changes
but from first to 1t has inhered in system of
nature one vegetable and animal kingdom,
which exhibit the signs OF a common starting
point. Everything points TO the conclusion that
existing species In general are descended from ter
tiary ancestors. If So they have undergone change
and great in proportion we go further back in
the comparison. OF many existing forms no fossil
ancestor is known.
Their relations. If any. TO a past fora fauna
bring ND the question of the ixity variability of
species. On this point there has been great change
IN scIent tie opinion within thirty or forty years.
1t was then generally believed that species were per-
fectly definite and stable. There many cases
to show that species had not been percepby altered
I'm four or five thousand years. Hence it was an
article OF scientific faith that species were
fixed ana had probably come down unchanged
from a beginning entirely beyond the scope OF scien
tfc research. There is now different attitude to-
ward this class of questions. The absOuteuess OF
species is 10 longer taken for granted. More than
half century ago il began to be suspected that
species az well as varieties were natural develop
ments Prior to 1920 this conclusion was reached
by the father Of William Henry Herbert Frank
Forester an eminent English clergyman and natur-
m. II 4