The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1883-08-02

i Our readers VIII be interested i'll the article
given in another column, on the Tendency of
Scientific inquiry" 1t presents the conclusions
of the able scientific body mentioned as to the
actual results of the sprculatonS of the latest
scientists on questions bearing upon revelation
and the Christian faith. 1t will be seen that
much of the pretenSion put forth by them is
denied, and that the boasted antagonsms be-
tween these matters and the Bible are not sub
>tantiated. [Christian Mirror
The article referred to in the Mirror re-
lates to the proceedings of the Victoria
Institute. During the June sessions held
in London, a careful analysis had been
undertaken by Professor Stokes, +. Il. s.,
Sir J. II. Bennett, Vice Pres. r. 5 Pro
fessor Beale, +, X. s., and others, of the
various theories Of Evolution, and it was
reported that as yet, no scientific evil
denCe has been met with giving c0untc-
nance to the theory that man had been
evolved from a lower order in animals
and Professor EirchoW had declared that
there was Il complete absence OF any tos-
sill type uf Il lower stage in the develop
ment of man; and that any positive ad-
vance in the province of prehistoric an
thropology has actually removed US fur
ther from proofs of such connections, -
namely, with the rest Of the animal king
dom. In this, Professor Barrande, the
great palaC0ntOlOgist, had conCurred, De
clarng that in none of his Investigations
had he found any one fossil species de-
volop into another. In fact, it would
seem that no scientific man has vet dis
covered 4 link between man and the ape,
| between fish and frog, or between the
vertebrate and the invertebrate animals
th4r, ,f,,
species, fossil or other, losing its peculiar
characteristics to acquire new ones be
longing to other species; for instance,
however similar the dog to the wolf there
is no connecting link, and among extinct
species the same was the case there was
no gradual passage from one to another
Moreover, the first animals that existed
on the earth were by no means to be con
sidered as inferior or degraded.
Among other Investigations, one into
the truth of the argument from Design
i'll Nature had been carried on, and had
hitherto tended to fully confirm that doe
trlne. The questions OF the Assyrian in
scriptiOus and the recent Babvlonian re-
searches had been under the leadership
of MIR. HormuZd Rassam, who, on his az
rival from Nineveh, had given a full re-
port of the extent of his new excavations,
which were Of the highest interest His
discovery of Sepharvaim, one of the first
cities mentioned in Holy Writ, was most
important. Professol-Detzsch and others
aided in the consideration of the discov-
cries and the inscriptions found
Two meetings had been held to con-
slider the questions raised in Mr. Herbert
Spencers Philosophy, and Lord O'Neill
and others had shown, 10y careful analy-
sis of his arguments, that a greater atten-
ton to accuracy in statement would have
kept Mr.. Spencer froln arriving at those
hasty conclusions which had made bis
philosophy remarkable. 1t was announc-
ed that the results of explorations now
being carried on in Egypt would be laid
before the Institute early in the winter.
The discoveries were very important, es-
pecially that of the site of Succoth, which,
like the results of the survey Of Palestine,
were contirmatory Of the Sacred Record.