Helena weekly herald., 1885-06-11
COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES.
Close of Successful Year at the
Helena High school.

were Deius Was ulltu last HiLst Wy an
audience well pleased and interested IN
the proceedings. Relatives and friends OF
the young graduates were present, besides
numerous others who take an active inter
est in the well being OF one OF Helena 5
best educational institutions. The pro-
gramme was most happily arranged, and
the allotted part OF each participant credit
ably rendered Great interest was mani
tested by tn, audience from the beginning
to the end OF the exercises, and their
pleasure and appreciation found frequent
utterance in the applause given to each
participant The exercises opened with
an overture by the orchestra, after which
the salutatory was delivered and the fol-
lowing excellent essay read by Miss
Rebecca Guthrie, the talented daughter Of
Mr.. Henry Guthrie, OF this city
REVOLUTION not EVOLUTION.
In the beginning was the Word and
the Word was with God and the Word was
God Thu, say the Scriptures but man,
whose finite mind Is incapable OF compre-
heuding the infinite, has sought out many
curious devices whereby he might dlsprove
TINS grand ruth OF creation.
The Iuiidel, attempting to solve the
problem OF existence, grasps AT evolu-
ton as the key which shall unlock
all mysteries, and supposes that matter
had It's origin in chance, and that animal
life Ia its lowest forms sprung spontaneous
ly INTO being az some time IN the past.
Even the most unbalanced mind must
see how impossible this Is, and no less alb
surd Is the thought that these things have
existed Just as they now are from all
eternity.
The atheist says there is no God But
10 the theist there is a God d.-tInctly
as the first cause, the creator of
all things and by whom all things exist.
4 God possessed OF power, wisdom and all
other attributes in an infinite degree. In
deed, these are 50 clearly seen from every
hing around rs that we are justified IN
drawing from these conclusions IN regard
TO His work nothing was ever made in
vain.
We exist as intelligent beings, with
capabilities to reason, to learn and retain
n
and beauty. The earth seems not only
dwelling place, but in ITS reflex influence
is intended To lncite the awe and gratitude
Jf the behOlder, and these fill him with
the highest, sweetest and noblest enjoy
inent. Thus the wonders of creation serve
Is object lessons TO teach ~ the meaning
IF the abstract terms, power, wisdom and
owe
Tyndall admits that the connection be-
ween mind and matter Is unthinkable,
md that if we try to comprehend the con-
lection we sail IN vacuum, and yet he
elects the revelations of scripture simply
because he cannot comprehend them.
l part from the evidence derived from the
ascending grades Of animals up from
.Oophites, as they are Significantly called,
me needs only TO observe the progressive
lie of a single animal To see that there
!oes not exist any break between the life
shich shows no mind and the life which
lOes.
The theory of evolution Is OF modern
late, and probably its duration will he
,riei, though advocated with great conf
lence by men OF eminence in the scientific
world. One objection TO this theory Is that
yhy this method of creation should have
,een adopted rather than any other, and
-et there must be a good reason If the
heOry is true, for we hnd II growing IN
very step in creation, and IN matter like
his where intelligent beings are most
leeply interested it must be open to their
and study.
Theis;ic but infdel eyolutionists hold
imply that God created a germ, and that
his germ with its God-given energy has
developed and controls its own being, ex
,ept that on emergencies God gave a help
M hand especially in introducing rudi- /.
nentary forms of animal life. Is this con-
,istent with what we knew of God? 1t Is /
rot neither is it consistent in the evolu- /
ionIst TO admit that God created the germ,
he foundation of all life, and then that he
.reated every animal form.
The theory of evolution is built upon
he order and harmony in nature, II Is
aimed, that there Is a regular graduation
n animal organism from the lowest TO the
highest, and that this shows the track OF
reation, that the highest forms were devel-
ped from the lowest in regular succession
" fixed physical laws. But evolutionists
themselves shut out the possibilities of
uch changes taking place, for anyone can
zee that any variation looking toward a
hange of structure is of no value TO the
icing until the change has been so far per-
ected that il can be utilized. Thus the
hasms everywhere are too wide to be leap
"a, and there Is no proof that the inter
Mediate steps ever existed. No less un-
easonable Is the theory of protoplasm or
development from cells, for where did the
inst cell originate if there was no Creator? p?
The reasoning employed in this theory
$ as logical AS that by which the ancients
ried to prove that the earth did not move,
or. said they, if the earth moved it would
,e a planet Now there are seven metals,
even days in the week, seven planets, aud
4 we add another TO this number the
whole system falls to the ground therefore
he earth does not move.
Protoplasm, the first formation, was like
The first work of the stone cutter without
;ools to work with, hut 1t is from
Lhese forms of progression that we can add
10 our store of knowledge.
The microscope tells us all active sub
stance Is rlass of cells and that their ac-
tiyity differs in detail rather than in prin-
.1p;e. Notwithstanding all the fundamental
which exists between the
power of the protoplasm of plants and
animals. They present striking differ
ence in the facts that the plants can
fresh protoplasm out of
mineral compounds, while animals are
obliged to obtain il ready made firm plants.
Upon what conditions this difference in the
powers OF the two divisions of the world OF
life depends nothing is at present known.
Frotoplasm, simple or uncreated, is the
formal basis Of all life, and seeking for the
origin of il we must eventually turn back