Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-06-17
BEECHER ON EVOLUTION.
A Scientific Theory in Accord with tn,
Fest Development of Ran.


series on Evolution" was delivered Sun
day in the presence of an assembly that,
despite the heat, packed Plymouth
Church to its doors. He based his re-
marks on the seventh and eighth chapters
of Romans. Mr.. Beecher said in part:
81 believe that it is out of the power Of
any man TO give a connected and perfect
INTERPRETATION of these two immortal
chapters upon the substantial theory of
evolution. When the light of this more re-
cent discovery of the method Of God in
creation shall have been explored and
thoroughly understood, I think both of
these chapters will come out into
prominence that they have never had,
though they have attracted the universal
attention of all Christian scholars. If we
consider man as a joint creature-a su
bordmate animal and a supernduced
spiritual being at top-and the two
struggling together for supremacy, the
seventh chapter of Romans will be very
thoroughly considered as commentary
on the facts of science and history.
"lf you enter into the eighth chapter
of Romans with the understanding that
men have advanced through period in
which the shining out of the soul of God
upon their souls has given them a victory
over the animal nature that is in them,
you will begin to sound the depths of the
wonderful chapter, and you will see
flashes of philosophy strange to any He
brew mind, strange in PauPs, yet mani
fest here. 1t ought not to be supposed
that because the Divine method of crea-
ton has passed period of doubt, and has
become the working theory Of the whole
scientific world, oil applications of it to
nature, to society, to religious questions,
are also solved and settled. There are
many spheres of uncertainty. The world
has almost infinite contents. and we know
comparatively but portion of them. The
theory of evolution may be said to be in
the condition of an incomplete railway.
In its rude aud yet unuseable conditions
it is the prophet of its own perfect state.
THEOLOGY AND RELIGION,
"For a long time speculative theology
ruled mans belief, aud it has come to pass
that theology stands in about this state,
that those that understand it quarrel in
oessantly among themselves, and those
that don't want to quarrel don't under
stand it. In the popular mind this sys-
fem Of organized and systematic belief is
cOnf0uuded with religion. 1t is not the
cause Of religion; it is only confOunded
with Christianity. The two things are as
wide apart as heaven and hell. The reg
nant systems of theology are artificial,
and philosophically they are imperfect or
false. 1T is such system which foresees
the danger to it from evolution and that
cries out against it.
NOW let us look at some of the critical
elements Of Christianity. All the fore
most agnostic and atheistic reasoners on
the subject propose to rename God, and
call him force or energy. l don't care. If
hvrf holF. ~ ,nrr !, 30
mean, what we mean by jehovah
by LOrd' by Christ they can make
a name to suit themselves. The
nafneis not the thing; it is the quail
ties that are under it, and if there be one
thing thatis to be triumphantly demon
strated 1t seems to me it IS to be that the
whole life of the world is permeated by the
life behind it OF God himself In human
nature there are elements which, when
simulated and quickened by the Divine
Spirit. lift men up to such relationship
with God as to give them, not only the
sympathy and understanding of God, but
also something of Divine power. Is that
taught by evolution? 1t lives up to it.
Christ bimself teaches us that it is in the
power of men by fasting and prayer to
rise to such height that they can control
not only demoniac spirits but matter it.
self
"'Ihe sum of all this is that man is, at a
primary observation, an animal, low
toned eiafnl being; that it was not neces-
sary that he should remain so, and that
whenthe rays of the Divine soul touched
his, and translated him to higher sphere,
that he Should come into direct and per-
sonal communion with God consciously,
and in this uninterrupted communion Of
soul with its Creator, in this higher range,
ne ghOF1lH haWn Of him of niVina ran
and might be called really set free from
all agimalsm and from the subverting
lnHuences of our tleshly conditions.
EVOLUTION AND CHRISTIANITY.
what is Christianity? Is not that
eyOlutlon? Is not that the most glorious
application that has ever been made Of
that ascending scale by which men stead
ny ind out that God Is their God, and
that tlleY are His children bV a successive
series of unfoldings, by the doctrine of
evolution OF forces in life? OF all that
lies in human society by the gradual
stages ofciviIizatiOn? OF all that belongs
70 morality by it's steadier unfolding and
advance? And last and most glorious,
the unfolding of a man so that be
becpmes part and parcel Of God-n0t
as to etface individuality in him, but to
be related to God as love relates the lover
what is there in the doctrine Of evolution
mat contradlcts these sublime disclosures
OF mans nature and his relation TO GOdY
Is not tue whole tendency Of facts, as re-
hected by the new light of Gods method
Of creation, In favor of this noble theology?
Man was born at the bottom on purpose.
" was the creative AMI organic decree
mat he should begin at the bottom and
work his way up,
All sin ls transgression of the law, but
all transgression of the law is not sin. A
man may break 10000 laws and not sin
once. BY far the greatest amount of sin
IA all ages has been inflrmity, wherein
man through ignorance or by impertec-
s'ohs ~ the use Of powers and faculties
mas stumbled and suffered. Why God
created the world on the plan He did we
canhOt tell, but il goes far TO explain the
problem Of life if one sweep out with the
broom OF Indignation the hideous pit
W1ich theology has dug under the world,
DeieFe In the development OF the race
ana that God is plenarY in justice and
GOODNESS, and will cOnsign none to uumiti-
Saole torment, AS for those who,
oegnning high 20 down steadily
anu lose the ability Of renovation
suefe ts an abyss Of nothingness
"1ere there are 20 groans, no pain, no
Lenorse. The old theory is repulsive, un-
reasonable, immoral aud demOralizing. |
nate II. II sets up mandatory OF dam
Hatlon before aud behind, and on every
sslOe' I won't be silent on this subject,
~ am lover Of men, and ! desire TO
mako the truth piain The worst thing in