Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1886-06-03
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ORIGIN OF THE HUMAN RACE.
Il HIGHLY INTERESTING DISCUSSION OF
THE SUBJECT OF EVOLUTION.


The following is report of the discussion
of the question of Evolution in the Presby-
terian General Assembly at Augusta, Ga,
on the 24th ultino:
Eleven o'clock, the hour for the discus
sion of evolution, having arrived, the Rev.
F. E. Smith introduced the minority report
on evolution. The minority and majority
reports were both called for and were read,
as already published. The Revs. William
Finn and F. E. Smith presented the fol-
lowing additional minority report:
We, the Undersigned members of the
special committee on evolution, recommend
that the General Assembly decline to make
deliverance on the subject, because the an
sWer which is invoked by these overtures,
if granted, would violate our constitution.
(Note Confession Of Faith, chapter 81, para
graph 4
Second. Because the Word Of God, as
interpreted by our standards, gives the faith
of the Church.
Third. Because before one of our lower
Courts concrete case is pending involving
the matters of those overtures.
WIN. Finn,
F. f. SMITH.
DIR. Waddell's motion, that the debate be
restricted to this day, and that the time of
each speaker should be limited in proper
tion, was laid on the table.
The venerable DR.. Armstrong, the Nestor
of the great debate, then rose and spoke
He said that so important question as this
should be viewed in very strong light,
that it might be comprehended by ALL
He went on to enumerate the great differ
ence in the two questions, and said that
where we have one question brought up in
regard to judiciary, ten questions are raised
in regard to the other, and that in order to
get at the originality Of question like this
there was but one place to seek it, and that
is through overtures. He acknowledged
that the questions might ultimately come
up before them as judicial questions, and
said that they were dealing with the mat"
ter in legitimate way, and are dealing
with matters which are ecclesiastical, as the
Church under the constitution had right
to deal with ecclesiastical questions. He
said further: 81 have thought over this
question deeply and thoroughly, and what
can gather is that the form in which God
|
He has given it to us in form in which
every one can comprehend. He is friend
of the poor as we'll as the rich, and there
fore, He has placed it within the grasp of all.
The Bible is made up of the history Of His
chosen people. 1t is made up of the lives
of good as we'll as evil men, and a revelation
was given to US for a religious purpose,
and we would be responsible before God if
we abused this purpose. There is no con-
flict between science and revelation. The
book of nature is just as much Gods work
as the Bible. We have attempted in this
majority report to give an exposition of her
standards. They may be right or they may
be wrong, but we have agreed to accept
them as right 1t is not the question of
evolution in general that we are to discuss,
but the evolution of man." He then read
that, after God had created all other Great
ures, He created man and made woman
of the dust of the ground, and that God
created male and female after His own
image; and then, in regard to the Con-
fession of Faith, he said that he knew
that the Confession of Faith forbids a
man marrying his deceased wite's sister.
He could not agree with it there, but
he was here to discuss the confines Of
liberty and to the extent in which they
must bind on honest mans mind. The BIZ
BILE does not say that Adams body was
made of clay, but that it was made of organ
ic dust. Evolution is descent with modifi-
cation, just as Jersey cow is descended
from coarser class Of animals not so useful
to man. But when you come to decide on
the limits of liberty it must be determined
by the question of the amount of harm to
be done.
"When man gives his assent to the doc
trines and standards of the Church he must
uphold them," said DIR. Armstrong, "and
the Church should be prompt and true to
herself in treating with heresy and error.
If the church says theory is error but not
dangerous it opens the door for man to
believe what he pleases. There may be
doubts about the days of creation consid-
cred geologically, but science has not pro-
gressed far enough to solve all these doubts
as yet. The Presbyterian Church, bigoted
as it is sometimes called, allows liberty or
belief in rational limits. l may doubt
whether days, or eras, were meant in the
creation, or doubt unimportant matters,
but in the historic statement of mans Ori-
gin and creation we must all agree with the
orthodox standards of the church. The
standards have decided this question and
the General Assembly should give de-
liverance in accord"
He did not approve of the article in the
Confession which says man may not mar
ry deceased wife's sister, but as loyal
minister of the Church he would obey and
follow the standard. There was a liberty
of belief, but in the action and construction
we must be literal and ask the Presbytery
and Assembly for authority. The deliver
ance proposed he pronounced as his belief
and the standard of the Church for years
that Adam and Eve were created body and
SOUL by the immediate act of God. The
deliverance was nothing new, and was the
same adopted in old England in West
minister Hall, and over which the blue
banner now and always waved throughout
the whole Church. DR.. Armstrong under
stood how young men might be swept
away, but he could not understand how a
man and minister of twenty years standing
could adopt such theory. He had OBJ
served, too, that those who had accepted the
theory of evolution had also come in time
to give up the doctrine of the plenary in
spiration of the Bible. Speaking of the
fall of Adam, DIR. Armstrong asked if Ad-
am was evoluted how could he fall when