Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-02-05
The Belief i'm Evolution.

Prof William North Rice in the Christian Union
"Darwinism" is a very indefinite term With
some it is q synonym for the doctrine of the
origin of species by descent with modification
the doctrine of evolution. With others it
means the doctrine that natural selection is the
chief of the laws which have determined the
course of evolution. With others it means the
belief that man specifically is product of evo-
luton. With others still it means an atheistic
and materialistic philosophy.
First, as to evolution i'll general. There
has been no ebbing and no hating in the tide
of opinion toward evolution. If scientific
men say less about evolution than fifteen
years ago, it is at least in part because they
no longer think it worth while to discuss a
question on which they are all agreed. The
scientific men who do not believe in evolution
are merely individual exceptions Scientific
men do discuss the methods and limits of evo-
luton, but the truth of the evolution theory
in general they simply take for granted. No
scientific society would care to hear an argu-
ment for evolution, for the subject has passed
that stage.
In regard to the natural selection the history
has been different. When the "Origin of
Species" was first published it was SO vastly
more reasonable than any other evolutionist
work that had ever appeared that men took it
for granted for awhile that natural selection
was the only form of evolutionary theory that
was worth considering. Evolutionists all be-
lieyed in natural selection as the one all-im-
portant law. Anti-evolutionists thought apy
objection they could bring against natural Sc
lection was an objection to evolution in gem
eral. This state of things changed in time
and a school of evolutiOnists arose who rele-
gated natural selection to a comparatively SUBJ
ordinate position among the known and I'M
known laws concerned In evolution. That
natural selection is a true principle in nature |
think no one has ever doubted who really I'M
derstoOd what natural selection means. The
only question is in regard to the limits of its
efficiency and the degree of its Importance
relatively to other laws known or unknown
My own belief is that at present the tide of
opinion is setting i'll the direction of q higher
estimate OF the Importance of natural selection
As regards the origin of man. believe that
there Is growing tendency. even among pretty
conservative thinkers. to the belief that in some
way man himself is product of evolution
Whatever difficulties there may be in the ex-
PLANTATION of the evolution of being so peculiar
as man. the feeling grows among scientific men
that mans relations with the animal kingdom
are too intimate to allow the belief that his
origin is utterly dissimilar. Many thinkers
compromise on the belief in evolution of ply
steal man and special creation of spiritual man.
But think the tendency is toward a more I'M
qualifedly evolutionary position.
As to the atheistic philosophy. Probably
one of the chief reasons why evolution is less
widely discussed than it was few years ago is
that 1t is now generally recognized that evolu-
tionary theories in biology are not linked by
any logical necessity with atheism or agnos-
ticism. Men OF all shades of religious belief
are working together in the study of the
methods OF evolution, the most orthodox Chris
tians being as thorough-going evolutionists as
the most violent atheists. See lie Conte's new
book on evolution, for o brilliant exposition of
the views of a class of men who are thorough
going evolutlonists and evangelical Christians.
The WOuld-be ConQuerOr's Return.
From the Pittsburg Dispatch.
A good many country folk from this and
Washington county get off the Panhandle trains
and cross into Pittsburg by the Point BRIDGE
and most of them are prone to chat with Mr.
Dwyer (the toll NAM as they pay their toll
One day shortly after Christmas Washington
county farmer came to the toll gate in the
morning. After remarking what unreasonable
weather it was, the old farmer became conf
Dental and informed Mr.. Dwyer that he had
just given his wife the slip and sent her home
to Little Washington SO that he might enjoy a
day in town.
when / was a lad could play tidy. stiff
game of poker" said the old man. land I've
got SIS which mean to double before / go
home tonight if l can find any one to play
with in Pittsburg."
Then the old man passed on across the
bridge.
That night Mr.. Dwyer, according to custom.
went to the other end of the bridge-the Pitts
burg end. that is-and at a very late hour the
same old farmer, with WEAKNESS and pain writ
ten in his clothes as well as his countenance.
presented himself. There was no need of ex-
PLANTATION; it was quite clear that the old farmer
and his S75 had parted company.
kin you lend me 55?" the old man said
piteousiy to the toll keeper; them players in
Pittsburg are too durn smart for me!''
QUEER ROOF FOR A GREENKousE.-Joseph
H. Ives, florist of Danbury, Conn. has a green
house roof which probably has no duplicate in
this country. Mr.. Ives found it necessary to
replace much of the glass in one of his hot
houses, and, thinking that some of the pho
tographers Of the place might have the size he
wanted, he purchased enough negatives to re-
place the entire roof, and now his plants are
shaded by the faces of old citizens. many of
whom are now dead. One group represents
the old graybeards who have long since gone
to their rest. Next comes the men of middle
age, who are now old and bent. The women
follow and then the young men and Young
women, who are to-day grandfathers and
grancmothers. In one corner, over the hello
trope bed, Mr.. Ives has placed the lovers
those who were SO far gone in the days before
they were married as to have their pictures
taken holding each other by the hand