St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-10-07
DoCFRINE OF EVOLUTION,
Portion of Pants Epistie Applied
hv IenV y am G Smith II

Il
by Few. = am @. smith. ~
Many an honest old-time orthodox
minister has gone to glory firmly con-
WINGED that the days" of creation were
literary days of twenty-four hours ex-
tent; and many an argument on relig-
ious topics has been cut short, and. in
the mind of the old-time minister, set
tied, by the unanswerable assertion of
the supremacy of divinity. The omnip-
offence of diyille power is never-fail-
ing refuge to the true believer, and who
shall say that 1t was not all-Sutficient
for his or her redemption?
Yet, in the light of plil0sophic and
scientific research, and in the view of
continual discoveries. that appear to
give greater insight into the mysteries
of creation, the minds of many able and
religious men and women have become
impressed with the necessity of putting
a less literal construction upon certain
Biblical statements than was accepted
by many representatives of orthodoxy
who had not. the opportunities TO eX-
anime the Word of God from Scien-
tific standpoint. This broadening of
views is not merely of the present
there are indications that it existed fire.
auently in the reeent-and the shad-
Owy past had undoubtedly broad
thinkers. mauy of whom were compelled
to battle with the multitude which could
not take the time to delve deeply into
science, and which, while honest in
many of its convictions, would. with the
perversity born of superficial knOwl-
edge, array itself against any interpre-
tation that in anywise affected the tenor
of tradition.
In the widened domain of scientific
Thought Rev. Samuel G.. Smith attracted
the most attention from the congrega-
ton of the Peoples church yesterday
morning, Yet while he set forth the
ground taken upon the subject OF evO-
luton he upheld as cardinal principle
OF creation that the divine power of
God was the creator and that it governs
all development.
The discourse was an interesting rev.
citation of active, able thought; it was
devoid of mannerism, display or atfecta-
ton, and the magnetic influence of the
delivery made it the harmony of elO-
u1ence rather than the effect of more
vigorous language and gesture.
Without undertaking to follow its
pleasant wording, which abOunded in
charming adjective and fluent state
ment, we present brief review of the
sermon.
Romans, Sth chapter. 18th verse: For
Ireckon that the Sutferings of the present
time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed
i'm u.s. Also the 18th to 9th verses of
the same chapter. The climax of the
rhetoric is to be found further along at
the close of Saul's letter. The climax
of the thought is in these verses. With
the multitude of incidents that the
mind of the apostle grasped so
easily he frequently reached the mount
ain heights of expression even in the
midst of his address. Saul said: 'For
/ reckon (reasOn or contendl that the
sufferingS of this present time are not
worthy to be compared with the glory
which shall be revealed in u.s."
That portion of the text, the 18th,
26th and eth verses, indicates the SUI
preme power that governs all Things.
1t SAYS: "If we hope for that we see
not then do we with patience wait for
it. Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our
infirmties, for we know not what we
should pray for, but the Spirit itself
maketh interceSSiOn for US. 4
And that which searcheth the hearts
knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit.
because He maketh intercession for the
saints according to the will of God"
; cd is the creative power, maker of the
world and its creatures.
The theory of evolution has been
taken up here in the past, and the ex-
tent to which it may be accepted is
marked at the point where we know
and maintain that God is the creator.
God placed the ''quiet, fascinating, calm
starr in the armament. The creation of
the world may have taken an age. The
development of man may have taken
thousands of years, through the aDtiqui-
ties. through the era of the chosen peo-
pie, and up to the coming of the Son of
God. From Christ to the resurrection
appears as the era of saints. The word
of God cometh to pass, and with all the
evOlutions His creative power is behind
them. The. sermon was replete with
beautiful metaphors.
"Carried on pinionS of love to the
eagle nestof faith"
The peroration closed with an elo-
Quent description of the ''pOmp, mag