St. Paul daily globe., 1890-07-07
IT IS NOT GODDESS.
Prof. Winchell Holds Evolu-
ton Is Not the Least
Agnostic. g
His Idea Is That 1t Treats OF
Continuity Rather Than
Of Origin.
Rev. Vail Delivers an Inter-
esting Discourse On Ven
geance. s
The Genesis Of Nemesis and
Reaping What a Man
SOWS. s s

us evolution godiess?" was the thesis
discussed by Prof. Alexander Wlncheli,
OF Michigan university, last evening.
The lecture was delivered in the House
OF Hope church, and the entire seating
capacity of the auditorium was occu-
pied, and despite the unspeakable heat
that large audience SAT deeply interest
ed in the argument throughout. Those
in attendance were largely teachers
and members Of the educational coun-
ell.
Prof. Winchell began his dissertation
by the assumption that evolution is a
fact in the world, and by explaining
that it was no part of his purpose to
offer any proofs of the reality of the
fact. He suggested that facts belong
to the categories of science, and a
presentation of their proofs might not
be entirely appropriate to the occasion,
but he held that it is emf
nently fitting and appropriate on
Sunday evening to inquire
how evolution as fact bears upon Sa-
cred theories, and the doctrine of evo-
lution-he used the word doctrine, he
explained, merely as a convenience, ull-
equivocally denying that it is a doc
trlne-iS understood to include eYolu-
tion simply as method of God in the
world-mor explicitly. Gods methoi
of bringing into worldly existence by a
system of continuity. He urged that if
the world exists as it is to-day. it
is because it existed yesterday.
a century ago. many thousands of
years ago. That which it is to-day is
but the outcome of what it was yester-
day, Of the last century. and of thou
sands of years age. Indeed, it could not
have been what it is now had it not
been what it was thousands OF years
20. Evolution was then explained iii
anologue by the erudite scientist. Each
sphere, each orbit. had a beginning, and
through a system of progression-of
continuity-the changes have taken
place until they are what they
are to-day. Evolution, he pursued, if
we choose to call it doctrine. is of the
origin of things. 1t does not treat of
beginnings, but is belief and recog-
milton of things that are in existence.
The fossils in the rocks and the fires in
the strata tell the story of continuity.
Evolution, then, is an inquiry into the
continuance of things and not Of the
origin. Prof. Winchell allowed that
there is room for the SuppO-
sition, for the belief and the
possible proof that things originated by
chance, that they were of divine crea-
ton, Or of necessity, or Of any other
means that human intelligence has con-
ceived. Yet it is simply the method OF
the divine Creator. He saw potent rea-
sons for holding to the belief of the eX-
istence of the eternal omnipotence and
all-wise being, the Creator of things.
He explained that nothing can spring
into instantaneous existence. bat it
must be by progression through decade
after decade.
1t is the purpose of evolution to give
a lucid exposition of the methods of the
world. Ii omnipotent intelligence pro-
ceeds by a method. whateyer comes into
existence comes in accordance with that
method. Geology pictures the beginning
of animal and vegetable life and reveals
the interesting facts of the first forms
that were simple and suited to the rude
condition. The succession of animal forms
from the beginning down to the epoch
when mans advent occurred are pic
tured in the rocks. showing the changes,
the continuity, and showing that animal
life began i'm the humbleSt forms hum
dreds of thousands of years ago. until
man was developed by a succession OF
evolution. AgasSiZ believed in periods
of absolute determination and of new
beginnings He held that there were at
least twenty-five such events in the
worlds progress. Man is the last OF the
creatures to rppear in the succession.
Prof. Winctell pointed to the fact that
there have been animal forms bearing
striking resemblance to- the human
form. Biologists arrive at the natural
conclusion that there has been con-
tinuity from the earliest time down to
the event of mans complete develop
ment. He illustrated the thing with
the growth and changes that occur III
vegetable life under everybody'S eyes.
The potato, for instance. is planted in
the moist earth in the spring, and itprO-
pagateS and grows and produces like. He
said this is an event. In the c0ntem-
plation of such events there are several
elements. The first event is the fact,
the second the cause and the third is
the conditions under which the cause
has been able to act and to produce the
events. If the conditions were absent
the cause would have been incapable.
Without the soil the moisture, the at
mosphere and the proper temperature,
there could be no growth. AtinoS-
phere and food are not the cause of a
child's growth. but conditions. The
mustard seed and the radish seed are
perfectly alike and cannot be distin-
tingnished one from the other by the
most powerful microscope. Yet they
grow into different vegetation. 1t is the
inserutableness Of the cause that lies at
the foundation.
The lecturer here took up the topic
proper: lis Evolution Godless?" and
maintained that everything present
which is alive indicates power which
is Intelligence. Man is the theatbr of
activity, the temples of the creation
of God wherein he dwells, and
the moment be ceases to act man
ceases to live, Life is the divine being
which is present i'll uS. While Prof.
Winchell did not hold that the other
planets are inhabited. he believed that
if they are the populations there are
controlled by like conditions. and he
believed there will be common COM
munism when life ceases between the
Inhabitants of all spheres. through God.