The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-10-11
EVOLUTION WAS THE THEME.
,~,cy IT. BUSIING,s ESSAY READ IN
THE METHODIST ECU7LENICAL

-. Great Theory or Evolution. He said,
IN. Changed Not Only Our ThosGhts,
NJ, Our Methods or Thinking, ana Has
r..nsfsrred both Science and Theology
New Piane-Textuai Criticisa OF
a.. R,,,e Declared TO ne Desirable and
Observation-Disclosures or the Church To-
~~rs Various Phases or UnbeiieE
w,suso1os. Oct 1o-Tho fourth days ses-
Ia, N tho Methodist Economical Council was
sN..,dcd over by the Rev. Dr. William Arthur
pp,rnclepd. who conducted the devotional ex-
..,,sos read!ng tho hymn. Thou leadeth
Wv Prayer was offered by the Rev. John
W.,sneld OF Canada. The Rev. DIR. A. s. Hunt
=, Sev York. one Of tho secretaries Of the
american Bible Society. read Scripture les
.on from tho hook OF Job.
Tha regular programme Of the day was then
,.ten IN, the subcct for discussion being The
Church And Scientific Thought" The frst es-
a., YIN. one prepared by Percy W. Bunting.
sdtor OF the Contemporary Rerie,o. entitled
.Th. Influence Of Modern Scientific Progress
IN MALICIOUS Thought" In Mr.. Bunting's alb
,erce the paper was read by MIR. j. d. Slick OF
London.
Ohm srest theory OF evolution. which has chang
ID not only our thoughts but our methods Of
thinlinc, and has transferred both science
,ndtheo!ogy to n now plane. Speaking broadly.
.,o former systom OF ideas was statical: 1t
sought to formulate tho constitution OF nature
and man. conceived ns working in certain fixed
orbits according to certain established rules.
The newor system deals with nature and mon.
conceived and impellod as whole along
certain order OF progress toward a future end:
tits dynarnical. and Is concerned. not so much
with what ~, as with what Is to he.
IN order to taiio this Wow 1t Is not neces-
.ary to adopt particular theory OF the
methods or tho limitations OF evolution.
The evolutionary process may prevail WITHIN
certain bounds or mny DO hold universal, alb
so!uto. all-explninirg. What Is important IS
the bread view OF progress by development
which las given q new mould to thought 10
A r,aIn nla!. 1t was not enough to say that
Evolution IL not proved: that oven II proved
It Is only shown to affect certain departments
OF nature: that only extreme men carry II int2p
orthodox faith arc therefore SAFE ana sounn.
True it is there are extreme t ne VII tss al turl
sx t ans s tho I paepSxy What
mnn seeks is q secure foundation on which
faith may rest pending tho strife. suppose
;hou.hs. to DO true: suppose it to 30 uni
ysTsn mcthod the ouna aat5 Key Sf the Gnrs
tam s faith t" This is what we want to know. Il
evolution DO revelation OF Iundamental
thought Of tho God Of nature how STANDS the
:" Mr. 'i bunting then distributes the answers
which suegested themselves to him I under es
hut himself. He does not think they represent
average thought in Great Britain. but he Is
Ike sketch Of the pos POSITION Of the adj
v ,'an and reflective minds, q his country:
1T has been discovered.n he continues:
an evolving force. The American writer.
tske at al e Gest has notSng 70 say
against it. 1t does not appear to me- he says.
that the ype D eenss Is in 81 the
rests upon that intuition. The mind and heart
20
lis moral creatures. from the characters He
has made. not from His stones. vegetables.
Fatherhood Of God seeks and can receive little
OF no light from any part OF His creation short
oman 30 far as we can see ths LAWS ,s OF ne
nature ~, and r i%RportaIty q man science
hs to much
n.s' fonnnd it. ' The belief in rests
ultimately on the belief In the Fatherhood OF
seiher. The hope Of. immortality has never
Fssss of has to
away the physical difficulties in Its way. The
modern mind has 50 stseped itself in science
he ss ides that nothing is 70 Be believed which
n fes n o
il it be asked op what grounds the power Of
itself tends to make us so Judge? II the facul-
5 syt sse Wond
es scale " and higher and in
ss S ass aa sae ss
those Of mere intelligence ,n do not
God Land and the viii Of God completes the free:
dom Of the will Of man by the revelation OF
Treating OF the spiritual history of man. the
I'm this lis Wow. mankind have como into the
world by gradual process. developed out Of |
creatures mira human. but possessing already
10 d1 saa
ualy. aldo by side with growing ,complexity
e sssS9S e
action Of society develops othlcs and perhaps
rslisi9n;, II we can perceive the growth
accompany the, physical growth. the IN;
crease OF wisdom and stature. and still
believe In the reality OF the noul. whore is tho
difficulty III accepting the samo view for the
race' In inct tho evolutionary theory OF rc-
lsion IN In .trict accordance with very much
that wo aro accustomed to beliove God
speaks at sundry times and In diverse man
ners. b9tn limos and manners boipR In His
own order OF consecutive teaching. Evolution
throws the whole history into natural pro-
spectye. and once frankly accepted as the
revealed method OF divine education. makes
much that was to our fathers dIfilcult to us
Tho evolution theory gives boundless scope
% iath and hope. 1t does not yet appear what
We shall be. The race Of men may lose its
Rhysical basis by slow decline OF heat, or, as
Ee Bible seems to predict, by catastrophe. but
spiritual history. would not Therefore como
=, an ond. The last things, like the FIRST are
very dimly revealed to US. Scientific evolution
also Is silent US to its own beginning and
emu. A litt!o way in each. direction We
gresslve revelation OF light. and good
snd q higher ethical state. both with respect
s @uod and society. The possible declension
suggested by Mr.. spencer. even II thcre wore
sstSlnd for 1t in biology. would have no appli-
EATON ea.i,on To spiritual things This everlasting
tW22iuton stands with tho reality ond lmmor-