The morning call., 1893-11-09
NOT A RELIGIOUS BELIEF.
1t Is Only an Hypothesis for
Scientific Work.
NO SPONTANEOUS GENERATION
Philosophic Elucidation of the Prin'
cipal Factors in the Orderly
Change of Phys Beings.

gathered in Golden Gate Hall last night to
hear the first of course of lectures by
Professor Jordan of the Stanford Uni
which was treated in quiet but thorough
manner.
The Rev. Mr.. Wendte of Oakland intro
duced the speaker in a few apt words.
What | shall hope to do in this course
of lectures" began President Jordan, sis
to give in simple way the elementary
factors that go to the work of organic evo-
luton. What we mean by evolution is
the study of changing formsjas acted upon
by unchanging laws. What we mean by
organic evolution Is the study of living
beings. or organisms, acted upon by un-
changing laws. The laws are the IN
changing factors; they are the elem len Is
That never vary; while beings, or organ
isms. are constantly in state Of change.
1t is the movements Of these forces and
the rational order Of their action that we
are going to study in the subject OF evolu-
ton.
THE study of organic evolution is the
history of protoplasm, because all crea-
lures are composed of this substance and
all life processes are done in connection
with this substance. Our work is there
fore the study of tie history of the chang
ing forms of proto plasm on the earth and
the even more mysterious ideoplasm.
I'VE do not know how it came on earth.
nor how life originated. Protoplasm is
not hard to take to pieces: it is composed
of carbon. hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen
chiefly, but when 1t has once ceased to
work it cannot be made to work again.
Chemists may make it, but they
cannot make it work. A great
deal has been written on spontaneous
generation; people have tried TO prove the
spontaneous generation of animals, as
infnsoria or yeast but none of these things
is spontaneously generated. We find that
all life springs from life. There Is no
yeast without the germ of the yeast plant
YOU cart have any kind of life without
having life like it before. There Is no
evidence of spontaneous generation.
'All living forms are bound together by
a multitude of ties, so that they seem to
have sprung from one common stock.
They are governed by general laws, so
that they seem fastened together. We can
go step by step from the simplest to the
most highly devel0ped-there is perfect
graduation.
Evolution is not form of religion. A
man can be an eyoluti0niet and hold
almost any kind of belief, providing he
reaches 1t In certain way. In this sense
seience-a study OF changing beings under
the action Of uncEanging law. Evolution
lists believe that all creatures spring from
the same stock, beca use this idea Of unity
in life seems TO be supported by our
scientific knowledge and is the working
hypothesis for the reason that all others
have ceased to work. Any other hypOthe-
sis will do provided it will accom-
plish the work. 1t is said that in
some schools in Europe the the
DRY that the earth revolyes around
the sun is taught simply as a working
hypothesis in astronomy. but under no
other hypothesis could the Mount Hamil-
ton astronomers calculate the movements,
etc, of tbs stars. And it is the same in
botany and zoology. | saw the other day
a statement by friend of evolution that
ii was the religion of the future. That is
no more true than it would be of gravita-
tion or the correlation of forces.
'Eyolut ton is a belief in orderly change.
and the process is natural one in all
phenomena. from the rise Of nations to the
fall of leaf, and connected by natural
laws. We cannot work these laws out
all we can say is that certain phenomena
occur according to fixed and definite laws.
The scientific problem in evolution ia
the origin Of the species. The boundaries of
the species can never be traced. Not a
single well-known animal or plant has
3,
and perfected science keeps filling up the
gaps. Before the present geological age
enormous numbers of life forms have been
on the earth. and all these forms have been
different. They are never the same for
two periods.
''It was 10 the beginning of this century
that the recognition of this constant
change became prominent, and this is the
idea OF evolution and Is as old as man.
hanqmo q hap
we began to work out the factors by the
cooperation of which this change was
brought about. These factors of organic
evolution are numerous because every
thing that touches organism modifies it.
so that every force. internal or external,
becomes effective in evolution. The chief
factors or forces. however. which bring
about these marvellous and wide SpreadiD g
changes are the following:
''First-The law Of heredity, by which
life begets life. This is one Of the most
important laws. and its object is to hold
creatures together, to keep up the law of
continuity. which simply repeats in the
offspring the characters of the parents.
"Second-The law Of environment
Every influence that comes into contact
with an organism changes it. Recognized
in education, which Is merely the drawing
out of the faculties by the surroundings.
"Thlrd-The law of individuality. In
the numerous species there are billions of
individuals, and none are alike. This i'm
plies some law of unlikeness This in
dlvdualism makes possible great mum bers
in a species
Fourth-The law of natural selection.
Only the fittest in animals and plants sur
vive and hand down their qualities to
descendants.
Fifth-The law of self-activity. Nature
is thrifty. Her investments are Withdrawn
it they do not pay. Heredity gives fish
eyes. but when unused, as in the fish of
the Kentucky caves. they are lost.
La nf hi. Z.