The Washington times., 1894-06-10

ranked at least as an hypothesis, with proper
safeguards may one day yield some glimmer-
ing light to theology on its Oldest and darkest
problem"
To all who are interested in the most i'm
portant Of all present subjects Of study, Pro-
lessor Drummond's last book, "The Ascent OF
Man." comes as a boon. Its closing chapter,
'.Involution." sheds flood OF light on many
hitherto vexing questions. He makes plain
the Pauline declaration that "1n Him we live,
and move, and are"-seed and environment
and out of both come the completed tree OF
life. The tree does not grow out OF Its own
root. neither the root from tho trunk; but
given the seed in the environment, the miracle
OF growth results; because the seed and en-
vironment are one-different aspects OF one
divine thought, the combination Of unseen
spiritual forces to produce a result. Evolu-
tion Is because of involution.
"But, after all, the miracle OF evolution is not
in the process, but the product. Beside the
wonder of the result. the problem Of the pro-
cess is mere curiosity OF science. For what
Is the product? It is not mountain and val
ley, sky and sea, flower and star, this glorious
aud beautiful world in which mans body finds
its home. II is not the godlike gift Of mind
nor the ordered and rational cosmos where 1t
finds an exercise for its noblest powers. 1t is
that which of all other things in the universe
commends itself with increasing sureness rs
time goes on to the reason and heart OF hui
maniiy-love. Love is the net result OF evo-
luton. This is what stands out in nature as
the supreme creation. Evolution is not prog
ress In matter. Matter cannot progress. 1t
Is progress in spirit, in that which is limit
less, in that which is at once most human.
most rational, and most divine.
The earliest condition in which science al
lows us to picture this globe is that Of fiery
mass of nebulous matter. At the second stage
1t consists OF countless myriads OF similar
atoms. roughly outlined into ragged cloud
bail glowing with heat, and rotating in space
with ineonceivable velocity. By what means
can this mass be broken up, or broken down,
or made into solid world? By two things
mutual attraction and chemical affinity. The
moment when within tine cloudball the con-
ditions OF cooling temperature are such that
two atoms could combine together the cause
of the evolution of the earth is won: for this
pair OF atoms are chemically .stronger" than
any OF the atoms Immediately surrounding
them. Gradually. by attraction or affinity,
this primitive pair Of atoms. like the first pair
of savages. form third atom. and fourth.
and fifth. until a family OF atoms Is raised
up which possesses properties and powers al
together new, and in virtue OF which 1t holds
within its grasp the conquest and servitude OF
all surrounding units. From this growing
center attraction radiates on every side, until
arises and starts a more powerful center OF its
own. With every additional atom added, the
power as well rs the complexity of the combi-
nation increases. As the process goes on after
endless vicisstudes, repulsons. and readjust-
ments, the changes become fewer and fewer,
the conflict between mass and mass dies
down, the element, passing through various
stages of liquidity. finally combine in the
order of their aftinities, arrange themselves in
the order of their densities. and the solid
earth is finished.
Now recall the names ST the leading actors
in this stupendous reformation. They are
two in number. mutual attraction and chem
ical affinity Notice these words attraction,
affinity. Notice that the great formative
forces of physical evolution have psychical
names It is idle TO discuss whether there is
or can be any identity between the thing
represented in the one case and in the other.
In reality. neither here nor anywhere have
we any knowledge whatever OF what is actu-
ally meant by attraction; nor. in the one
sphere or in the other have We the means OF
even approximating to such knowledge. To
Newton himself the very conception OF one
atom or one mass attracting through empty
space another atom or another mass put his
mental powers to confusion. And as to the
term affinity, the most recent chemistry. find
ing it utterly unfathomable in itself. confines
its research at present to the Investigation Of
its modes of action.
Science does not know, indeed, what forces
are it only classifies them. Here .as in the deep
recesses of physical nature. we are in the
presence of that which is metaphysical, that
which bars the way impervousy at every
turn to materialistic Interpretation Of the
world.
ave began these chapters with the under
standing that evolution is history. the scien-
tifc history Of the world. Christianity is his
tory-a history of some of the later steps in
the evolution OF the world. The continuity
between them is u continuity OF spirit; their
forms are different, their forces are continent.
Christianity did not begin at the Christian
era, it is as old as nature; did not drop like
bolt from eternity, but came in the fullness
OF time. The attempt TO prove an alibi for
Christianity, to show that it was in the skies
till the Christian era opened. is as fatal to its
acceptance by science as it Is useless for de-
fense to theology. Only by shutting its eyes
science evades the discovery of the roots
of Christianity in every province that it en-
ters; and when it does discover them, only
by Disgusting words can it succeed in disown-
ing the relationship. There is nothing un-
scientific in accepting that relationship; there
is much that is uncientitic in dshonoring it.
The will behind evolution is not dead; the
heart OF nature is not stiled. Love not only
was. it Is: it moves: ii spreads.
To ignore the later and most striking phases
is to fail to see what the earlier process really
was AMI TO leave the ancient task of evolu-
tion historically incomplete. That Christian
development. social. moral, spiritual, which
is going on around us. is as real an evolution
airy movepent as any that preceded it and
at least as capable OF scientific expression.
A system founded on self-sacrifice, whose
fittest symbol is leaven. whose organic de-
velopment has its natural analogy in the
growth OF u mustard tree, is not a foreign
thing to the evo,utionists. And that spokes-
man o. the kingdom of God is no less the
spokesman OF nature when he prociaims that
the end OF man is ''that which we had from
the beginning that we love" VETERAN.
--"The Ascent Of Man." by Henry Drum
mond. James Pott & Co., New York.