The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-14
EVOLUTION.
A Lecture By Prof. Whiting, Under
University Club Auspices.


The speaker began by stating that
there are two classes of questions, spec
ulative and exact. Speculative questions
are of such a character that so far as it
is possible to settle them it must be done
by subject, while exact questions are
matters of fact and must be settled by
observation and experiment. The QueS-
ton of evolution belongs TO the latter
class. If it is true, then its demonstrate ton
depends upon all natural science. If it be
false, 1t is refuted by ell natural science.
In the discussion of the question this
evening. special attention will be given
to evolution from the biological stand
point.
Evolution may be dfined as the philoso-
ply which teaches that the processes of
creation have taken place through forces
! intrinsic in matter and not by forces out
side of matter Three hypothesis have
been held to account for the appearance
of organic forms upon the earth. The
first hypothesis advanced to explain the
fossils and remains which are found in
the crust of the earth was that these were
created for the express purpose of de-
celVln= man and convincing him of the
futility of the use of his own powers of
reason. The second hypothesis was that
there has been succession of creations,
that certain forms appeared first and
noticeably the lowest forms; that after
! these had existed for a time, they were
destroyed and replaced by more advanced
forms. which in turn gave way to those
still more advanced, and that by these
come more and more complex, until it is
such as we see upon the earth today.
The third hypothesis is that all forms
since the earliest forms have been des-
cendants of those which lived before
them. and that there has been the same
tendency to vary among all forms of ami
mails and plants which is so noticeable
among domestic animals and plants and
kingdom has come into being. The hu-
man mind is so constituted that when
two or more hypothesis are presented for
the purpose of explaining an observed
fact. we must accept that which is most
in harmony with our own experiences.
II we shall allow our minds to act in this
way upon the subject OF evolution. it
seems impossible for a well-informed per-
son to reject il.
At this point the speaker occupied con-
siderable length of time in citing EVIL
illustrations were drawn mostly from do
nestle plants and animals and the valid
ity of the Illustrations was admitted by
all.
In conclusion, he said that it is as
legitimate TO inquire how creation is car
ried on as by whom it is carried on; that
while the statement of the theologian
that God IS the author of creation may
be allowed 10 stand as one of the great
fundamental truths still the scientist is
forced TO the conclusion that evolution is
the means by which it is accomplished
that creation is a development, not an
eject which was accomplished at one
time and that since then all things have
remain unchanged. but that creation is
a process going on at the present day;
that the opposition to evolution rests upon
precisely the same ground upon which
the opposition to the COrpernican solar
system and the discovery of gravitation
rests, and as the theological objection has
been withdrawn from these views be-
cause OF the better mathematical under
standing prevailing among theologians,
so when biology shall be understood in its
fullness by theOlogianS, evolution will be
readily accepted as an explanation of the
conditions found among animals and
plants.