Douglas Island news., 1899-08-16
TIE WORD OF GOD IN wRANdEL.
The News Han Attends Church In That City He FiearS Wonderful Statements.-The Clam
 and Ills SheIl.-SplrItuaI Evolution.
SPIRITUAL. POWER IS MAGNETISM.

SPikkl OALs FOW El< ID NlNNANs iAONls
 One week ago last Sunday the senior editor of the News was in Fort Wrangel and in the evening attended services in the Presbyterian church. Wenow wish we had not done so. It is to us an un pleasant duty to criticize the ministry, and we decline to do so except in ex- treme cases. The News has at all times given aid and encouragement to the clergy, and under it's present manage ment, will continue to do so, and our sympathies are so strong in that direc. tion that church advertising and notices are free to all denominations in our columns. We make this prelimi nary statement that we may not be misunderstood and our motives i'm pugned.
 The minister took for his subject, "Science and Religion in Contact" and proceeded to knock the teachings of the bible concerning the creation of man into "Smithereens." He argued in favor of the evolution theory. He com pared the evolution of man with that of vegetable life, and stated that this evolution, must, however, conform to it's class and that the higher organiza- ton grows from the lower.
 "As it is with vegetable life so it has been with men," said the speaker.
 He did not say in direct language that man descended from the monkey, but it might have been inferred. We are aware that evolution is taught in many of our educational institutions and that there are strong arguments in it's favor and that among the believers of that theory are a great many mini sters of the gospel. With the latter only are we dealing and our opinion is that when a preacher can no longer be- lieve and teach the bible, he better "iump his job." The first part of the book of Genesis and evolution are not only at variance, but are diametrically and unequivocally opposed to each other. The minister who breaches and ! teaches evolution does not teach what the christian world regards as the word of God, and when such stuff is given to a congregation, it does great amount of harm and dozen good sermons cannot cOunteraCt the effect.
 In his efforts to deeply impress his congregation with this false doctrine, he said that the clam was formerly a worm that wiggled around in the mud without any she'll, and that, finding himself unprotected, "he deposited hard substances around his outside surface, and remained a clam to this day" How it happened that the clam stopped short never to ''evolute" again, was not explained. This clam story was not sworn to, and no evidence be- ing given to cOrrobOIate it, we think there was a failure of proof.
 But now comes the paralyzer.
 Spiritual life is in this royal line of succession" said this teacher of eVo- lution.
 Individually, this may be true, but not if taken in the sense in which evo- lution is generally understood. The spiritual knowledge and power of Elijah and Elisha have never been surpassed and probably will not be. Compare the l spiritual power and belief of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob with the christian be- lief and power of today. Where is the power of the apostles who healed the sick, made the lame to walk, the deaf to hear and the blind to see? No sir: spiritual life is not in the royal line of succession, but we suppose many will, as Christ said, continue to teach false doctrines, as Hymeneus and Phi