Voice of missions., 1900-02-01
Roanoke, Va.
DR.. Walsh on the
Theory Of Evolution,

One of the most notable articles that
the Catholic World Magazine has pub
lished for a long time is review of
the wonderful discoveries during the
last fifty years in the science OF biol
oly. It is astonishing how much bio
logical thought and expression has en-
tered into our daily life, and while we
imagine that biology is science fer
scholars, little consideration will
make us realize that it has an in
tensely practical side, and of the many
scientific truths there is none that is
able to conduce to our comfort and
safety as it's deductions. DR.. Walsh,
the author, is a man of mature stud
les, and he possesses the latest lntor-
nation from the European schools.
He makes some most interesting state
ments about the theory of evolution
which should be everywhere noted.
Among other things, he says in effect,
that the "Origin of Species, which
now has been published for forty
years, was accepted in the beginning
without question by great many, but
is now subjected to the white
light of scientific criticism, and
many conclusions that it stood
for are now entirely rejected.
For example, the theory of sexual Sc
lection has been entirely rejected aud
natural selection has taken its place.
DIR. Walsh also says the opinion as to
whether one species may ever be trans
planted into another is more generally
doubted now than it was ten years
ago. He finally makes the following
admissions concerning the theory OF
evolution:
"As a matter of fact, far from being
able to show how species have been
converted into one another, we are not
even able to point out a single case OF
the undoubted transmission OF even
one acquired character. A good many
cases presumed by various observers
to be examples of such transmission
have been reported, but all of them so
far have proved to be illusions when
submitted to the judicious criticism OF
serious biological criteria. Medical
men still cling to the idea that ac-
ouired characters are transmitted, and
| that. too, very commonly. A great
| many of the claims now SO frequent as
to the heredity of predisposition to
disease, and even of disease itself, as
sumes that the transmission of ac-
ouired characters is an accepted prln-
| ciple. AS time goes on, however,
| medical men have learned that at least
it is not disease itself that is transmit.
ted. tuberculosis and leprosy, and
like diseases, have been removed from
the category of directly hereditary
diseases within the last few years, ano
the predisposition to disease is now
recognized to be rather general low
ering of resistive vitality than spe
cifc tendency to the requirement. O
anv particular disease, or even a lacl
of organic resistance to one rathel
than to any other disease.
Occasionally in the medical jour
nails we meet with reports OF case
where mutilations are said to hay
been transmitted. This brings tn
whole matter very properly back t.
the realm of condolences, where ]
belongs. In general it may be sal
that this is the great crux OF the theor
of evolution, the cornerstone whlc
must be secured before permanen
scientific edifce can be built. We ar
no nearer a demonstration OF the az
tual transmutation of species now tha
we were forty years ago, when Dal
wins theory first disturbed the scier
tific world. On the other hand
must not be forgotten that forty year
are not much in the history OF huma
knowledge and that the theory OF eve
, luton, far from being definitely settlec
is, in the opinion of present day biol'
, gists, only just beginning its develop
ment. Professor Henry Osborn, OF "
, lumbia University, said not long az
NV last word is that we are enterH
= the threshold Of the evolution probk
instead OF standing within the per H.; p;i
The harder tasks lie before as; ne y,
rind "a, and their aoliation Wit