The San Francisco call., 1906-10-14
New Creation Theories.

DarWinism met with religious op-
F. position almost as bitter as that which
2 assailed Copernicus when he first de-
clared that the world was not fiat, but
round. In recent years, however, we
have come to realize that the Biblical
story Of the creation should not be
rliterally interpreted any more than
Z certain other parts Of the Bible and
that the idea of creation covering
millions Of years and accomplished
without violating the laws by which
nature is now governed is not one whit
less marvellous or divine than crea-
tion IN six literal days.
Darwin did not claim that the breed
ing or evolving Of new species in ma
ture was conducted in a haphazard
fashion. but that it was governed by
law working toward the constant bet
terment OF the species This law he
called natural selection, or as Herbert
Spencer termed It. ''the survival Of the
fttest." and IL may be briefly explained
as follows: All nature is at war. The
animal kingdom preys on the vegetable
kingdom, and the vegetable kingdom
1n turn. chiefly IN the form OF bacteria,
preys on the animal kingdom. Aside
from this there is extensive civil war
within the animal kingdom. Mammals.
birds reptiles. fish and insects-all are
constantly battling with one another.
In the vegetable kingdom also there is
z civil war. the stronger and harder
plants overpowering the weaker ones
snd choking them. We little realize
how fearful is this struggle about US
II has been estimated that, taking
an average OF all forms OF life 999 in
divicusls out Of every 1000 die an un-
natural or violent death Were this
not 50 the earth would not be large
enough 10 contain ali the life that
would be produced at the end OF a few
years. A single pair OF almost any
animal IL exactly adapted to its sur
roundings and not interfered with in
any way. would IN a comparatively few
generations overrUn the earth Ele-
plants are the slowest breeders we
know, yet II has been estimated that IL
every offspring We're permitted TO reach
maturity the living descendants of
single pair would. at the end OF $50
years, number $4,000, 600 individuals.
Universal warfare IS thus absolutely
necessary 10 keep the living world
within bounds. Now The theory Of nat
ural selection holds that only those
individuals best fitted for the battle
OF life stand a chance Of surviving
Generation after generation this war
has waged. and nature has been killing
on ala those that were untitled 10 hold
their own. so that eventually races have
been evolved which are admirably
adapted TO their su-roundinSs.
Some animals have earned their
riEht 20 q place il the life OF this
world by developing great strength
Others owe their existence to the de-
veiopment OF high speed in getting
away from their enemies. An example
of the latter class is the horse, which
now has but one toe 70 each foot
whereas fossil remains indicate that
the present horse has gradually
evolved from horse having Eve toes
This evolution is due to the eact that
thoee animals which rose on their toes
succeeded best in running away from
their enemies. The middle toe was
thus brought most into action, and nat
urai selection encouraged it's develop
snent at the expense Of the orner toes
which were gradually lost
A large part OF the animal world
owes its survival 20 the fact that Il
bears 60 close q resemblance to its
urrcundings that II cannot be readily
discovered by its enemies. One of the
most interesting examples Of this is
furnished by the kaliima butterfly.
which Is found IN India. This butterfly
a very brilliantly marked with bands
OF bright orange and blue. but the un-
der side OF its wings are the exact
shape OF q leaf with vein markings,
IN perfect imitation of the leaf, SO that
when Il ailE1ts on z branch and folds
Ste wings it can hardly be diBtin-
guiahed from the leaves. 10 heiRhtan
the Illusion the lower ends Of the
wings are prolonged into a tip, which