South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-01-08
DESIGN LAY BEHIND
EVOLUTION OF RACE
Or. Charles E. HanSeI Speaks
on Descent of Man at Round
Table Dlnner-SayS We Are
Million Years Old.

Evolution, religion. the descent Of
man from the monkey. telepathy
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES were some Of the
radiating points OF the most spirited
discussion OF the year at the monthly
meeting OF the Round Table at the
oliver Wednesday night, when DIT
Charles +. Hansel presented paper
on The Origin, Evolution and Per-
sistence OF Life"
II was also the best attended meet
ing Of the year and the discussion last
ed until 1880.
DR.. Hansel pointed out the theory
OF evolution from the single cell up to
the first man F. million years ago
creature roaming the tropical for
ests OF Europe on equal terms with
the elephant and monkey, a figure
with bent knees, low forehead, pro-
1ecting teeth but who stood erect,
though he devOured his food raw.
Rejecting the theory that the vari-
Gus infinite variations from which the
race progressed from the simplest
forms 20 the most complex as in man
as the result Of accident, he declared
IL was highest proof that a design, a
purpose lay back OF Il, actuattng 1t all,
and that the whole theory Of evolution
was compatible with religion and the
belief in future life.
For with the beginning Of life in
it's simplest form came the beginning
OF consciousness, Of that thing the
scientists hesitate TO call the soul. And
that consciousness has evolved just as
the material life has evolved.
ut IS unthinkable that this con-
science Of which every individual life
is a part. existing from the beginning.
can be broken off and lost IN the
change we call death.
Instead Of saying we are 40 or 90
years old we should say we are mill
lions Of years old, and our conscious
ness is that original consciousness with
the accumulation of the progress Of
the ages.
Knowing this. is it reasonable to
suppose that a consciousness which
has existed for ages on ages will cease
simply because our physical form I'M
dergoes a disintegratiOn? Since al!
disease and sorrow is the result or
physical impeTfection is il not reason
able TO suppose that evolution will
not stop with our present selves but
that death will simply release US from
our cramped and temporary abode to
an existence infinite in its POSSIBLE
ities?"
Supporting the general theory Of
evolution. DR.. Hansel cited some of
the experiments Of DR.. Ale2ds C1-rel
and DR.. Jacques Loeb, in Producing
the "fatherless frog" from chemical
reactions and producing Simpl forms
OF life in the same way.
The discussion that followed TOOK
the widest range from the frankest
heretical 20 the avOwedly religious.
Only two speakers rejected the evolu-
ton theory and a number declared
that the address reconciled in sat
isfactory manner the revelations Of
science and the principles Of Christi
anity.
Among those who took part in the
discussion were L. c.. Manning, who
told OF the work being done along the
Jine OF psychic research in England
and on the continent. Judge T. +.
Howard. Samuel Parker, DR.. $. w.
Baer. DR.. Chas. Stoltz, Stuart Mac
Kfbben. AISrOn Campbell, l. 2. Hardy
Dr. s. A. Clarke, l.. J. Dare, @. NJ.
Fountain, W. A. Bugbee. $. J. Crum-
packer. John xitch L. M. Hatch and
William Happ.