The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1915-11-20
English Noble Woman
Tells of Scientists
Belief
SPOKE TO HIM
IN LAST YEARS
Great TheOrist Asked
Her to Lead in
Prayer

d THE RELIGIOUS RAMBLER.

~ The RELIGIOUS RAMBLER.
Lady Hope. a British woman OF
Sf4itle. well known in religious circles
81 Tor her lifelong activity in Christian
n work. has been spending consider
able time in thus country. attending
the Billy SUNDAY meetings. the
Northneld conferences, and other
a 71inif1r gatherings, lie PRAYER
"A meeting in Northfield, she told a
story concerning her
personal experiences with Charles
Darwin that liz SO at variance with
the popular conception of the great
N nafuralist's religious belief. that
Ady Hope was asked To write down
IS hor story for "The Watchman.EX.
X &mfner.r According TO tnr recoffec.
&<1oter years, was a devoted Bible
sEudent and an outspoken believer
5m Christ
Darwin, II will be recalled. set ont
10 study 10. holy orders in the
zxChurch OF England. and completed
HI course In Cambridge university.
His mind was OF scientific bent,
however, and he welc omed the OPP
X nortunity to go on "The Beagle" to
e The South seas, where he spent FIVE
h years pursuing his investigations
& and gathering the scientific data
"a which his subsequent revolu-
y t3onary works were based.
During the two years which
" ;o3apsed between the return of The
\ Doaele" and his marriage. he pom
& 1oeod the subject of religion seri-
X 6ae1y, 20 that to use his own words,
stDtsbelief crept over me at very
olow rate, but II was. at last COM
4 plete.r., That he never felt prepared
4 10 have his position on religion
& Gnoted In controversy upon the gen
4 os1} subject ID clear.
what Darwin thought toward the
G1poo OF his life Is thus reported
~ Lady Hope. in her written state
n ment:
"A 1T was one Of those glorious au-
n tumn afternoons that we sometimes
n on1oy IN England, when was
asked 70 GO In and sit with the
<}Woll.known professor, Charles Oar
III @ln. He was almost bedridden for
(; opms months before he died. I
Hnoed to feel when I saw him that
n ~ flne presence would make a
n9and picture for our Royal acao-
Nj omy. but never did !. think so more
strongly than on this particular oc-
casiOn
HE was sitting up in bed, wear
lne = soft embroidered dressing
Y teown OF rather a rich purple shade.
"Propped up by pillows, the was
L using out on far-stretching scene
&zol woods and corn-helds, which
|E9elowed In the light of one OF those
sunsets which are the
h beauty OF Kent and Surrey. HIS
\ fncble forehead and fine features
xoeemed to be lit up With pleasure
= 70 entered the room.
GIL He waved hts hand toward the
window as he pointed out the scene
.l1tUYyOISo, Wuftc All Tue othot manu- nc
held an open Bible, which he Was
;nlwayr studying.
What are You reading now
6sked, a l seated myself by his
tedaids
Hebrews," he answered still
ije6rews. "The Royal Book, call
I< Isn't II grand?'
Then, placing his finger on GER
lain passages, he commented on
1hem.
II made some allusion TO the
1(rong opinions expressed by many
persons on the history OF creation,
- grandeur, and then their treat
meat OF the earlier chapters of the
book Of Genesis.
He seemed greatly distressed
HI fingers twitched nervously. and
y look of agony came over his face
os ne said:
was young man with un
Termed ideas. threw out queries
ouegestions. wondering all the time
1ver everything: and to my aston
chment the ideas took like Wild
1re. People made a religion Of
}hem.'
Then be paused. and after few
1ore sentences on the holiness OF
10 and the grandeur OF this
Dok.' looking at the Bible. which
~ waa holding tenderly all the
11pe he suddcnly said:
4 have . summer house In the
I0eu which holds shout 30 peo
u IL over there pointins
oQRh the open window want
~ very much ~ speak there.
~ you read the Bible In the VIZ
~ fcmosTow afternoon should
- osrvants on the place. some