The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1922-01-05
EVOLUTION AND CREATION

j nave been interested IN the arti-
cles on evolution which have appear
ed recently in The Citizen. Il Is
pleasing 10 note the courtesy Of the
writers and the absence of that un-
reasoning prejudice which was DIS
played a few days ago by an Ohio
man who was fined for not sending
his children to school. Refusing to
pay the fine, he was sent to jail. He
gave as his excuse the fact that the
school teaches that the earth Is
round, while he believes IL Is fiat.
These writer's seem to realize that
IL does not matter what they believe
any more than IL matters what I be-
lieve or what you believe. Some Of
the best men in the world believe In
evolution. Others Of the best men In
the world believe that the Almighty
power created the world and all that
in IL is In six days of twenty-four
hours each. There is not any real
fault to be found with ether. But
each Of them is too prone to find
fault with the others. The man who
believes that the world, as we know
il is, the result of a process EXTEND
ing over millions of years is likely to
think the man who believes IL the re-
suit of six days work an ingnora-
mus. But why tell him so? The
man who believes that the world, as
we see IL is, the result of six days
work is likely TO think the man who
believes IL the result Of million Of
years process an infdel. Possibly he
is-but an infidel to what?
On matter Of sober fact. both Of
them accept every Biblical statement.
Somewhere in the early chapters of
Genesis it is declared, "From the dust
Of the earth created He him." Very
well, the man who believes in the spe-
cial creation theory holds that God
took a handful of dirt and, by a def
mite act, made, man out Of that dirt.
The man who believes in evolution
holds that somehow from an unknow.
able thing, or from God, life came
out Of the dust of the earth, that IL
was bare life at first that thru the
ages It took on higher and ever higher
forms, and that finally it eliminated
in the rational being called man, but
he accepts, literally and without ques-
ton, "Of dust Of the earth created
He him."
Now, what does IL matter, essen.
tally, whether that creation was the
result Of an act or a process, com.
pleted in a moment or at the end OF
cons? With God, all Of us agree
zone day is as a thousand years ant
thousand years is as one day.
Why should we little crawling worm,
down here call each other NEAR
names. as "hypocrite" and ignora
mus because we have different idea
as 10 how the Supreme Power did ,
thing that we never can understan,
anyhow?
Beyond any sort of doubt men an,
women who believed that God create,
man out of a handful Of clay, as
boy might make a clay horse, hav,
inherited bliss eternal because the,
lived right. Maybe they were ignor
ant. 1t does not matter. Beyon,
any sort Of doubt men and womel
who believed that the Great FRS
Cause evolved man out Of the dus
thru periods so long that the finit
mind cannot grasp them have inherit
ed bliss eternal because their live
were right. Maybe they were unbe
levers in something that somebod
else believed. It does not matte,
II there is a place of eternal punish
ment, il must be reserved for thos
intolerant people who say mea
things about those who do not be
lieve as they do and try to brin
misery upon them in this life.
1t is just as we'll that all of u
realize, once and for all, that W
know nothing, that we CANNOT gras
any thought Of real highness. tina
we cannot comprehend any absolut
thing.
Try to think of the universe a
having Happened" of somethin
having come out Of nothing. Tn
brain reels and a mist comes. TT
to comprehend a power that create
the universe, that power itself havin
no beginning, subsisted for ever an
aye, again the brain reels and chao
comes. Look out into space and tr
to think of it, going on and on, an
ever on and on with never any termi
nation. You cannot grasp it. TT,
then, to think Of something that put
a period to space. Your mind 4
capable Of no such thought.