The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-04-23
Forum Of The People
RI
EvnIntinn Again

To the Editor of The Age-Herald:
| venture to say that there are no pro-
tests against the teaching of evolution by
any one who has taken the trouble to as
certain iusE&hat it is. am sure there
is not one student in ten thousand that
studies evolution now with a view to accept
ing credible evidence that is inclined to reject
it: and l will say more. | do not believe
that any intelligent and well-informed Chris
tian believer who studies evolution earnestly
and carefully will find it in any degree weak
ening to his religious hope. J. found 1t quite
to the contrary in my own case. / have read
and studied the matter as widely and care
fully as | have been able to do, and / say
without any reserve that nothing z ever
studied has so appreciated my conception OF
God, and of my hope in Christ. 1t is simply
a matter of evidence whether God created
man like He does everything else we can OBJ
serve Him doing, by development or by roll
ing the mud into a full sized man and put
ting life into the form after He had made
it. The evidence for evolution is this, in
part
The lowest forms of life have no struc-
tural parts, like nerves, blood vessels or
bones The next higher has but the faint
est traces of any tissues or organs. The
next higher above that have some of these
in rudimentary form. Still higher forms
have more perfect organs and tissues. And
so on, more and more complete till you find
them complete in higher animals and man.
All the way up the almost identical struc-
ture is repeated and a little changed to bet
ter adapt it or suit it to its better use by
the higher form of life. And that is the
case between the higher animals and man as
perfectly as it is between any two forms
all the way down to the lowest. And why
should man feel any the less a product OF
divine origin, or divinely created, because
developed and built up from the same dust
gradually as we see everything else devel-
oped in nature?
No evoIutionist claims that man was dis
cended from a monkey or ape, or any other
animal any more than the rose was descended
from a monkey or ape
1t is clearly shown in the laboratory now
that any matter whatever, whether it is hui
man flesh, blood or nerve tissue, or whether
it is the tissue of any bird or animal, OF
whether it be a gas of any kind. a clod OF
common clay, or what not, that they are
composed exactly of the same little elements
or particles called protons and electrons
which make up the atoms and all sub
stances. The only difference in the world
between the atoms of any two substances oil
bodies is the number and arrangement Of
these little particles in the makeup of tbs
atoms.
There is a great deal more of divine wis
dom and creative beauty displayed in the con
ception of the evolutionary process than ir
the direct instantaneous conception. Anc
there is no conflict at all between the evo
luton conception and the Bible account wher
we take into account the Bible mode of teach
ing or expression all the way through. II
there is any conflict we make it.
To force an issue like this upon the PEG
pie generally who have no way of knowing
the real truth of the matter only as they
are told by speakers. is very great folly
Why not take the word of the teachers anc
scientists at once? They have the best oppor
tunty to know. There are no people in tht
world whose very task makes them more
accurate, exact and reliable in their conclu
sions. Have we greater reason to trus
politician and the agitater?
There are no scientists of reputation VIII
oppose the evolution idead exceut they heaC
some religious order that are more easil!
satisfied with conception contrary to evo
| luton. At least | have not found them il
all my reading. / think it would be thu
part of wisdom to leave this matter to tn,
teachers and scientists, since We or most Of
us, have to take somebody's word for it,
G. b. f. ST0YALL.