Evening star., 1925-07-20
Maynard M. Metcaf

There is no degree Of conflict between
evolution and the Bible. Maynard
M. Metcalf, zoologist, former head OF
the geological department at Oberlin
College, declared in statement ad-
mitted to the record.
There is no conflict, no least de-
gree of conflict, between the Bible
and the fact of evolution" the state
ment said, but the literalist inter
probation of the words of the Bible is
not only puerile; II Is insulting both
to God and to human intelligence.
But the fundamentalist would do
much worse than insult God. He is in
reality. although he doesn't realize
this, trying to shut mans minds to
Gods ever growing revelation of Him.
self to the human soul.
He teaches In effect that Gods rev.
elation of Himself was complete long
ago. that He long ago ceased to un-
fold His mind to men in new revela-
ton. This is evil influence, criminal.
damnable. Truth is sacred, apd to
hinder mems approach to truth is as
evil a thing, as un-Christian a thing,
as one can do.
Stand Called Blasphemous.
"The thought that God is at odds
with Himself. that His revelation Of
Himself to men Of old is at variance
with his works in nature is as bias
leaders to say of Jesus that He casts
out devils through BeelzebUb, the
Prince of Devils Jesus made short
work of this attack upon Him"
The thing to do, he said, is not to
attempt to guide Gods self-revelation
into channels "of our own ignorant
choosing, but to seek His thought and
Himself in nature. history. and
through His showing US His habit of
producing results by gradual growth.
by evolution rather than by immediate
fat"
Evolution, he declared. not only has
Bile today in both the plant and ami
NAL world. He cited the development
and breeding of the cabbage from a
plant Of the mustard family.
Cites Four Groups.
In the main, evidence of evolution
may be arranged in four chief groups,
he said. referring to the phenomena
of comparative anatomy, of compare
tive embryology, of paleontology and
geology and of geographical distribu-
ton.
I'VE can arrange plants and ami
mails in a double, parallel series show
ing increasing complextty Of organt-
Zation.
I'm the development Of an individu.
al from an egg to adult this indtviu.
al passes through a series Of stages
of increasing complexity. and this In
organisms strangely parallels and
agrees with the racial series first
mentioned"
Continuing. he discussed the dis
covery of bodily remains in the FOSSIL
ferrous rocks, which form series
showing increasing complexity.
Evolution is the only key found to
the geographical distribution of ami
mails and plants and to the differ
ences noted between them, He as
serted. He pointed as evidence of ev-
mails and plants.
Resemblance to Animals.
There are in man. for example.
very many structures of no concety-
able present use, but showing resem-
blanches to organs in other animals
which are useful" he said. The ap-
pendix vermiformis, and the wisdom
teeth Of man, he pointed to as ex-
amples. He also pointed to the simi-
larity Of various organs in related
animals.
Probably there is no structure in
the human body" he said, (which
has not at some time been used for
a different purpose. AS the use Of the
organ changes in evolution its struc-
ture correspondingly changes and we
see most complete series Of inter
grades between the earlier and the
later conditions"
He explained that there was no
such thing as species in nature, but
that the words, Species" genus"
family" etc. were terms used to de-
scribe the fact that animals and plants
differed among themselves and differ
to different degrees.
Intelligent teaching Of biology or
any intelligent approach to biological
science Is impossible if the established
fact of evolution is omitted, he de-
clared.
Must Recognize Evolution.
Discussion Of the methods by which
evolution has been brought about is