New Britain herald., 1926-04-22
Rev. M. J. Ahern, s. J., Says No Scientist Ever Believed Man Descended From Monkey.

bllg uptS HoI COHAlNN N4NAi u bN''N' in God according to Rev. Nj. J, Aheru, Jesuit prles, and professor of chemistry at st, Joseph's college in Philadelphia. Father Ahern spoke at a dinner meeting Of the liiwanis club at the Burritt hotel last evening.
 The meeting opened with prayer bv Rev. Walter ], Lyddy Of s. Msry's church. Joseph NJ, "ara' president of the kiwanis club, pre- sided. In introducing the speaker President Ward said he would tax" as his subject What Scientlst Thoologan Thinks of Evolution
 The speaker started by saying that fl is characteristic of scientists that thev do not swallow things ~nol"' ,hnv are selcctiye and want to get AS many facts as they can upon which they build their hypotheses'
 He criticized men who go outside Of their own sphere Of acti'lties ,o make statements on things they uo not understand. He spoke of Ino'nas Edison as q great scientist but said "He doesn't know any more about theology than an ordinary boot black" Burbank. he placed ln the same category. He declared nm inc greatest naturalist that eyer lived. but said when he began 10 discuss theology he was like the messenger or a train who tells the engineer that because he the pas senger) Is better educated, he IS more qualihed 10 run the engine and would be likely to run the train into q ditch.
 "Therc are no more trencnan' critics of the theory of evolution today than scientific men them selves" he said.
 He defined evolution as the theory Of species being transformed from one ;aricty to another. when sclentists know fact it is natural for them 10 ask why and how that fact exists" he said, explaining the continued Investigations by science i, tho field of evolution. "Ihcre F , good deal of misa pprehension at to how men go about this eXplsna- lion. Bryan said it was a guess. A guess is q wild thought. A scientist formulates working hypothesis. II he finds all the facts agree he ha' proven his hypothesis. If one singlf fact does not agree he must throw the whole thing overheard and De- gin anew. because one fact Th'cE does not agree proves It Is not th' correct formula"
 Clergy Not Opposed to Science Father Ahern made an emphan denial of the charge that the cierg Of any denomination is opposed [ science. Speaking for the Catholi clergy alone, 10 per cent Of all tn scientific discoveries the world ha known have been made by CathoNi priests" he said.
 Taking 8 rap at the Scopes trta' he said f. was started 70 see Tha woul1 happen over two ice crear ! eodas fin q drug store which late capitalized or the trial, He said th bringing Of Dudley Field Maion and Clarence parrow into the cas to argue it's theological merits va 4 disgrace "a American science an | that scientific mon have been deer' humhatad as a result.
 2 In the actual process Of eNoll ton. plants and animals change some axtrnt, hut the species do nt
 change. he Gaid wizard li} !, Bnrhank could produce a hundrt different kind of roses, hut the ro' doos rot become a chrJ Jsartilemu' TOT inc cN-ysauthemum an oran: \ blossom No child Is exactly like 1 | parents. but 1t still Is q child. Do'
 may ho different but they are 2
 ways dogs, They cannot be chang z very much. r has never been done 2 nature. When man lets plan
 grow wild they revert to their 0
 igiual status. T'his Is known os Il
 persistence oS type.
 Rose Never a Cabbage There is also q hereditary "
 out the rose ncl CT becomes q ca page" he sail. "Evolution Is theory but if is q plausible eXplan
 ton. l. is the only explanation
 nui1. up. but that doesn't foIlt
 that f is tho true theory.
 TT Is compatible with the ere
 tisc theory or God? Rev, J, He5
 irc, $. J., in Tine Monthly. as!
 'DiJ tod. the creator. orisna
 ,quIn matter and force with pow
 to establish the present univr'
 ..tnout .urthor intervention OH |
 parf. or diI He from time to tir
 introduce man and higher forms in
 tne already existing world:'
 "Tua mar who says he does T
 ueHo,,. in God is jeuying the fl
 l,c' oe sci"nrr" the speaker sa
 Replying to fine question by Fatf
 k,atirg ro read a statement frc
 :notn,r tnnologian scientist tE
 "Tho decp'r man go"s into sci6n
 ,ha farther away he gets fire
 mrrisn'."
 Another stafrm"n. he read. VT
 'vn hy 6 Catholic priest was "ENoI
 tiun Is God's way Of bringing {
 world ln'o ,xiacnc"." He s'
 many writers and clorgym"n tod - rrcouriIr religion and evolution, > "1 am not a modcrnist," he 3, pIainoi. "I am . believer in inspired word Of God as interpret .: by my church."
 i: Referring to 'he question of m' hc sail the Catholic church, wo' have TO difficulty in acccpti t evolution 'h"or,' insofar e. {: biological development ot ihe D" :: nf man was concerned. Regard ''.e soul. he added, man has a SO Aristotle proved that ton years fore the Christian religion. Ia .: tadiudual scul is a direct cron'i
 ot God and science haa not sim