The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library
The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library
LIFE AND ITS DE YELOPMENT. 153clusion that all organized existence can betraced to " only a few forms," or to " one,"according to the alternatives suggested byDarwin in the closing sentence of his book.Waiving, then, meanwhile, as the state ofscientific evidence warrants us to do, thequestion of the probable number of primordialforms in which organized existence appeared,there is at least another definite resultto be recorded as following from even amodified recognition of a theory of development,that is the rejection of 6elief in thesinzultaneous origin of all species or ordersof animal life existing now in the world.The scientific conception of the history ofanimal life is, that there has been a historicalprogression in the appearance of animals,in so far as lower orders took precedenceof higher, while the higher have shown largepower of adaptation to the circumstances inwhich they have been placed. In accordancewith the whole principles regulating the relationsof religion and science, religious men,scientific and non-scientific, will readily acquiescein this modification of general belief,as largely favored by evidence which geologysupplies, and supported by testimony drawn
154 SCIENCE AND RELIGION.from the actually existing order of things;and they will do so with clear recognitionthat this view involves no conflict with scripturalstatement, and is so far from containingin it any thing antagonistic to the fundamentalconception of the supernatural origin ofexistence, that it harmonizes with it, evenintensifying the demand upon a transcendentcause for the rational explanation of the admittedorder of things.Having thus indicated in definite form thefavorable impression made on the public mindby the theory of evolution under a law of naturalselection, it will suffice to indicate verybriefly the more prominent dificulties withwhich the theory has grappled, but fromwhich it has not escaped. In doing so, itshould be said that the careful and deliberatemanner in which Mr. Darwin has facedthe host of difficulties which have gatheredaround is deserving of highest praise, as inharmony with the scientific spirit, and inmarked contrast with the light-and-go-easystyle in which others, such as H~ckel, andeven Schmidt, pass over the ground, announciilgthings as undoubted facts, and even" self-evident" truths, of which no maa can
- Page 124 and 125: INORGANIC ELEMENTS. 103of energy ca
- Page 126 and 127: INORGANIC ELEMENTS.l05flective and
- Page 128 and 129: INORGANIC ELEMENTS. 107and a contin
- Page 130 and 131: INORGANIC ELEMENTS. 109ergy distinc
- Page 132 and 133: INORGANIC ELEMENTS. 111physical sci
- Page 134 and 135: INORGANIC ELEMZNTS. 113tion." * Suc
- Page 136 and 137: INORGANIC ELEMENTS.l15forever uncha
- Page 138 and 139: INORGANIC ELEMENTS. 117can be origi
- Page 140 and 141: LECTURE IT.ORGANIZED EXISTENCE: LIF
- Page 142 and 143: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 121harmon
- Page 144 and 145: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 123a work
- Page 146 and 147: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 125all th
- Page 148 and 149: LIFE AIVD ITS DE TELOPMENT. 127the
- Page 150 and 151: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT.l29scienti
- Page 152 and 153: LIFE AND ITS DE YELOPMENT. 131ment
- Page 154 and 155: LIFE AND ITS DEPrELOPMENT. 133anima
- Page 156 and 157: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 135though
- Page 158 and 159: LIRE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 137gestio
- Page 160 and 161: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 139still
- Page 162 and 163: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 141%~L?te
- Page 164 and 165: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 143tinuou
- Page 166 and 167: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 145time i
- Page 168 and 169: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 147done w
- Page 170 and 171: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 149quence
- Page 172 and 173: LIFE AND ITS DE YEL OPMENT. 151comp
- Page 176 and 177: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 155speak
- Page 178 and 179: LIFE AND ITS DE EEL OPIMENT. 157Thi
- Page 180 and 181: countered and leads to survival of
- Page 182 and 183: LIFE AND ITS DEVELOPMENT. 161time,
- Page 184 and 185: RELA TIOOYS OF ORGANISMS. 163tinct
- Page 186 and 187: XELA TrONS OF ORGANISMS. 165is a me
- Page 188 and 189: RELATIONS OF ORGANISMS. 167other fl
- Page 190 and 191: RELATIONS OF ORGANISMS. 169not come
- Page 192 and 193: RELATlONS OF ORGANISMS. 171deep has
- Page 194 and 195: RELA TZONS OF ORGANISMS. 173tioil o
- Page 196 and 197: RELATIONS OF ORGANISMS. 175head is
- Page 198 and 199: RELATIONS OF ORGANISMS. 177tears of
- Page 200 and 201: RELATIONS OP ORGANISMS. 179vention
- Page 202 and 203: RELATIONS OF ORGANISMS. 181which ha
- Page 204 and 205: RELATIONS OF ORGANISMS. 183these se
- Page 206 and 207: RELATIONS OF ORGANISMS. 185By a lin
- Page 208 and 209: XEL A TZONS OF ORGANISMS. 187nectio
- Page 210 and 211: RBLA TIONS OF ORGANISMS. 189ence. O
- Page 212 and 213: RELATIONS OF ORGANISMS. 191his obse
- Page 214 and 215: RELATIONS OF ORGANISMS. 193insects,
- Page 216 and 217: RBLAT'NS OF ORGANISMS. 195must conf
- Page 218 and 219: RELATIONS OR ORGANISMS. 197in by th
- Page 220 and 221: RELATIONS OF ORGANISMS. 199of desol
- Page 222 and 223: RELATIONS OF ORGANISMS. 201portance
154 SCIENCE AND RELIGION.from the actually existing order <strong>of</strong> things;<strong>and</strong> they will do so with clear recognitionthat this view involves no conflict with scripturalstatement, <strong>and</strong> is so far from containingin it any thing antagonistic to the fundamentalconception <strong>of</strong> the supernatural origin <strong>of</strong>existence, that it harmonizes with it, evenintensifying the dem<strong>and</strong> upon a transcendentcause for the rational explanation <strong>of</strong> the admittedorder <strong>of</strong> things.Having thus indicated in definite form thefavorable impression made on the public mindby the theory <strong>of</strong> evolution under a law <strong>of</strong> naturalselection, it will suffice to indicate verybriefly the more prominent dificulties withwhich the theory has grappled, but fromwhich it has not escaped. In doing so, itshould be said that the careful <strong>and</strong> deliberatemanner in which Mr. Darwin has facedthe host <strong>of</strong> difficulties which have gatheredaround is deserving <strong>of</strong> highest praise, as inharmony with the scientific spirit, <strong>and</strong> inmarked contrast with the light-<strong>and</strong>-go-easystyle in which others, such as H~ckel, <strong>and</strong>even Schmidt, pass over the ground, announciilgthings as undoubted facts, <strong>and</strong> even" self-evident" truths, <strong>of</strong> which no maa can
Change language