The Relation of Science and Religion.pdf - Online Christian Library

186 SCIENCE AND RELIGION.But it is clearly impossible to stop here inour inferences. There is interdependence oflower and higher organisms, to which a distinctplace needs to be assigned in our theoryof the universe. Even if it be granted, as itreadily will be by those who have studied theresults of recent research, that there is a vastbody of evidence to prove that there is developmentof species by adaptation and selection,it is equally evident that this is not theonly law affecting the existence of differentorders of organized beings. Just as clear asit is that pollen and seed are both required toprovide for the continuance of plant life, soclear is it that plants are needed to supportinsects, and insects to propagate plants. Proceedingon the same lines of reasoning ashave been already employed, we must inqiiirehow this ii~terdepelidence is to be accountedfor under natural law ? The struggle for existenceis clearly performing an importantpart in the development of plants, and alsoof animals; and so long as we regard thesetwo orders singly, it seems obvious howchanges in structure may be accounted for;but observations have become so interlaced,that a new problem has been raised in con-