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Show 262 DARWINIAN A. series of nineteen Sunday lectures on the relation of natural and revealed religion, prepared in the first instance for a Bible-class of young men, his pupils in the University of South Carolina, repeated to similar classes at the University of California, and finally delivered to a larger and general audience. They are Printed the preface states, from a verbatim report, with on' ly verbal alterations and correcti.O ns of some redundancies consequent upon extemporaneous delivery. They are not, we find, lectures on science under a relioious aspect, but discourses upon Christian theology a~d its foundations from a scientific layman's point of view, with illustrations from his own lines of study. As the headings show, they cover, or, more correctly speaking, range over, almost the whole field of theological thought, beginning with the personality of Deity as revealed in Nature, the spiritual nature and attributes of Deity, and the incarnation; discussing by the way the general relations of theology to science, man, and his place in Nature ; and ending with a discussion of predestination and free-will, and of prayer in relation to invariable law-all in a volume of three hundred and twenty-four duodecimo pages! And yet the author remarks that many important subjects have been omitted because he felt unable to present them in a satisfactory manner from a scientific point of view. We note, indeed, that one or two topics which would naturally come in his way-such, especial1y, as the r.elation of evolution to the human race-are somewhat conspicuously absent. That most of the ~ome~tous subjects which he takes up are treated di~curs1veJy, and not exhaustively, is all the better for Ins readers. EVOLUTION AND THEOLOGY. 263 What they and· we most want to know is, how these seriOtl.S matters are viewed by an honest, enlightened, and devout scientific man. To solve the mysteries of the universe, as the French lady required a philosopher to explain his new system: "dans 1.bn mot," is beyond rational expectation. All that we have time and need to say of this little book upon great subjects relates to its spirit and to the view it takes of evolution. Its theology is wholly orthodox; its tone devotional, charitable, and hopeful; its confidence in religious truth, as taught both in N ature and revelation, complete; the illustrations often happy, but often too rhetorical; the science, as might be expected from this author, unimpeachable as regards matters of fact, discreet as to matters of opinion. The argument from design in the first lecture brings up the subject of the introduction of species.· Of this, considered " as a question of history, there is no witness on the stand except geology." "The present condition of geological evidence is undoubtedly in favor of some degree of suddenness-is against infinite gradations. The evidence may be meagre .... but whether meagre or not, it is all the evidence we have. . . . Now, the evidence of geology to-day is, that species seem to come in suddenly and in full perfection, remain substantially unchanged during the term of their existence, and pass away in full perfection. Other species take their place apparently by substitution, not by transmutation. But you will ask me, 'Do you, then, reject the 'doctrine of evolutiOn? Do you accept the creation of species directly and without secondary agencies and processes?' I answer, No I Science knows nothing of phenomena which do not take place by secondary causes and processes. She does not deny such occurrence, for true Science is not dogmatic, and she knows |