THE DIVINITY OF MAN. 



AJ old and pious Irish woman (so the story goes) called 

 at the library for Darwin's Descent of Man, but re- 

 turned the book speedily, saying, "I thought it was on a 

 'dacent' man, but I am dis'pinted, it is mere gibberish 

 about apes and that kind o' things." 



Whatever errors the good old Irish woman may be 

 guilty of in spelling, the truth is that in spite of the science 

 of its author the book is one-sided, and attempts only to 

 trace the physiological connection of man with a series of 

 lower animals. If the theory of evolution holds good 

 (which is no longer doubted by any true scientist) , the 

 descent of man is continuous since the beginning of life 

 on earth. There is no break in the ladder of life, but 

 when we trace the genealogy of man, we ought not to for- 

 get the Apostle's word, 1 who when addressing the Athe- 

 nians in the market-place of their city, quoted from some 

 of the Greek poets* the line : 



"Tov (sc. eov) yap KCU ye'vos e 

 (For God's offspring are we.) 



The idea that we are the offspring of God is Greek, 

 not Hebrew, but the sentiment has become a part of our 

 religious ideas. At the time of Christ monotheism had 

 attained its most rigid form among the Jews, and any 



1 Acts xvii, 28. 



2 The words occur in fragments of Aratus and Cleanthes. 



