168 Kansas Academy of Science. 



that, there is that in the fundamental principles of evolution that 

 makes men look upon life and the world differently. As we well 

 know, evolution is but a new name for transformation, growth, de- 

 velopment, change, such as is going on every where about us. That 

 seems such a truism that it is not now worth while to be reminded 

 of it, but the time was when it was scientific as well as religious 

 heresy to mention such a thing. In a former stage, the pre-Dar- 

 winian era, men believed in the fixity of species and of all life, and 

 that change was impossible. This permanency of things as a 

 method or thought is now a thing of the past. We do not think 

 that way now. We think in terms of evolution, of progressive and 

 constantly improving development. Things are constantly becom- 

 ing, and change, growth, evolution, is everywhere. We do not ap- 

 ply sixteenth century methods of thought to twentieth century life 

 and things. The greatest gift, therefore, that evolution has bestowed 

 upon us is liberty of thought and the idea of thinking in terms of 

 progressive development as applied to life and things about us. 

 We do not now care so much for the controversy about the origin 

 of life and of the universe as we do for an insight into what it all 

 means. What are we here for ? What are we becoming in the 

 process of our evolution ? Are we worthy of the life that has been 

 given us ? Are we guiding it to its best outcome ? These are 

 thoughts that are being forced upon us as we contemplate the won- 

 derful workings of evolution and impress us with a sense of our 

 own appalling responsibility. 



