Evolution and its Consequences. 7 1 



'unspotted orthodoxy' (as Professor Huxley justly remarks), 

 that I called him into court, where he testifies so completely 

 to my satisfaction. 



The success of my mode of procedure is, I confess, 

 gratifying to me. Not only was my argument 'most 

 interesting ' to Professor Huxley, but he tells us his ' astonish- 

 ment reached its climax,' and that he shall ' look anxiously ' 

 for additional references ' in the third edition of the Genesis 

 of Species! Fortunately I have no need to keep the 

 Professor waiting, but shall shortly proceed to give him these 

 additional references at once. 



Let it be borne in mind that in view of the popular 

 conceptions current in England on the subject, my argument 

 was that if even those who receive the teaching of St. 

 Thomas Aquinas and the Jesuits, and who look to Rome for 

 doctrinal decisions — if even those are free to accept evolution, 

 then, d fortiori, other Christians, supposed to be com- 

 paratively untrammelled, need not hesitate as to the harmony 

 and compatability of Christianity and evolution. 



Of all I said in my book on the subject I have nothing to 

 retract ; but I repeat yet more confidently than before that 

 'evolution is without doubt consistent with the strictest 

 Christian theology ' : that ' it is notorious that many distin- 

 guished Christian thinkers have accepted, and do accept, both 

 ideas ' ; that ' Christian thinkers are perfectly free to accept 

 the general evolution theory ' ; and, finally, that ' it is evident 

 that ancient and most venerable theological authorities 

 distinctly assert derivative creation, and thus their teachings 

 harmonise with all that modern science can possibly require. 

 The point I had to prove was that the assertion of the 

 evolution of new species (whether by Mr. Darwin's ' natural 

 selection ' or according to my hypothesis) was in no opposi- 

 tion to the Christian faith as to the creation of the organic 

 world. 



