PRESENT ASPECTS OF THE QUESTION 19 



phenomena which we perceive may be due to the 

 absolute creative fiat, to the prepared environment, or 

 the reproductive power. The creative work is itself 

 a part of Divine law, and this in a three-fold aspect : 

 First, the law of the Divine will or purpose ; second, 

 the laws impressed on the medium or environment 

 third, the laws of the organism itself, and of its con 

 tinuous multiplication, either with or without modifi 

 cations. 



While the Bible does not commit itself to any 

 hypotheses of evolution, it does not exclude these up&amp;lt; 

 to a certain point. It even intimates in the varying 

 formulae, created, made, formed, caused to bring 

 forth, that different kinds of living beings may have 

 been introduced in different ways, only one of which 

 is entitled to be designated by the higher term create. 

 The scientific evolutionist may, for instance, ask 

 whether different species, when introduced, may not 

 under the influence of environment change in process 

 of time, or by sudden transitions, into new forms not 

 distinguishable by us from original products of crea 

 tion. Such questions may never admit of any certain 

 or final solution, but they resemble in their nature 

 those of the chemist, when he asks how many of the 

 kinds of matter are compounds produced by the union 

 of simple substances, and how many are elementary, 

 and can be no further decomposed. If the chemist has 

 to recognise, say, seventy substances as elementary, 

 these are to him manufactured articles, products of! 



B 2 



