48 MODERN IDEAS OF EVOLUTION 



that is valuable, more especially with reference to the 

 perfectly legitimate questions relating to the develop 

 ment of civilisation, and of new ideas and inventions 

 in human history. Man is not confined, like the lower 

 animals, within the range of unvarying instinct. He 

 is gifted with inventive and progressive powers, and 

 in the study of the progress of these there is scope for 

 much psychological inquiry and discussion, though it 

 is evident that human progress is not of the nature of 

 a slow and gradual evolution, but rather by sudden 

 leaps under the influence of superior genius and mental 

 I power, and it is all within the specific limits of man, 

 and in no respect tends to the production of a new 

 species. 



This general view of evolution will enable us to 

 have some definite idea of the doctrine as presented 

 by Darwin and his followers ; but perhaps it may be 

 well before proceeding farther to consider what bear 

 ing it may have on theology, or more properly whether 

 it accords with or contradicts the idea of divine crea 

 tion as maintained in Revelation. As to this, little 

 apprehension need be entertained on the part of 

 Christianity, and it may safely leave such questions 

 as those above discussed to exhaust themselves, 

 . except in so far as they may affect the interest of 

 individual unstable souls. This last is, however, an 

 , important matter, and it may be well to scrutinise it 

 I more closely. 



I The modern hypotheses of evolution present them- 



