52 MODERN IDEAS OF EVOLUTION 



says : c I need offer no argument for evolution, since 



tto doubt evolution is to doubt science, and science is 

 only another name for truth. In the sequel of the 

 address he limits himself to the evolution of the ver 

 tebrate animals, admitting that he knows nothing of 

 the absolute origin of the first of them, and basing his 

 conclusions mainly on the succession, in distant times, 

 and often in distant places, of forms allied to each 

 other, and advancing in the scale of complexity. 

 Such succession obviously falls far short of scientific 

 proof of evolution ; and other than this no evidence 

 is offered for the strong assertion above quoted. In 

 the conclusion of the address he asserts that life may 

 be a form of some other force, presumably physical 

 force ; but admits in the same breath that we are 

 ignorant of its origin ; and finally he makes an appeal, 

 not to facts, but to faith : Possibly the great mystery 

 of life may thus be solved ; but whether it be or not, 

 a true faith in science knows no limit to its search for 

 truth. Plainly, if this is all that can be said as to 

 scientific results concerning the origin of life, if this 

 origin is still an unsolved problem, a great mystery/ 

 it is a somewhat strong demand on our faith to ask 

 us to believe even that science will in the future suc 

 ceed in effecting the solution of this problem, and we 

 should not have been told that to doubt evolution is to 

 doubt science. This style of treating the subject is 

 indeed much to be deprecated in the interest of science 

 itself. 



