52 THE PROBLEM OF EVOLUTION 



foundation the principles of Christian philosophy 

 and of the Christian theory of life. 



But even in this case we are confronted with the 

 question : If we take as our basis the Christian 

 theory of the world, viz. creation connected with 

 evolution, (inasmuch as the Creator has created 

 a world capable of development), can we, or can 

 we not, include the formation of man in such an 

 evolutionary process ? 



The question is a very difficult one, chiefly from 

 the fact that it is not a simple, but a very com 

 plicated, problem. Not only are the natural sciences 

 concerned, but theology asserts her right to decide 

 in what way man came into being ; and within the 

 domain of the natural sciences, psychology, the 

 science of the mind, claims also to express an 

 opinion on the subject. In short, the question 

 that we have to discuss this evening is not a purely 

 zoological one, and we must do our best, as far as 

 possible, to do justice to all the various aspects of 

 it, and not to confuse them with one another. 



We often hear allusions made to the so-called 

 zoological evidence for the descent of man from 

 beasts. If the descent of man from beasts were 

 proved to evidence by zoology, then to zoology 

 would belong the right, predominantly or exclusively, 

 to decide the question of the origin of man; and 

 further, zoology should already have brought for 

 ward definite proofs not mere general possibilities, 

 but real evidence, with regard to which scientists 



