150 Natural Theology. 



origin and permanence of species, the best natu- 

 ralists are not agreed. We accept the theory of a 

 distinct creation for each species. Each species 

 thus represents a distinct creative idea. The species 

 may be varied for a wise purpose, without losing its 

 essential characteristics. Thousands of new kinds 

 of apples have been produced from the same stock, 

 but no fruit was ever raised from an apple-seed that 

 would be mistaken for a peach or pear ; so that there 

 has not been shown to be the slightest tendency 

 in the apple to change to any other kind of fruit. 

 This is what we mean by saying that the creative 

 idea is never lost amid all the changes in the pro- 

 duction of varieties. We do not regard the doctrine 

 of the distinct creation of each species as essential at 

 all to the argument for the existence and attributes 

 of God. We accept it on purely scientific grounds, 

 believing fully that science and the Bible here agree. 

 But we must acknowledge, whether the species have 

 come into existence by direct creation or by sec- 

 ondary causes, that there is a systematic connection 

 running back through all the geologic ages. The 

 animals in the rocks belong to strange forms in- 

 deed ; but in all their strangeness, they yet show 

 connection with those now living. But it is the 

 same sort of connection we should expect to find 

 among the creations of the same Being, who with 

 wisdom and skill varied His work only according to 

 the conditions in which it was to be placed. He 

 has indeed His own distinct types running back as 

 far as animal life is found. And the ancient tribes 



