98 EVOLUTION AND SOCIAL PROGRESS 



ing to the laws that God had given. Since a 

 separate Creation, we have said, is philosophi- 

 cally required for the origin of life, it is sup- 

 posed in this theory that the seed or seeds of 

 life were virtually present in semine "in germ" 

 and all living things were later evolved, under 

 God's Providence, from the seeds thus created 

 originally. The days of Creation are then ex- 

 plained as merely "marks of progression or in- 

 definite periods." Father Hull thus interprets St. 

 Augustine's hypothesis: 



He says that while the original act of Creation was direct 

 and simultaneous, the subsequent formation was gradual and 

 progressive. He tells us distinctly that animals and plants 

 were produced, not as they appear now, but virtually and in 

 germ, and that the Creator gave to the earth the power of 

 evolving from itself, by the operation of natural laws, the 

 various forms of animal or vegetable life. His treatment of 

 the subject, in fact, reads like the anticipation of a modern 

 scientific treatise. His view did not "necessitate perpetual 

 search for manifestations of miraculous powers and perpetual 

 catastrophies" but a search "for the institution of laws of 

 nature rather than interference with them." 



St. Thomas Aquinas, in the thirteenth century, commenting 

 on St. Augustine, declares that "in the institution of nature 

 we do not look for miracles but for the laws of nature." He 

 gives preference to the view of St. Augustine as against that 

 of St. Basil, saying that "while the latter is more conformable 

 to the text, the former is more reasonable, and better adapted 

 to defend the Sacred Scriptures against attacks of unbelievers."* 

 As regards the apparent division of the creation-process into 

 several parts, and the picture of God issuing successive edicts to 

 bring successive events about, St. Augustine has some very wise 

 words on the folly of trying to take all the statements of 



* From Zahm, "Bible Science and Faith," p. 84. 



