160 Contemporary Evolution. 



her from such attacks. As to evolution as applied to 

 animal life, it is absolutely unquestionable by any one who 

 understands the meaning of the terms that " it is evident 

 that ancient and most venerable theological authorities 

 distinctly assert derivative creation, and thus their teach- 

 ing harmonises with all that modern science can possibly 

 require."* As the present writer has elsewhere ob- 

 served : f "It can hardly be denied to be a noteworthy 

 fact, that the Church should have unconsciously pro- 

 vided for the reception of modern theories by the omis- 

 sion of fruitful principles and far-reaching definitions 

 centuries before such theories were promulgated, and 

 when views directly contradicting them were held univer- 

 sally, and even by those very men themselves who laid 

 down the principles and definitions referred to. Circum- 

 stances so remarkable, such undesigned coincidences, 

 which, as facts, cannot be denied, must be allowed to 

 have been 'preordained' by all those who, being theists, 

 assert that a ' purpose ' runs through the whole process 

 of cosmical evolution. Such theists must admit that, 

 however arising or with whatever end, a prescience has 

 watched over the Church's definitions, and that she has 

 been so guided in her teaching as to be able to harmonise 

 and assimilate with her doctrines the most modern 

 theories of physical science." 



* " Genesis of Species," 2nd edition, p. 305. 

 f " Lessons from Nature," p. 449. 



