1 62 Contemporary Evolution. 



can now see, on evolutionary principles, how in the 

 instantaneous creation taught by St. Augustine the 

 whole vast series of animal and vegetable forms, created 

 potentially " in the beginning/' have become actual from 

 time to time as the conditions for their manifesta- 

 tion have in their appointed order from time to time 

 occurred. Indeed, even the literal narrative of Scripture 

 as to creation must be acknowledged to have been a 

 remarkable anticipation of modern views compared with 

 other ancient cosmogonies. This is confessed even by 

 Haeckel, who speaks of it as distinguished " by the simple 

 and natural chain of ideas which runs through it, and 

 which contrasts favourably with the confused mythology 

 of creation current among most of the other ancient 

 nations ; " there, he adds, " two great and fundamental 

 ideas meet us ... with surprising clearness and 

 simplicity, the idea of separation or differentiation, and 

 the idea of progressive development or perfecting'' What- 

 ever divergence of opinion, however, may exist as to the 

 sense and meaning of the words of Genesis, any disproof 

 of the Christian doctrine authoratively taught by St. 

 Augustine is absolutely impossible. 



There seems then to be nothing in the process of 

 scientific evolution to cause reasonable alarm and anxiety 

 to Christians, or to afford their opponents any well- 

 grounded hope. Such evolution can indeed be indirectly 

 influential through the philosophy which may be mixed 



