410 EVOLUTION AND DOGMA. 



which it is now beset. Never has the Divine char- 

 acter of the Book of books, been so gloriously man- 

 ifested as it is now, after the many and furious 

 onslaughts made on it in the name of science and 

 the Higher Criticism. For, strange to say, the very 

 investigations and discoveries which it was fondly 

 imagined would completely nullify all its claims to 

 being a Divine revelation, far from destroying such 

 claims have but strengthened them and rendered 

 them more logical and consistent. 



Evidences of Design and Purpose. 



And as to the evidence of design and purpose in 

 nature, it was never more strikingly conclusive. But 

 believing in final causes does not imply, let it be 

 borne in mind, that we can always discover what is 

 the precise purpose which is to be subserved by any 

 given creature or organ. God has not taken us into 

 His counsels, and we can at best catch but glimpses 

 of His Divine plans and purposes. 1 



There are, undoubtedly, many ends and purposes 

 to be answered in all created things, and those of 

 which we can attain any knowledge may be the least 



1 Descartes, in reference to this matter, truthfully observes : 

 "Nous ne devons pas tant presumer de nous-memes, que de 

 croire que Dieu nous ait voulu faire part de ses conseils." Lord 

 Bacon speaks still more forcibly of the fallacy and folly of 

 those who fancy they can read nature, or interpret the Divine 

 plans and purposes in nature. " Neque enim credibile est quan- 

 tum agmen idolorum philosophise immiserit naturalium opera- 

 tionum ad similitudinem actionum humanarum reductio. Hoc 

 ipsum, inquam, quod putetur talia natura facere, qualia homo 

 facit. Neque multo meliora sunt ista quam haeresis anthropo- 

 morphitarum . . . aut sententia Epicuri huic ipsi in pagan- 

 ismo respondens, qui diis humanam figuram tribuebat." " De 

 Aug. Scien. ; " V : iv. 



