418 EVOLUTION AND DOGMA. 



comparative anatomy, embryology and teratology. 

 It affords no clue to the significance of rudimentary 

 organs, and tends inevitably to force science into a 

 veritable cul-de-sac." 1 



Again, it may be observed that the objections 

 referred to are based not only on a misapprehen- 

 sion of the significance of the theory of Evolution, 

 as well as of that of the theory of special creation, 

 but also on a misconception of the character of the 

 arguments which are urged in favor of both theo- 

 ries. The misapprehension arises from the .fact, 

 that Evolution is regarded as being at best but a 

 flimsy hypothesis, while special creation is repre- 

 sented as a positive dogma, which admits neither 

 of doubt nor of controversy. The truth is, how- 

 ever, that both Evolution and special creation 

 are theories, and no one who is exact in the use 

 of language can truthfully assert that either of 

 them is anything more. Evolution, I know, is 

 oftentimes called a proved doctrine ; but no evolu- 

 tionist who has any regard for accuracy of termi- 

 nology would pretend that the theory has passed all 

 the requirements of a rigid demonstration, because 

 he knows better than anyone else, that anything 

 approaching a mathematical demonstration of Evo- 

 lution is an impossibility. The most that the evo- 

 lutionist can hope for, or that he has hitherto 

 attained, or is likely to attain, at least for a long 

 time to come, is a certain degree of probability; 

 but such a degree of probability as shall give his 



1 See Compte Rendu du Troisieme Congres Scientifique 

 des Catholiques, Section d'Anthropologie, p. 20. 



