FREEDOM IN SCIENCE AND TEACHING. 



CHAPTEE I. 



DEVELOPMENT AND CREATION. 



XOTHIXG is more helpful for the understanding of 

 scientific controversies, or for the clearing of con- 

 fused conceptions, than a contrasted statement, as 

 defined and clear as possible, of the simplest leading 

 propositions of the contending doctrines. Hence it is 

 highly favourable to the victory of our modern doctrine 

 of evolution that its chief problem, the question as 

 to the origin of species, is being more and more 

 pressed by these opposite alternatives : Either all 

 organisms are naturally evolved, and must in that 

 case be all descended from the simplest common 

 parent - forms or : That is not the case, and the 

 distinct species of organisms have originated inde- 

 pendently of each other, and in that case can only 

 have been created in a supernatural way, by a 

 miracle. Natural evolution, or supernatural creation 





