THE EVOLUTION OF MAN 



under' tne rays of the sun in the silent grasp of 

 secret, natural laws, and gradually develop to the 

 summit of humanity. It is that other simple mes- 

 sage which tells us : "Thou shalt not torture any 

 animal uselessly; thou shalt hot wantonly break 

 any flower, for they too are distant relations in 

 the great flow of life, they too are still your 

 brothers in the unfathomable recesses of nature. 

 Helpless stands that flower, or that glittering lit- 

 tle beetle before you, just like a trembling, little 

 child. But the child grows up into a man, and 

 who knows what this flower or that beetle may 

 become some day, or what may have become of 

 others like them, millions of years ago! 



It is such sentiments as these which every 

 one of us feels in his or her best moments which 

 seem to me fitting for the discussion of such a 

 tremendous question as that of the evolution of 

 man. 



Wherever the compassion of man can find its 

 way, there the blessed and divine longing for 

 understanding may also wend its steps without 

 fear or shame. Whoever has so much love that 

 he can feel it for an animal may also approach 

 with perfectly clear conscience that other ques- 

 tion, whether the blood relationship that freely 

 binds him to other human beings does not per- 



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