338 Evolution as Related to Religious Thought. 



ABSTRACT OF THE DISCUSSION. 



Rev. Merle St. Croix Wright: — 



I believe that the doctrine of Evolution, contrary to the general 

 fear, really re-enforces the idea of God. The perception of an 

 order in the universe is an evidence of God in the universe. There 

 must have been a cause to start the universe — to begin the process 

 of evolution. Speculation as to this cause is beyond science, and 

 belongs to philosophy. There is no room in the universe for chance. 

 Nature presents a grand spectacle of material order, man of moral 

 order. Our idea of God must cover both. Evolution, therefore, 

 shows God with us, though in a different way from that in which 

 he was formerly supposed to be with us ; hence the opposition to 

 the new thought. Law is an expression of method, and method 

 involves purpose, intelligence. The scientists appear to be coming 

 around to the idealistic position. Professor Cope holds that there 

 is a consciousness in all things, and that this develops at last into 

 man's self -consciousness. From this is developed, on a scientific 

 basis, the idea of immortality. The brain is simply the machine 

 of the mind, which does not perish when the brain dies. Evolu- 

 tion, therefore, leaves the three fundamentals of religion un- 

 touched: the belief in God as the author of law; in the soul as an 

 individual entity; and in the immortality of the self-conscious 

 soul. Evolution shows the adaptation of means to an end. It 

 transfers the idea of design from particular fact to general princi- 

 ple. The Divine is still necessary to account for man's thought 

 and capacity for progressive development. 



Professor Jerome Allen: — 



I stand before you as a staunch Presbyterian and yet a firm evo- 

 lutionist. I could agree with much of the essay — perhaps most 

 of it — but will present one or two points of possible disagreement, 

 bearing upon the relation of Evolution to Christianity. There are 

 two kinds of natural religions — those which are moral and those 

 which are immoral in their influence. But Christianity I believe 

 to be an exception to the general rule of evolution, being an extra- 

 natural product. If I was convinced that Christianity was a 

 product of Evolution, I should not be a Christian. I would define 

 religion as a sense of dependence on an external power. Any one 

 who feels this sense of dependence on an outside Power, has a 



