54 THE EVOLUTIONARY THEORY 



this fact should be remembered in consuhing the work. 

 Several later works appeared containing further data, 

 and in 187 1 Darwin applied his theory to the human 

 species in a work entitled, The Descent of Man. 



The new theory at first called forth a most bitter 

 opposition from physical scientists and theologians 

 alike, and the controversy which followed was not edi- 

 fying. Yet the alarm which Darwin's views caused 

 need not surprise us. Their real bearing took time to 

 determine. Darwin himself thought that his theory 

 nulHfied the alleged evidences of design in nature, and 

 it appeared at first blush to contradict the doctrine of 

 creation and to be inconsistent with belief in the divine 

 inspiration of Genesis. To this day many thoughtful 

 writers consider that Darwinism cannot be reconciled 

 with Christian doctrine as to man's primitive state 

 Jf\ rU' and subsequent fall into the condition which is de- 

 scribed by the phrase "original sin." We may think 

 that such impressions were groundless, but they were 

 very real. Physical scientists had not yet abandoned 

 belief in the fixity of species, nor had they fully assim- 

 ilated the somewhat revolutionary views of Sir Charles 

 Lyell as to the amount of time available for such a 

 process of organic evolution as Darwin hypothecated. 

 Many of them, therefore, regarded Darwinism as a 

 step backward, and as throwing scientific thought into 

 confusion. The immense array of evidence which 

 Darwin had accumulated had its effect, however, and 

 the new theory rapidly won a recognized place among 

 the working hypotheses of natural science. The late 



