6o THE EVOLUTIONARY THEORY 



IV 



In the controversies which followed the publication 

 of The Origin of Species, the distinction between the 

 theory of natural evolution of species and Darwin's 

 explanation of it, or the theory of natural selection, 

 was not clearly made. The attack on Darwinism was 

 really an attack on the general theory of evolution. The 

 battle was fought out in the sixties, and after a few 

 years natural evolution became the generally accepted 

 working hypothesis of scientific investigation. There 

 is not the slightest sign to-day of its ceasing to hold the 

 field. But as time went by scientists came to see that 

 Darwdn had exaggerated the part of natural selection 

 in evolution, and that his theory required supplement- 

 ing and modifying. This change of attitude was purely 

 scientific, and was not caused by any theological prej- 

 udice. Such prejudice gradually disappeared among 

 those theologians who took pains calmly to consider 

 the real purport and bearing of natural selection, and 

 who came to realize that to anticipate the results of 

 scientific investigation was not involved in the pur- 

 pose of the divine inspiration of Genesis. Accordingly, 

 the more intelligent thinkers ceased to feel anxious as 

 to the consequences to theology of biological study; 

 and scientists were left free to pursue their investiga- 

 tions without being influenced by confusing side issues. 

 Under these circumstances many scientists came to 

 realize that while Darwin's arguments were very 

 effective to estabhsh the behef in a natural evolution 



