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1 60 MAN'S PRIMITIVE STATE 



4. Finally, the doctrine that there is a continuity in 

 the history of things which cannot be broken, and that 

 any alleged event which would necessarily interfere 

 with this continuity is for that reason incredible, is 

 too well estabhshed to be disputed by any one who 

 desires to be thought intelligent. The apphcation of 

 this doctrine to our inquiry is not difBcult to perceive. 

 /There appears to be a very obvious continuity between 

 ( the development and habits of man's immediate brute- 

 ancestors and the subsequent moral development of 

 mankind. And .natural investigation brings to light 

 no facts which can be seriously regarded as evidence 

 that this continuity has been broken by such a 

 primitive state of our race as is described by cathoHc 

 doctrine. 



The conclusions which I have defined — that phys- 

 ical evolution accounts for the origin of the physical 

 man; that the only characteristics of human nature 

 known to modern science are those which man exhibits 

 in what theologians call his fallen state; that the domi- 

 nance of animal propensities in man is in proportion 

 to his antiquity; and that the habits of ancient races 

 seem to be connected with those of his brute-ancestors 

 by a continuity of development which leaves no place 

 for such a primitive state as is taught by catholic doc- 

 trine — these conclusions hang together and, when 

 viewed from a purely naturalistic standpoint, certainly 

 seem to prove that the cathoHc doctrine which we 

 are considering is absolutely incredible. Even among 

 those who do not accept pure naturalism the habits 



