HASsELn. 65 
creatures destitute of nerve-centres, having no sentient life ; 
it is clear, then, that these creatures could not have thought 
out the plan. But, perhaps, say some, the primitive molecules 
ordered the arrangement when they were issuing from the 
nebulous state? ‘To this, however, the intuitive judgment of 
man demurs. What then? If the arrangement is not placed 
to the credit of the primitive organisms, nor to the molecules 
of the unorganised, it must have been provided for by mmd— 
the great mind—the Great First Cause—God. 
But enough of this. May we not apply the words of the 
great Apostle of the Gentiles, and say, “‘ We speak as to wise 
men, judge ye what I say ’’?? 
Il].—Tuer New Fara. 
If the doctrine of special creation be given up, and the 
Darwin-Spencerian creed of Evolution by natural selection 
accepted in its place, then we must subscribe to the following 
articles of scientific faith :— 
1. A lifeless, plantless ocean evolved ont of itself aquatic 
plants; and then a marine vegetation, passing from its proper 
domain, became terrestrial; sea-weeds thus transformed them- 
selves into mosses, and mosses into ferns; and so like pro- 
duced unlike. 
2. A cryptogamic vegetation, planned for itself floral 
organs, and altered its structure to suit such change. 
3. Acrogenic stems became endogenic, and some of these 
changed themselves into exogenic, and thus throughout the 
long vista of geological ages plants produced others not after 
their own kind, which thing, though contrary to experience, 
nevertheless did occur. 
4, At some unknown period in the past the whole course of 
the vegetable world reversed itself, and from that time to this 
every plant has produced another after its own kind. Why 
persistency of species is now found to be the order of nature, 
while in the past transmutation pertained, cannot be deter- 
mined; yet since the doctrine of Evolution requires that both 
be believed, it is to be accepted without questioning. 
5. The first animals were evolved either out of non-living 
matter, or else from vegetable protoplasm. The primitive 
animals thus produced were destitute of any specialised con- 
trivances for the performances of the functions of animal life, 
—respiration, circulation, assimilation ; each was extemporised 
by the lump of jelly as occasion required. 
6. As all animals were at first aquatic, but are now both 
aquatic and terrestrial, the latter were evolved out of the 
former; although there is no reason why such a thing should 
VOL. XIX. r 
