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REMARKS ON EVOLUTION AND DEVELOPMENT BY THE 
REV. J. WHITE, M.A. 
(Head Master of the Royal Naval School, New Cross). 
It is supposed that evolution and development explain how nature took 
its present form and order, without any need for the action and intervention 
of a Creator ; but these theories of evolution and development only explain 
the course and manner of creation, but not how it commenced. Were the 
whole order and succession of existence traced without one missing link 
from the highest example of intellect in man to the lowest form of sentient 
existence in the ameeba, and then further back still, from this dawn of feeling 
through vegetable existence, through inorganic matter to the first fortuitous 
concourse of atoms, from which, according to this hypothesis, grew out link 
by link the whole of being’s endless chain, still the question would remain 
as unanswered, as unanswerable as ever: How did it begin? Who started 
this infinite, this amazing order? Who gave the atoms of matter these. 
inconceivably wonderful powers and properties? The point to which I wish 
to direct your attention is the existence of man. It is around this that the 
interest of the theory of development is accumulated with perhaps greatest 
intensity, and that the ‘“ missing link” has been,most eagerly and curiously 
sought. Now, in discussing this point, I will refer to the writings of one of 
the ablest of Darwin’s followers and fellow-workers, one who has claims even 
to be called the co-discoverer with him of the vrigin of species—I mean Mr. 
Alfred Russell Wallace. In the ample way in which Mr. Wallace disclaimed 
all share in the merit of that discovery and even the ability to rival the 
power of him he is ready to call his master, while Mr. Darwin, in his intro- 
duction and in the very first page of his work, speaks of Mr. Wallace, much 
his junior, as his fellow-labourer, who toiled with equal advance beside him, 
in this we have a noble example of scientific chivalry, of unselfish Jove of 
truth, that would do honour to the highest instance of Christian character ; 
and such examples, we may be happy and proud to know, are not rare among 
modern men of science. Also Mr. Wallace has been carrying'on, in a 
manner that requires the highest philosophical and the best scientific instinct 
and knowledge, the further applications of Mr. Darwin’s theory. In his 
Geographical Distribution of Animals, aid his Island Life, we have 
examples of the inductive argument on the largest scale on which it could be 
attempted, and his works contain much that is fascinating to the general 
reader, as well as being full of scientific knowledge and discovery. For the 
case now in hand I am going to quote from a volume of his essays entitled 
Contributions to the Theory of Natural Selection, and particularly from the 
