PLAN AND PDKPOSE IN NATURE. 229 



intended in my paper, the question of Design to that of the 

 creation or evolution of organisms. Mj main contention on this 

 occasion was the broad proof of Design of Nature which arises 

 from considering the planet, on which we find ourselves, and the 

 inhabitants thereof, as being mutually adapted. I did not hesitate 

 to ai'gne that if one sees plan and purpose in preparation of the 

 environments, one must also see it in the production of organisms 

 to occupy those environments, that this necessarily involves 

 something opposed to any " mechanical " theory as to the 

 production, development or creation of organisms, and that indeed it 

 involves design in their production. My desire was mainly to 

 combat such a theory of the production of the plants and animals 

 of the world as is seen in the development of a mammal from a 

 microscopic cell through its natural, orderly, preordained stages, 

 till adult life is reached. The development of the individual 

 provides an analogy for the supposed development of organisms in 

 general of a kind so loose and indeed so inaccurate, as to be 

 hardly admissible for even a diagrammatic exposition. 



The argument from artificial selection among plants and 

 animals goes strongly to support Design in its broad aspect, 

 if used at all, as a vast experimental proof of the powers of 

 mind, plan and purpose, when organized matter is provided. 

 It does not, as far as it goes, support the creation-hypothesis, 

 nor is it needed for that position. Modification of species no 

 one attempts to deny, in the face of the vast evidence arising 

 from the cultivation and domestication of plants and animals. 

 The origin of these by natural selection is a different matter 

 altogether. 



Dr. Gladstone refers to my arguing at one time against one, 

 and at another time against another of the various evolutionary 

 theories. My desire was only to support the theory of Design in 

 the production of organisms so that the "mechanical" theory 

 so-called should be put out of court. An excellent illustration of 

 what one means by this " mechanical " theory is given by Darwin 

 in the Origin of Species where he speaks of the selecting effect of 

 the force of gravity upon a series of rocks, stones, and pebbles oi' 

 all sizes falling down a steep slope, in which event they would be 

 sorted at the bottom according to their various sizes and other 

 qualities. It is exactly such a haphazard selection as this to 

 which I venture to object, as being in any Avay responsible for the 



