ON CREATION OR EVOLUTION. 215 



a fresh, cool, invigorating breeze across the hot desert of dust and 

 doubt of this present age. 



There is, however, in connexion with all this vast subject, an 

 aspect of the highest importance, which cannot now be ignored, 

 and which has become so closely associated with the subject of 

 this paper as to be now inseparable from it — namely, the 

 incorporating of unproved theories of Evolution into the religious 

 teaching of the country, even including the adoption of the Evolu- 

 tionist's theoi-y of the origin of man as an integral part o' 

 Christian teaching. 



I should wish to express especial pleasure at the learned 

 lecturer's admirable reference to the gradual but effective de- 

 molition of that particular form of attack on the Bible which is 

 known under the |^singularly attractive title of "The Higher 

 Criticism," and which is attributable to the frequent dis- 

 coveries being made in the East hardly more, may I add, than 

 to the patient literary work of faithful divines and laymen in 

 this country. 



However, this demolition is at present a IS^emesis of which the 

 Higher Critics seem to be hardly yet aware. 



I trust, however, and believe that a similar Nemesis, hastened 

 by the labours of this Victoria Institute, Avill soon overtake all who 

 have joined in the hue and cry against God and the Bible ; but 

 whether it comes sooner or later, we have a right to expect that 

 they shall fight on the side of Grod and the Bible who have set 

 themselves apart for teaching and guiding the religious life of 

 their fellow-countrymen. 



Dr. Gladstone, F.R.S., writes as follows : — ■ 



I have had no time to think over the very interesting and 

 suggestive paper to which we have listened, but I may express my 

 general concurrence with the views of the writer. Looking lately 

 at the work of the Rev. A. D. White — A History of the Warfare of 

 Science with Theology — I was led to think how it has come to pass 

 that the words of the Bible were appealed to to settle what is true 

 or what is false in recent science. It is not that the sacred writers 

 themselves make any claim to be authorities in this matter. They 



