when, in addition to the Kant-Laplacian theory of the 

 origin of the planetary system, it had been discovered that 

 living organisms had likewise evolved spontaneously? 

 How could man who had sprung from the irrational brute 

 possess a soul? And thus, finally, disappeared the third de- 

 lusion, the hope of immortality. For with death the func- 

 tions of the body simply cease, as alsoi do those of the 

 brain, which people had foolishly believed to be something 

 more than an aggregation of atoms. The body dissolves 

 into its constituent elements and serves in its turn to build 

 up other organisms: but as a human body it all turns to 

 dust nor 'leaves a wrack behind'. Thus Darwinism was 

 made the basis first for a materialistic, and then for a mon- 

 istic, view of the world, and hence came to' be rigorously 

 opposed to every form of Theism. But since, at that 

 time, Darwinism, was the only theory of evolution recog- 

 nized by the world of science, the opposition of the 

 Christian world was directed not specifically against Dar- 

 winism, but against the theory of evolution as such. The 

 wheat was rooted up with the tares. 



I will not discuss here which of the two views con- 

 cerning creation; the origin of the world in one moment 

 of time, or a gradual evolution of the world and its po- 

 tentialities, is the more worthy of the creative power of 

 God. Manifestly the greatness and magnificence of crea- 

 tion will in no way be compromised by the concept of evo- 

 lution. This, of course, is simply my opinion. Any further 

 statement would be out of place here. 



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