Recent Progress of Ethnology. 7 1 



veral centres of origin for the lower animals, but that they 

 were all created in the localities which they naturally occupy, 

 and in which they breed, either in pairs or multitudes. The 

 same is asserted of man. There is no common central ori- 

 gin for man, but an indefinite number of separate creations 

 from which the races of man have sprung. The Professor 

 fortifies this opinion by an appeal to the Holy Scriptures. He 

 says the Biblical history of the creation of man is that of only 

 one race, viz., that of Adam ; and that Adam and Eve were 

 not the only pair created, nor even the first created of hu- 

 man beings. 



Professor Agassiz thinks there was a distinct origin and 

 separate creation for each race. And that each creation took 

 place in that locality which the race naturally occupies. 



On these views Dr Smyth joins issue ; and in some very 

 able controversial writings and lectures, has strenuously ar- 

 gued for the unity of the human race. Those controversial 

 works have formed the basis of a systematic work in which 

 he labours to shew, that Scripture, reason, and science con- 

 cur in proving the unity of the human race. Dr Smyth's 

 eloquent and forcible book partakes in some degree of the 

 controversial spirit, but even with that drawback, it is well 

 worthy the attention of ethnologists. 



Dr Smyth devotes three chapters to the statement of the 

 Historical and Doctrinal Evidence of Scripture on the unity 

 of the human race. " This doctrine, be it observed, Scripture 

 teaches us, not as a matter of scientific knowledge, but as the 

 foundation of all human obligation, and of the universality of 

 all human charity. 1 ' — (P. 112.) But as regards ethnological 

 details, " the tenth and eleventh chapters of Genesis are un- 

 questionably the best ethnographical document on the face of 

 the earth." — (P. 100.) The importance of the doctrine to 

 Christianity cannot be overrated ; for, " it will be at once 

 perceived that the gospel must stand or fall with the doc- 

 trine of the unity of the human races. '' — (P. 112.) 



With so high an estimate of the importance of this doc- 

 trine to our highest interests, we are prepared for the ur- 

 gency with which it is advocated. As a theologian, Dr Smyth 

 places in the front rank his Scripture evidence. " The truth 



