37.3 
think that a chance objection* like this, brought forward without 
a single attempt to combat or explain away the weighty arguments 
by means of which the theories of Mr. Darwin have acquired their 
present hold over the scientific world, will, to those who seriously 
weigh those arguments against this objection, “ show the fallacy of 
Darwinism.” Dr. Bateman seems, however, to feel the unsatis- 
factory nature of his own position, for at p. 224 he remarks, 
“ The same Power that planned the glorious temple of Nature 
could easily have caused us to pass through the probationary stages 
of ascidian, fish, reptile, and monkey, and so on to man, if it had 
so willed it.” Admitting, as it seems to me by these words, that 
there is no inherent impossibility in evolution, and consequently, 
that there is little value in his own objection to it, he falls back 
on his original position — that Darwinism is a dangerous heresy, 
and is inconsistent with revelation. 4 
This supposed irreconcilability of Science and Scripture is still, 
as I believe it always has been, the great obstacle to the acceptance 
of the belief, both of the derivative origin, and the antiquity of 
man. 
In the name of Science I protest against the position, that the 
Scriptures are the exclusive property of one school of religious 
thought. The Bible is the heritage of all mankind, and those who 
have opposed from time to time the teachings of Science, on the 
ground of their irreconcilability with revelation, so far from being 
the only defenders of Scripture, have, I maintain, been rather its 
enemies. The hold which the Bible has had, and always will 
have, on mankind, arises, from its revelation of moral and religious 
# It is proverbial that Mr. Darwin, with a candour unfortunately too rare, 
urges almost every possible argument against his own theory ; but although 
he alludes to the question of articulate language, he evidently regards it as 
by no means a serious objection to his position. 
t I am glad to be able to agree with Dr. Bateman’s remark, that natural 
religion offer's no objection to the evolution theory, although his contention 
that revealed religion does so, seems almost to suggest the possibility of there 
being something unnatural in the interpretation of the latter which necessi- 
tates such a position. 
F F 2 
