249 
ORDINARY MEBTINO, Feb. 20, 1882. 
J. E. Howaed, Esq., F.R.S., V.P., in the Chair. 
The minutes of the last meeting were read and confirmed, and the follow- 
ing elections were announced : — 
Associates The Lord James Douglas, Glen Stuart ; Rev. T. N. Farthing, 
M.A. Cantab., Mossley ; C. J. W. Pfoundes, Esq., F.R.G.S., F.R.A.S., 
F.R.S.L., F.R.H.S., &c., London ; Miss A. F. Layard, Bath. 
Hon. Local Correspondent : — Rev. C. H. H. Wright, D.D., LL.D., 
Ph.D. (Leipsic), Belfast. 
Also the presentation of the following works for the library : — 
“ Proceedings of the Royal Society.” From the same. 
“ Proceedings of the Geological Society.” Ditto. 
“ Proceedings of the Antiquarian Society of Philadelphia.” Ditto. 
A Smaller Work. By H. Phillipps, Esq. 
The following paper was then read by the author : — 
THE THEORY OF EVOLUTION AS TAUGHT BY 
HAECKEL, AND HELD BY HIS FOLLOWERS, 
EXAMINED, AND SHOWN TO BE NOT PROVEN. 
By Joseph Hassell, Associate of King^s College, 
London. 
OO Cod created man in His own image, in tLe image of 
O God created He them; male and female created He 
them.^^ A noble origin this ! An origin which indicates 
both a divine ancestry and a glorious destiny. Such an origin 
Note . — The writer wishes it to be distinctly understood that he does not 
class all Evolutionists with Dr. Haeckel. He recognises the fact that there 
are three classes of evolutionists. There are first, those who receive the 
hypothesis to account for the existence of all species of animals in the 
present day, but who do not admit that it accounts for the beginning of 
life ; secondly, there are those who, while they accept the hypothesis as 
being conclusive with regard to all the lower orders of animals are not 
content with it when it is applied to man’s origin ; and thirdly, there are 
those, and I am afraid they are increasing in number, who follow directly 
and openly the teachings of men, who, like Dr. Haeckel, of Germany, are, in 
reality, atheists. 
The object of the paper is to examine the hypothesis as stated by 
Dr. Haeckel, who may safely be regarded as the exponent of the most 
advanced non-theistic evolutionist theories of the present day. 
VOL. XVI. S 
