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lieve that thus it has always been from the time when God first 
created living beings on the earth, and that to these causes 
are to be ascribed all the changes in such beings subsequently 
introduced. Looking at it in this light, I confess myself 
utterly at a loss to understand how any objection can possibly 
be taken to Darwinism theologically. We believe that all 
living things we now see about us were made by God, by 
means and under the influence of these causes involved in 
Darwinism ; we feel no difficulty in so believing ; why, then, 
should we feel difficulty in so believing as to all living things 
in the past? Nay, the analogy goes further yet. For if it 
be once established that the causes involved in Darwinism are 
adequate to produce the effects ascribed to them, then, being 
causes undoubtedly employed by God as instruments at the 
present time, there is at once the strongest possible presump- 
tion that they were the causes employed by Him in time past. 
The second ground of analogy to which I would refer con- 
cerns the corresponding alterations in inanimate nature. The 
soil, the climate, the relations of sea and land, have differed 
as widely in bygone times from what they now are, as the 
species conditioned by them ; they have changed, often contem- 
poraneously as these have changed. In what manner do we 
conceive that these changes were brought about ? — by 
miracles ? No ; but by the working of the same laws and 
forces as are at work at the present day. Darwinism, then, 
simply asks us to regard God’s method of effecting changes 
in living beings as the same with His method of effecting 
changes in inanimate nature, — transition, extinction, develop- 
ment, — not fresh creation. 
In conclusion, I would say that, as every one acquainted 
with Mr. Darwin's book will have seen long ago, the present 
paper makes no claim to originality. It is simply an attempt 
to exhibit in a concise form the logical value of the most 
important arguments adduced by Mr. Darwin, and the infer- 
ence to be deduced from them. What that inference is, cannot, 
I think, be mistaken by any one who has followed the line of 
reasoning pursued. It is that Darwinism, though very far 
from being established as a true hypothesis, owing to lack of 
evidence in many important particulars, is yet supported by 
so strong an array of testimony of all kinds as to be certainly 
credible , and so a good working hypothesis for investigators 
to keep in mind. Mr. Darwin's own book is professedly but 
a meagre abstract of the evidence on behalf of the hypothesis 
he has in store. The full statement has long been promised, 
and, in respect to one important part of the subject, is 
announced as now “preparing for publication." It were 
