finements of detail, and technicalities of a non-essential character-the doctrine of Evolution in general, and that of the Origin of Species (the Darwinian hypothesis) in particular, can be set forth "in words easy to be understood, and can be understood by persons of ordinary intelligence and of common school education. And furthermore, the scientist and philosopher have no facts upon which to base their conclusions except such as are matters of common knowledge, or are accessible to all men through textbooks and cyclopedias. We fully concede to experts their special competence in investigating, clarifying, and setting forth the facts; but, in the all important matter of drawing conclusions from those facts, the expert has no greater ability than the ordinary persons, of whom juries-which in common-law cases are the sole judges of the facts—are composed. It is for the benefit of these that we are now writing; and in summoning Evolution to stand trial at the bar of ordinary common sense, our own function will be mainly to present the pertinent facts as fully and concisely as possible. As regards the reasons commonly advanced in support of the doctrine of Evolution it is one of the most palpable weaknesses of the case that the alleged "evidences" for it have to be sought in the darkest corners of creation and in the remotest regions of time and space; and further that, when brought into the light of honest inquiry, they cannot be recognized, by ordinary persons, as having any relation at all to the doctrine they are cited to sustain. For Evolution is set forth as a cosmic process-that is, a law operating always and everywhere. It is either that or nothing. But, if so, then the evidences of it would be always and everywhere apparent. Whichever way we might look they would force themselves upon our notice, in countless numbers and endless varieties of forms. The proofs would be so abundant that the demon strator of the doctrine would never get to the end of them; whereas, as the case actually stands, the efforts and the ingenuity of the evolutionist are mainly occupied in trying to account with plausibility for the total lack of evidence in nature for the support of his doctrine. Another thing which must impress every fairminded investigator of this modern theory is the fallacious character of the reasoning often employed by its advocates. Take the case of the now extinct varieties of horse having three and four toes. Appeal is often made to the remains of those creatures as if they proved the whole case of Evolution; whereas they do not even prove that the existing varieties of the equine species were derived from those extinct forms. There is nothing whatever to forbid the idea that the present varieties of the species existed at the same time with those now extinct forms. Proof of connection between them, and of derivation of the one from the other, is wholly lacking. But even if such connection were established, it would not tend in the least to prove the evolution of one species from another, which is the matter in dispute. That many varieties of a common species can be produced is a fact so abundantly in evidence in both vegetable and animal kingdoms as to create a strong presumption that, if it were possible to cross the boundary lines of a species, there would be abundant evidence of that also. But the fact is that, with all nature under observation, and with the plain records of the fossiliferous rocks, not one transitional form to help bridge the gulf between one species and another has ever been found. The fourtoed horse is as much a "horse" as the one-toed variety. And Mr. Darwin was himself compelled to concede all that we here point out. He said (Life and Letters, Vol. III. p. 25): "There are two or three million of species on earth-sufficient field, one might think, for observation. But it must be said today that, in spite of all the efforts of trained observers, not one change of a species into another is on record." This statement can be made with even greater confidence now, after a lapse of over half a century since Mr. Darwin made the above admission. It is vain, therefore, for the evolutionist to think he can ride upon the four-toed horse to a successful demonstration of his theory. The Wisdom of This World The doctrine of Evolution is doubtless the culminating effort and fruit of "the wisdom of this world"; and our thought about it is that God will make use of it to exhibit the utter "foolishness" of human wisdom. Never has there been a cosmic philosophy set forth with such pretentiousness, or backed with such authority by "Science"; and never has there been a doctrine so audaciously proclaimed in direct and defiant opposition to the truth of Creation, revealed in the Holy Scriptures. Therefore the theory of Evolution is pre-eminently suited to exemplify the Scripture, "Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?" (1 Cor. 1:20.) Framingham, Mass. PREFACE TO SECOND EDITION Except for the addition of a single paragraph, the first complete paragraph on page 76, the text of the first edition is followed in this second printing. Fifth Edition, 1925. Text unchanged. Evolution at the Bar CHAPTER I The Theory "Evolution" is a philosophical and Defined speculative theory, of recent origin, whereby it is sought to account for the various elements and compounds of the inorganic world, and also for the countless species of living creatures in the organic world. By the "inorganic world" is meant the elements and compounds, as minerals and gases, which are without life; and by the "organic world" is meant organisms (plants and animals) which have life. Although sometimes spoken of as a "scientific" theory, Evolution is not scientific; for science has to do only with facts. Evolution belongs wholly in the realm of speculative philosophy. The basic assumption of this theory is that all things in nature-living and not living-had a common origin; and that all the diverse elements, compounds, and organisms were developed by the cumulative effect of changes, in themselves imperceptibly small, all of which changes were brought about by the energy of "forces resident in nature.' The theory assumes the existence of Matter and Force, without attempting to account for the origin of either. Matter is supposed to have existed originally in a perfectly simple and undifferentiated condition. Its form is supposed to have been that of an exceedingly tenuous, highly heated mist or vapor, filling all space. Force is also assumed to have been exceedingly simple at the first, being nothing more than a ten dency on the part of the entire mass of undifferentiated Matter to keep in motion. As to where Matter came from, and Force, and the tremendous uniform Heat, necessary to keep Matter in a gaseous state, the theory is silent. The theory further assumes that, at some time, and for some unexplained reason, the motion of the particles of matter began to take different directions, and also that, by the radiation of the heat of parts of the mass, liquefaction and ultimately solidification resulted. Where the heat so radiated could have goneseeing that all parts of infinite space were supposedly heated alike—is not explained; nor how, in a perfectly uniform mass, parts could assume a permanently solid form, and other parts a normally liquid form, while other parts remained normally gaseous. Upon the theory of Cosmic Evolution all gases and liquids should long ago have evolved into solids. These great changes in Matter are supposed to have been accompanied by equally notable changes in Force. Differences of "Environment" having now arisen, of which differences the theory has no explanation, the effects of Force or Energy would be influenced thereby, in such wise as to produce diversities of forms, until, by the continuous operation of those processes, with ever increasing ramifications and complexities, the infinite varieties of creatures, animate and inanimate, which now compose the universe, came to be what they are. Such are the words by which the theory of Evolution is set forth; but the only clear thing about them is that they do not explain the origin of the universe or of any of its parts. Other principles are called to the aid of Evolution at different stages of the cosmic process; e. g. Heredity, Environment, Natural Selection, Struggle for Existence, Survival of the Fittest, Transmission of Acquired Characters, etc. With these auxiliary factors |