gans mutually adapted to one another and to
the world; and that every successive development which should be
produced was essentially foreseen, foreknown, and predetermined by the
Deity. His idea, for instance, of the evolution of an eye from a more
simple organ was that the ultimate eye--man's eye, for instance--was to
be a perfect optical instrument, and that its perfection depended on the
previous design by the Creator, that at a certain period it should
appear in a body quite adapted for its purposes. There is one
question,--and not the only one, but we must consider it as an important
question,--whether you can maintain a doctrine of evolution which shall
not be atheistical, and which shall admit the great argument of design?
That is one thing; but the next thing is, does such a doctrine as that
accord either with revelation or with the facts of science? I do not
believe that it can be made to agree with what we believe to be the
revealed Word of God, and I do not believe that it has in the least
degree been proved that the doctrine is consistent with sound science."

As to Mr. Darwin's theory, it is obvious from the passages already
quoted that he considers its characteristic feature is not evolution,
nor even natural selection, but the denial of teleology, or of
intelligent control. Mr. Darwin admits the original creation of one or a
few forms of life; and Mr. Mitchell, in his comments on Mr. Warington's
defence of his theory, asks, "Why am I to limit the work of the Creator
to the simultaneous or successive creations of ten or twelve
commencements of the animate creation? Why, simply for the purpose of
evading the evidence of design as manifested in the adaptation of all
the organs of every animate creature to its wants, which can only be
done by so incredible an hypothesis as that of Mr. Darwin. I say
fearlessly, that any hypothesis which requires us to admit that the
formation of such complex organs as the eye, the ear, the heart, the
brain, with all their marvellous structures and mechanical adaptations
to the wants of the creatures possessing them, so perfectly in harmony,
too, with the laws of inorganic matter, affords no evidence of design;
that such structures could be built up by gradual chance improvements,
perpetuated by the law of transmission, and perfected by the destruction
of creatures less favorably endowed, is so incredible, that I marvel to
find any thinking man capable of adopting it for a sing