EVOLUTION IN SCHOOLS.

Evening Star, Issue 20150, 15 April 1929, Page 13

EVOLUTION IN SCHOOLS.

TO THE EDITOK. Sir,—l. have followed the correspondence on this subject ’.cry closely, but cannot say that J have, up to the present. gained much knowledge on the subject of the theory of evolution. In the mala the correspond once tor this theory has been carried on by Mr Stuckey and our rationalist friend. “E.W.F.” Neither of these so-called authorities has shown your readers how he qualifies as a competent authority on tins subject. ’Ac have had sheaves of quotations from Yankee writers, about whom personally we know little except the string of letters attached to their names, which ni America, may have been purchased tor “ umteen ” dollars or personal service; also quotations from boolcs which arc written in the main for profit, hy people who, for all we know may have, what we call a kink in the brain, and quoted by supporters of a theory which they call fact, who in their collosal ignorance cannot tell the difference between an atom and a. particle, nor explain the wonderful thing which is the end of tlie scientist’s discovery—a protoplasm. When one comes before the public as a supporter of the most contentious theory of the age, it is naturally expected that the individual .should lane sonic working knowledge of the subject, should have, been sufficient lyeducated to at least understand what he is talking about, and should have had ample scope for investigation and time and leisure and capital to carry out actual experiments, thereby being able to give actual demonstration' and proof's when questioned. Does our friend “ E.W.F.” conic' under these qualifications? Anybody can copy what another man writes, and with a little at top and bottom form a letter to the Press. But the general public who have followed the Christian beliefs for generations, and who have found the foundations of their beliefs still strong and firm, want more than letters in the correspondence columns on a fanciful theory, before they discard what they hav© proven good, both present and past. “ E.W.F.,” in his letter of the Kith, clearly shows that his ego is still in the ascendant. Quoting a work on ‘Creation By Evolution,’ what tlie leading biologists of England and America have contributed, ho goes on : “ I would quote 'paragraphs here if J thought your readers • • • required anything further in that line than that already contributed by mvsolf.” etc. Why quote a book of only 39 2 pages when we have umpteen ” hundred of columns of Press correspondence contributed by “E.W.F. ”? And this from

a man who could not differentiate between the bones of a mammal and a Dodo if they were placed in his hands. Rut am I misjudging rny friend? One never knows. Maybe, in Dunedin wc have the coining marvel, the greatest scientist known, who, without any knowledge ot “ ologies ’ or 11 isms, will shortly give to youi readers the knowledge of who made the protaplasm and also be able to explain and produce the tiling that still puzzles scien-tists—i-e.. the “ missing link.”, , Also, one mav be able, under his tuition, to explain" what actually is “thought,” what it is composed of, also its relation to vibrations, etc., and also where it goes to when peoplj die. Scientists may, under his able tuition, soon be able to produce for inspection that which to-day is classified as “salts unknown,” which is contained m foodstuffs, and without which, despite vitamins and proteicls, a person would «ie. No, sir, “E.AV.E.” is not an authority, and so far has shown no absolute proofs, of his own knowledge that evolution is a. fact,-and wc want something more than theory. The fact that a hall and socket joint in a whale’s hip bone corresponds with something in my,composition does not convince me that .1 envoi ved from a minnow: nor from the fact that I have a hairy chest, and was somovim.es kept hu>y in thetrenches, does it follow that my ancestors once climbed frees. Jt would be just as well to say that because our insides correspond nearest to a pig, we descended from the forefathers of the Peccaries. Jn ail this there is too much speculation. “Like begets like ” is verv often fallacious. Natural selection does not always produce results.. Because a pound of leathers weighs no more than*a. pound of lead and both arc equal individually in weight to a pound of ten, does not make feathers tea. nor lead feathers, in the meantime we will rather hold to the devil wc have faith in than take on the problematical devil, which, if true, i laces man, beast, and bird in the same category of values, and brings icason down to tffo level of instinct. Evolution. for those that study it closely, can he likened to looking at the glowing coals in the fireplace. One can see manv things if one has_ imagination enough. When evolutionists can produec'the origin of man and connect np their present loose ends with the “ missing link,” then it will he time enough for present-day Christians to consider their positions. . I trust that those evolutionists who are so sore of their positions "ill in »orne distinct manner show your readers that they are fully competent by education and investigation _ at thenown hands to pose as authorities. Until then we must pass evolution into the backwash. —1 am, etc.. Thus. Miller. April 15. TO THE EDITOK. gir,—I. have read witii interest the discussion on the above subject, and notice how tenaciously “ E.W.I'V' sticks to his guns, and, having read both sides. 1 am beginning to wonder if after all he is not right. Evolutionists tell us that man sprang from a “ tangle of apes.” Some men may have done so, hence the welter to get back to the ape by a certain school ol: scientists who by monkey gland grafting. etc., hope to develop a race ol sc,per-men. Just recently 1 travelled through a country which is the home of the monkey., and saw hundreds m the native environment, and it was strange to .see how shy they were 01. their relatives. Of all other animals they arc not afraid, but will flee from man in terror; perhaps they can guess the designs man has towards them. I have not yet swallowed the “ tangle of apes”; therefore I am still a blind ignoramus, with only two letters to my name (P.A.). Put if “E.W.E. - will prove to me how, when, and where man evolved from tho monkey, which should be easy from the overwhelming evidence he has on hand, lie will gain another convert.—J am, etc., Seeking Light. April 15.