CHRISTIANITY AND EVOLUTION

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6943, 24 June 1929, Page 8

CHRISTIANITY AND EVOLUTION

Dr. Pettis’s Address

The Empire hall was crowded last evening to hear Dr. W. 11. Pettit, MB. Uh.B., of Auckland, deliver an address on “Can a Christian be an Evolutionist 'l ” After an exhaustive analysis of the subject, which was followed with keen interest by the audience of over 400, the following resolution was carried with only three dissentients: — That this meeting of citizens of Palmerston North believing that the teaching of evolution in our public schools is contrary to the wishes of an overwhelming majority of the parents, registers an emphatic protest against the proposal and calls upon the Government to take steps to prevent it. Dr, Pettit made an appeal to reason, claiming that the new school syllabus page 42 encouraged teachers to teach evolution to higher class pupils in the 'schools. It was not scientific and should not bo taught. Dr. Pettit quoted extracts from Hendrick von Loon's books, which had teen recommended by the Education Department to teachers and asked his hearers to submit that teaching to the test of reason with which God had endowed them. He attacked the statement that after the cooling of the planet “what had been dead gave birth to life.” This was unscientific.

Bishop Barnes had stated, “To-day there is among competent men of science unanimous agreement that mail has been evolved from an ape-like stock.” This was merely the dogmatism of a dream in place of Biblical truth.

Scientists admitted lack of evidence and evolution was. taken for granted. Modernism was anti-christian and denied every foundation truth and every great historical fact of 1 ‘ the faith once for all delivered to the Saints.” It-denied the infallibility of the Lord of Glory and denied His clear and unmistakable testimony to the infallibility of the Scriptures. Hence it robs man of the Gospel and leaves him without God and without hope. Evolution was eagerly embraced by every enemy of the Cross of Christ. What clearer evidence could the true Christian need of its satanic origin and influence. It was important to emphasise the fact that the theory of evolution had become the chief weapon of attack upon the Bible. The tragedy and pathos did not lie so much in the teaching of evolution but the fact that t(ie theological colleges of Protestant Christendom have capitulated to the enemy. This antiChristian philosophy was being taught in the majority of these institutions and most of the theological professors who do not actively propagate it are doing little or nothing to train tho future preachers to meet this enemy of the trutliy. Continuing, Dr. Pettit said: “Certainly all our present knowledge goes to confirm the teaching of Genesis 1, that each type multiplies “after its kind.” Mendel's experiments afford no evidence of evolution. They show that variations arc duo to the sorting of existing factors and not to the formation of new ones. Prof. Bateson says: ‘The essence of the Mcndelian principle is . . . that the parent cannot pass on to the offspring an element, and, consequently, the corresponding property, which it does not itself possess.’ (‘Scientific American Sup.’ 3 Jan., 1914). ‘lt would bo impossible to exaggerate tho importance of this fact that actual experiments prove that the parent cannot pass on what it does not itself possess. The amazing thing is that men who know this can still reject Genesis, which teaches the same truth, and accept evolution, which assumes that an amoeba or a microbe can produce a man. Two great facts must always be clearly distinguished. Within the type or ‘kind’ wo see a marvellous capacity for variation. Between one typ° ancl another there is a great gulf fixed. “We have already seen that the parent can pass on nothing which it does not itself possess. Fancy, then, an amoeba or a jellyfish, which possesses no skeleton, evolving into a bat or a man cr a whale ! And this is solemnly suggested in the name of ‘science’! ‘Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world 7 ’ (1 Cor. 1:20.) The lover of art can recognise the characteristics of a great painter in his pictures. The similarity of structural design in bat and whale and man is evidence of the infinite wisdom of the omnipotent God, who planned and created all things.

“Evolution,” said Dr. Pettit in conclusion, “is a theory which assumes that every living thing, given sufficient time, multiplies after a different kind. The first chapter of Genesj's is a divine revelation attested by the Lord of Glory. Ten times over it declares that every living thing multiplies “ after* its kind.” And all our knowledge of the facts of Biology and Palaeontologv eorroborates the truth of Genesis and proves the falsity of evolution. We know with certainty that the offward march of true science will continue to rcvc-al morn glorious evidences that the Scriptures are the fully inspired and wholly trustworthy revelation of God to man,”