EVOLUTION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18387, 1 May 1923, Page 5

EVOLUTION.

Sir,—-In Thursday's Heraxd barrister-afc-Law" put forward' certain propositions ' . for me to deal with, to wit, I am asked to explain "the mystery of our existence," "how matter, motion, force, and Ufa ■ originated?" "how came consciousness?*' "how were vertebrates > developed out of invertebrates?" and . lastly, '.-mammals out of non-mammals?". And then says, his list of questions' "could be extended indefinitely.' No doubt, but it .surprises me that a gentleman of one of the Itemed professions should have : put such que?tions unless he imagined I would get tangled up in an endeavour to answer them. He should know, unless his know- - ledge does not extend, beyond what he can , learn within the covers of the Bible, that, no scientist pretends to know why wo are here,, or the origin, of matter, motion, .- force, and Life they are, and always will be, endeavouring to fathom these mysteries. • They are not satisfied to accept statements m the Bible or any other'book without absolute proof. > The founders of the Royal Society adopted as their . motto,. "Nullius in verba"; .they/ refused to discuss 'beliefs,: in this, that, or tine - .other, unless some reasonableproofs were 'forthcoming. Were wo all as satisfied ,as . "Barrister-at-Law" with the Bible narration *to account for .-/■ our existence,. arid everything around us, we would never . make any progress, there would be 'no need for scientists or research. It is to --.! science we owe the benefits wo receive over those of primitive man, and the conquering of disease. ', It is : a very peculiar remark; to make after practically condemn- : ing scientific research, if it does not coincide with th.3 Bihlo account-, Uiat. "the *'• Bible, simple, sublime, credible, is in entire accord with all facts of science," thus ■> placing : the Bible subordinate to ' science. '.: "Barrister-at-Law" ran ' find all that. is, known concerning the questions lie asks in Spencer's,. Darwin's,. Huxley's, Haeckel's, and other scientific works. . , Epsom. - I. Hopkins. .