A CATHOLIC LAYMAN.

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir,—The theories of the mid nineteenth century agnostics—Darwin, Huxley, Spencer and Tyndall—destroyed the faith of millions. Many of these theories have now been proved to be false. Take the theory of organic evolution by means of natural selection—the very foundation of the whole campaign against supernatural religion. This theory has long since been given up by leading biologists. Even in Huxley's time it had to be relegated to a secondary position nowadays. Mendelism has given if its coup de grace. Evidence, which has accumulated since Darwin’s time has overturned the "great discovery." "In fact all attempts to explain the origin of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, marsupials and the higher mammals by the theory of natural selection alone, and without the co-operation of some unseen initiative internal agency, are now generally admitted to have been failures ."

The "great discovery" of Darwin impregnated a European literature, and led men's minds into materialistic channels. It gave a tremendous impetus to so called "liberal" views on religion. Higher critics attacked the Bible, atheists and anarchists attacked all government. Its eldest born appeared as "fruits of philosophy," by the race suicide advocates—Bradlaugh and Besant. High society went back to the paganism of ancient Rome and the mass of the people left the Gospel of Christ for the Gospel of Marx. Amateur scientists, like Grant Allen and Clodd, popularised the "great discovery." What was at best but a mere theory was accepted as absolute fact; and these assumed absolute facts were supposed to destroy all religion. We now know that the new learning was based on a fallacy. But the man in the street remains ignorant of the very important fact that the central doctrine of these agnostics has been exploded. An orderly evolution from nebula to man, designed by an all-wise Creator we can believe, but not the mechanical evolution of agnostic theorists. "We believe that there was in the beginning a cause producing order harmony and law." Evolutionary science starts from the nebula. The particles of matter composing the nebula were far apart. The great mass was ready to commence the evolutionary drama. It was wound up. Who wound it up ? God Almighty. This is the only rational answer—the only answer that can explain the facts. Grant Allen and Clodd, in order to give their materialistic conception of the universe a semblance of reason, rejected the physical laws of Kepler and Newton. The laws of the great scientists had to make way for the new theory of matter excogitated by amateurs. Sir O. Lodge is very sarcastic on the attempt of these agnostics to displace Newton, Lagrange, Gauss and Thompson. He dismisses the sorry attempt with the remark, "that the whole structure is simply an emanation of mental fog."

These theories of Allen and Clodd have been stated in a cloud of verbiage, with all the gravity of a scientific humbug. And thousands of gullible camp followers swallow this humbugging science! Here is a sample of Grant Allenism. The problem was this: A long tailed reptile was to be developed into a short tailed bird. "Accordingly," says Allen "the bone, soon grew fewer in number and shorter in length, while feathers simultaneously arranged themselves side by side on the terminal hump." It was as easy as falling off a log! This is the sort of humbug that is accented while the truths of religion, written in the heart and conscience of man, is rejected. "Overpowering proofs of intelligence and benevolent design," says Lord Kelvin, "lie around us showing us through nature the influence of a free will, and teaching us that all living beings depend upon one ever acting Creator and Ruler." Siemens gives us the same thought in different words. "We assume as absolutely self evident," wrote Professors Stewart and Tait, "the existence of a Deity, who is the Creator and Ruler of all things," Faraday, Clerk-Maxwell, Sir John Hershel, Sir G. Stokes, Sir J. Dawson and most of the really great scientists give similar evidence. And Herbert Spencer, himself—the philosopher of the "new learning," tells us, in his "autobiography," that he had come "more and more to look calmly on forms or religious belief to which," he, "had in earlier days a pronounced aversion." Then he makes a very significant admission. He felt "a deepening conviction that the sphere occupied by him can never become an unfilled sphere." A few years ago it seemed as if the religion of Christ was to be submerged in the waves of agnosticism and infidelity. But a wonderful thing has happened. Christ has indeed risen.

The science that was to crush His religion is helping to restore all things to Him. Although the fruits of the teaching of nineteenth century agnosticism are still painfully evident, the best thought of the age is coming back to the Divine Redeemer. The deluded millions will soon follow, and the world will be won for Christ —-I am, sir, &c.,

A CATHOLIC LAYMAN.

September 7.

The Brisbane Courier 13 September 1911,