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THE BULLETIN OF THE CATHOLIC LAYMEN’S ASSOCIATION OF GEORGIA
’ 10 -IQ y (TITAC)()/.- ■■ ‘ r>
DARWINISM—TRUE AND FALSE
[A Clear Exposition of a Subject That Is Causing Con
siderable Discussion.
From all parts of the country come reports of campaigns
I against the teaching of the Darwinian theory in the public schools.
] In Kentucky a hill prohibiting such teaching has been introduced,
land defeated, in the State Senate. William Jennings Bryan has
| taken the platform on behalf of “the old-time religion,” and is about
[to publish a hook entitled “In His Image,” attacking the evolution-
lists.’ Dr. John Roach Stratonj a prominent Baptist minister in New
(York, will head what is known as the Fundamentalist Movement and
jseek to compel a change of text books in the schools of the Em-
re State. Sir Bertram Windle, the eminent Catholic scientist, who
Sscusses’ the subject in the following article, is the author of
“Facts and Theories,” a hook which has been given wide circulation
[jy the Catholic Truth Society of England.
By SIR BERTRAM WINDLE, F. R. S., LL. D., Sc. D.
(Written for N. C. W. C. Editorial Sheet.)
A'hen Charles the Second, that
yal wag, founded the Royal So-
fctv, he asked the learned men who
Instituted it to tell him why the
lition of a dead fish to water
lied no increase in weight whilst
[addition of a live one did. After
had pondered over this matter
Fa long time and come to no con-
lion and admitted that fact, the
Jg “who never said a foolish
|nk” asked, “Had you not better
whether things are as I said?”
course, the whole thing was a
ax and there is no such difference
the King suggested,
have often thought of this tale
pi reading the various comments
Darwinism which have appeared
‘the columns of the daily press
from which I seem to gather
It the subject in question has just
In discovered by a large section
Ithe public and that, just when,
I a very distinguished American
of science, the late Professor
[ight, said in 1911, "Darwinism is
losing caste among men of sci-
It may he worth while to
Isider this matter briefly and
|t of all to indicate the undoubt-
|fact that what many people sup-
to he Darwinism is not that,
Itever it is.
lie French Academy, when draw-
lup its Dictionary, is said to have
Vilted Cuvier as to the defini-
of a crab as “a red fish which
Its backwards.” His reply was
the definition was admirable
I for the fact that the crab was
[a fish; was not red in color;
did not walk backward. The
pment for example that Darwin
that man’s great great and so-
Irandfather was a monkey is
It as accurate as the definition
sor Driesch. Darwinism, he says,
“explained how, by throwing stones,
one could build houses of a typical
style,” in other words, that “it
claimed to show how something pur-
posively constructed could arise by
absolute chance”— efforts which he
obviously regards as ridiculous. Last
ly, let us consider a quotation from
the Literary Supplement of the Lon
don Times in 1905 which, after de
scribing the various parties in the
desperate struggle over Darwinism,
ehds by saying that all claim to rep
resent Science, “the one and only
vice-gerent of truth,” but that while
they have all united in denouncing
theologians for their conflicts, “it
would puzzle them to point to a
theological battlefield exhibiting
more uncertainty, obscurity, dissen
sion, assumption and fallacy than
their own. For the plain truth is
that, though some agree in this or
that, there is not a single point in
which all agree; battling for evolu
tion, they have torn it to pieces;
nothing is left, nothing at all on
their own showing, save a few frag
ments strewn about the arena.”
CONFUSION AMONG THE
BIOLOGISTS.
AND FALSE
JWINISM.”
n’s work must be divided if
to form an estimate of it.
of all there are purely scien-
papers for specialists which are
eat Importance but quite un-
gibl* to ordinary readers and
‘ our enquiry here. Secondly,
a: delightful and fascinating
5s of investigations like the
<■ of the Beagle” and the
’i Earthworms, Coral Islands
Fertilization of Flowers,
little or no controversy as
which are generally unread
trobably unknown to, the
rity of people who prate
>bly about Darwinism. I
■ mpted to wonder whether
«;-ever read the works of
lass otherwise than in
given in the innumer-
and often misleading)
v ■fo;,Suir,fr/y
ing on the subject These books
of the third class like the “Origin”
and the “Descent of Man,” besides
admirable collections of facts, do
contain much philosophical matter
which lias been in the past the sub
ject of a good deal of controversy.
Facts and philisophy. Let us
hear what a very distinguished man
of science, a biologist, too, said
about them from the presidential
K hair of the British Association for
Se Advancement of Science in the
year of the outbreak of the war:
We go to Darwin for his in
comparable collection of facts. We
would fain emulate his scholarship,
his width and his power of exposi
tion, hut to us he speaks no more
with philosophical authority. We
read his scheme of evolution as we
could those of Lucretius or La
marck, delighting in their simplicity
and courage.”
Almost contemptuous — certainly
condescending proise. The author
of the remark has not altered his
opinion in the years which have
gone by, for he is the same Profes
sor Bateson whose utterances at the
recent meeting of the American As
sociation in Toronto have been so
id.ely quot^
he more q-
"lished
Perhaps a prejudiced person! Per
haps, though I do not think so, for
every word he says can be substan
tiated. But here is Professor Kel-
log, a distinguished American and
with no other prejudice than one
against the Catholic Church, who
wrote—about the same time—that
Biology today teems with mutual
ly incongruous opinions—all of
which are conceivably “incorrect.’
No wonder that he should add
“Among biologists confusion reigns.”
The remarks which one often read
about the undoubtedness of’ evolu
tion and other kindred topics would
seem to carry the matter a little
too far.
But about Darwinism—the true
variety formulated by Darwin; what
of that? What exactly is it? Not
the theory that onq kind of species
may originate from another and so
on backwards until we come to a
few or perhaps even only one living
form. That is a much older theory
than Darwin, for it was discussed
by the Greeks and by the early Fath
ers of the Church from St. Augus
tine down to St. Thomas Aquinas
and since those days to the present
by many eminent Catholics like Sua
rez, Father Wasmann, S. J. and last
of all (in 1921) M. de Dorlodot, a
professor at Louvain. None of them
have felt that as a method of cre
ation it would offend against Gath
olic teaching, but none of them have
taught, as so many misleading books
teach, that the theory is an estab
lished fact.' It would explain many
things, and; it may he the explana
tion. Put then again it may not
Twenty plausible explanaitats of a
group of facts may be all wrong ant?
at the best, nineteen of them must
be.
Uncle Reinus gave a plausible ex
planation to his little hoy friend of
the short tail of the rabbit. It
pleased the little boy, but it was
quite wrong. Darwin put forward
a theory to .account for the working
out of evolution and he called it
“Natural Selection.” For a long
time it was lauded to the skies as
the one possible explanation. Then
other facts came to knowledge. The
discoveries of Abbot Mendel, which
have changed the mind of Profes
sor Bateson as to Darwin’s philos
ophy, came before the scientific
world long after the death of their
author. A distinguished American
biologist has said that these dis
coveries have given the death blow
to the theory of Natural Selection.
Others would scarcely go sq far. I
must confess that it seems difficult
to me to understand where there
is much room for Natural Selection
under the more rigid interpretations
of the Mendelian discoveries. Here
th America.; again it is likely that there will be
v.— dis- I a reaction, as has happened so often
moderab
his is cer-
Grppt Personalities
of the Church
- ■j - n I mo no l.lot.
JOHN BARRY, GOOD FIGHTER
AND GOOD CHRISTIAN.
Notable among the patriotic Cath
olics who fought to gain freedom for
the American colonies stands Cap
tain John Barry, a native of County
Wexford, Ireland, who is styled by
many the “Father of the American
Navy.” The exploits of this cour
ageous and skilful commander fur
nish one of the most brilliant chap
ters in American naval history.
Barry was born In 1745, and came
to the United States in 1760. He
followed the sea for his livelihood,
and when the Continental congress,
on Oct. 13, 1775, authorized the pur
chase of two vessels for the foun
dation of the Continental Navy, of
fered his services. He was assigned
to the command of the “Lexington”,
the first vessel purchased. His com
mission, dated Dec. 7, 1775, was the
first issued by the Marine Commit
tee of the Continental Congress.
As commander of the “Effing
ham,” 28 guns, he brought into Phil
adelphia, on April 11, 1776, the first
British war vessel to bqi captured
and brought to that city by a com
missioned Continental naval officer.
His most brilliant exploits, how
ever, were those carried out<as com
mander of the “Alliance” 3(i,guns, in
which he made two trips to France.
On the first trip, for which he left
Boston on Feb. 11, 1781, he had as
passenger Col. St. John Laurens,
special commissioner to the French
government. On the return trip lie
captured the brigs “Mars,” 22 guns
and “Minerva,” 10 guns, Later he
came off successful from an engage
ment with the “Atlanta,” 16 guns,
and the “Trespasscy,” 14 guns, com
pelling them' to lower their colors
after a hard fight, in which Barry
himself was severely wounded by
grapesliot.
He sailed for France a second time
in the “Alliance” with the Marquis
de Lafayette as passenger. Follow
ing his return to New London, he
set forth on the most successful
cruise of the war, a cruise that
proved a veritable scourge to Brit
ish commerce and in which he cap
tured prizes valued at more than
$3,000,000. Barry’s last engagement
on this voyage was the final naval
conflict of the Revolutionary war.
He encountered the British frigate;
Syville,” 38 guns, and after a fight
of forty-five minutes, compelled her
to draw off and join two other ves-'
scls in whose company she had
been.
Following the successful conclu
sion of the revolutionary struggle,
the “Alliance” was sold and the
country was without a navy until
March 27, 1794, when the United,
States navy was permanently or-v
ganized by act of congress, and six
captains were ‘I,11
The
than
The Protestant Rangers
Tiie following circular is bei ng distributed jp Atlanta.
Bulletih' ‘publishes for the benefit of Protestants rather
Catholics, for very often Protestants are inveigled into organiza
tions they would not touch with a mile wire were they really ac
quainted with thqijr ( aims and objects.
THE PROTESTANT RANGERS OF AMERICA.
Southeastern Headquarters.
502-3 Gould building, Atlanta, Ga.
Dear Mr. .
Your name has been given as by a good friend of yours as
a man very much interested in the welfare of the people whose
faith is in the Protestant religion. He desired that we give you
a little information regarding the Protestant Rangers of Amer
ica, at the same time giving you our word that if you became
a member of our order it would not in any way conflict with ob
ligations, etc., as a member of the Protestant church or to any
Fraternal Protestant secret order to which you belong. The Pro
testant Rangers stand for and believe in the following:
1. They are obligated to vote in every election for Protes
tants only, with no obligation to vote for any particular party
or faction thereof. They are recruited from all the Protest
ant secret fraternal orders and churches, etc., for the purpose
of uniting all Protestants in one organized body to vote for
Protestants only.
2. The Protestant Rangers trade with and buy from Protest
ant Americans.
3. We want free school books furnished by the state in every
school.
4. The Protestant Rangers are opposed to the union of
church and state.
5. We believe in white supremacy, being entirely opposed to
the use of any church, school, or other place for the worship,
teaching, or use os a common meeting place for white and col
ored people.
6. Protestant Rangers stand for and are working to have
Protestant school teachers in all the public schools.
7. We are working for the rigid restriction of foreign immi
gration, believing that a large portion of the unrest among labor
is stirred up by the ignorant and illiterate foreign born among
our population.
8. The Protestant Rangers believe in the Protestant religion,
with no distinction as to creed.
9. The Protestant Rangers are entirely opposed to any for
eign ecclesiastical power having anything to do with conduct
ing the business of our oountry and dictating our policies.
10. We will support all American business institutions and
especially those of our immediate locality.
11. The Protestant Rangers obligate themselves to use their
best influence with the women of tWbir homes to see that
they enroll and vote for Protestants only, knowing that 75
per cent of the women voting in the last election in Atlanta
were Catholic.
With such belief as stated above, do you not believe and
know that your place is standing shoulder to shoulder within
our ranks nlarcliing to the ballot box and making a Protestant
nation (in truth) of our country? v
The Catholic church is now establishing negro churches and
nunneries with negro priests aud nuns, they are enrolling the
negroes' and their white women to vote as they dictate in the
next election.
Brothers, we need you! Give us your help, work with us for
a great and glorious country, free from the dictates of any for
eigners or religion.
If interested sign the enclosed application without any ob
ligation on your part and mail to 51 Gould Bldg. A brother
Ranger will call and give you complete information. Do not
send any money at this time. Fraternally yours,
JOHN GOULD,
_ Supreme Recruiting Ranger.
Miscellany
By GEORGE BARNARD.
oi congress, ana six . .. _
appointed ’ by Presi^ L >or hree years ago a man low-
dent George Washington. Barry’s:
name headed the list and he thus,
became ranking officer.
At the end of his active service
at sea, Barry retired to Philadel
phia, where he died Sept. 12, 1803.
His body lies in the graveyard of
St. Mary’s Church. His private life
as a Catholic is declared to have
been as exemplary as his public ca
reer was notable. In 1906, congress
passed a hill for $50,000 to erect a
monument to liis memory in Frank
lin Square, Washington, D. C.
tain, the Darwin’s pivot doctrine lias
been badly shaken and few todaj’
would assign to it more than a very
moderate in-evolution. A sieve
is what Dribscli callsThat sums
up the position very weff.
RESEARCH ADMIRABLE,
THEORIES WEAK.
As to Darwin’s other theories,
such as Pangenesis and Sexual Se
lection. impossible even to outline
here, it may safely be said that they
are either completely disbelieved, or,
at most, very doubtfully and half
heartedly held by men of science.
It seems then that there is much
truth in the statement which I quot
ed above that Darwin’s works are a
great storehouse of facts about ani
mals and plants and a*s such will
forever he held in honor, hut that
as to his philosophy, his theories,
his guesses, if you like, they no
longer hold the position which they
once did. As to the wilder of his
disciples—the authors of the “Dar-
winianism,” much of which was not
the gospel according to Darwin at all
—it is impossible to speak here for
lack of space. If the views quoted
from various sources are even ap
proximately correct, ! t would sewn
that much of their writing are mere
beating of the air.
e<J $100 at 10 per cent per month in
terest, compounded irionthly. Re
cently lie sued for it and was awards
cd the sum of $304,840,332,912,865.16.
The difficulty of collecting it is the
only barrier to his becoming the
richest man in the world. This un
thinkable sum represents, theoreti
cally, the human reward for the
convenience of a small loan. In
generosity, as in every other virtue,
God is never outdone by man. If a
man invested a few hundred dollars
in the building of a little church in
God’s honor, tlie interest accruing
from countless masses and com
munions and conversions would be
stupendous. And , the donor, being
dead, would collect as surely as God
is in Heaven. Su6fi interest is al
ready accruing to the benefactors
who made possible the erection of
the 2.074 churches aided by tile
'urfJAplie church extension society of
Chicago. Three are still opportuni
ties for i similar'TirFCSlnicnls. The
trouble with us all is tliw?^SA-5? ven 't
the vision to make a small pre!*ciU
sacrifice for at. great future gain.
Discussing the question of an ex
pected great influex of visitors to
Oberainmergau for the Passion play,
a writer says that the jam may ere
crossing lhy arms over my chest
whilst I repeated with her the
ejaculation: ‘My dearest Jesus, I
give you my heart and my soul.’ ”
It is useful to remind some mothers
that the tender mind is impression
able.
The Southern Messenger instances
four ways in which Catholic papers
may be helped. One way is to write
to the editor criticizing the contents
of his paper. Most Catholics seem
to favor this method of supporting
the apostolate.
The printer has a number of dif
ferent devices for indicating the di
vision and subdivision of newspa
per matter. Sometimes these de
vices—he they lines of different
lengths, or stars of varying magni
tude—are not sufficiently distinc
tive to have their variations accu
rately determined by the public
without minute comparison. I see
that my observations in 6ne jour
nal are followed by the intelligence:
“If you use a washing machine, dis-
soap before using.” To be
quite 1 must disclaim the
credit of having written that
similar beaknyj&li-^ltoS
trust that this explanation wil
accepted as a full and sufficic
ate a bread shortage there. In which 1 answer to those appreciative .In.
case the visitors will, of course, con- readers who have such faith in i
sume the jam.
What is the first thing in life that
you can recall? An editor ha? been
asking a number of well-known peo
ple to recount their earliest memo
ries. Mr. Lloyd George remembers
the breaking up of his childhood
home before he was two years old.
Father. Bernard Vaughan, the famous
Jesuit, who, at the age of 75 is still
raising his voice and wielding his
pen for the church, answers the
question thus: “The first thing I can
remember is my mother coming to
my cot in the nigh^-nursery and
intelligence as to seek my person
views concerning jfir j5esf nuaV
of washing thy dog or dodging tin-
wash. In ail such domestic crnei
gcneies.it is much better to'commu
nicate directly with the editor.
1 ....... ... —,
RECCRD HOVENA ATTENDANCE.
Bos on—More than 5000 persons
arc making the annual Novena of
Grace gwen by the Jesuit Fathe:
at the Church of the Immacu
Conception, This is a record
tendance. Service are being e
dueled the main church and
lowe; t ;,apel of St. Valentine.