TRUE？”RecollectionsofthepositioninwhichtheRomanChurchfounditselfaftertheestablishmentofthedoctrinesofCopernicusandGalileonaturallycameintothemindsofthemorethoughtful。InGermanythisconsiderationdoesnotseemtohaveoccurredatquitesoearlyaday。OneeminentLutheranclergymanatMagdeburgcalledonhishearerstochoosebetweenDarwinandreligion；Delitszch，inhisnewcommentaryonGenesis，attemptedtobringsciencebacktorecognisehumansinasanimportantfactorincreation；Prof。HeinrichEwald，whilecarefullyavoidinganysharpconflictbetweenthescripturaldoctrineandevolution，comfortedhimselfbycoveringDarwinandhisfollowerswithcontempt；Christlieb，inhisaddressbeforetheEvangelicalAllianceatNewYorkin1873，simplytooktheviewthatthetendenciesoftheDarwiniantheorywere“towardinfidelity。”butdeclinedtomakeanyseriousbattleonbiblicalgrounds；theJesuit，FatherPesch，inHolland，drewupinLatin，aftertheoldscholasticmanner，asortofgeneralindictmentofevolution，ofwhichonemaysaythatitwasinteresting——asinterestingasthedisplayofatroopinchainarmourandwithcross-bowsonanineteenth-centurybattlefield。
　　FromAmericatherecamenewechoes。AmongthemyriadattacksontheDarwiniantheorybyProtestantsandCatholicstwoshouldbeespeciallymentioned。ThefirstofthesewasbyDr。NoahPorter，PresidentofYaleCollege，anexcellentscholar，aninterestingwriter，anobleman，broadlytolerant，combininginhisthinkingacuriousmixtureofradicalismandconservatism。
　　Whilegivinggreatlatitudetotheevolutionaryteachingintheuniversityunderhiscare，hefeltithisdutyupononeoccasiontoavowhisdisbeliefinit；buthewastoowiseamantosuggestanynecessaryantagonismbetweenitandtheScriptures。Heconfinedhimselfmainlytopointingoutthetendencyoftheevolutiondoctrineinthisformtowardagnosticismandpantheism。
　　Tothosewhoknewandlovedhim，andhadnotedthegenialwayinwhichbywiseneglecthehadallowedscientificstudiestoflourishatYale，therewasanamusingsidetoallthis。Withinastone’sthrowofhiscollegeroomswastheMuseumofPaleontology，inwhichProf。Marshhadlaidsidebyside，amongotherevidencesofthenewtruth，thatwonderfulseriesofspecimensshowingtheevolutionofthehorsefromtheearliestformoftheanimal，“notlargerthanafox，withfivetoes。”
　　throughthewholeseriesuptohispresentformandsize——thatserieswhichHuxleydeclaredanabsoluteproofoftheexistenceofnaturalselectionasanagentinevolution。InspiteofthevenerationandlovewhichallYalemenfeltforPresidentPorter，itwashardlytobeexpectedthattheseparticularargumentsofhiswouldhavemuchpermanenteffectuponthemwhentherewasconstantlybeforetheireyessoconvincingarefutation。
　　ButafarmoredeterminedopponentwastheRev。Dr。Hodge，ofPrinceton；hisangertowardtheevolutiondoctrinewasbitter：
　　hedenounceditasthoroughly“atheistic“；heinsistedthatChristians“havearighttoprotestagainstthearrayingofprobabilitiesagainsttheclearevidenceoftheScriptures“；heevencensuredsoorthodoxawriterastheDukeofArgyll，anddeclaredthattheDarwiniantheoryofnaturalselectionis“utterlyinconsistentwiththeScriptures。”andthat“anabsentGod，whodoesnothing，istousnoGod“；that“toignoredesignasmanifestedinGod’screationistodethroneGod“；that“adenialofdesigninNatureisvirtuallyadenialofGod“；andthat“noteleologistcanbeaDarwinian。”Evenmoreuncompromisingwasanotheroftheleadingauthoritiesatthesameuniversity——theRev。Dr。Duffield。HedeclaredwarnotonlyagainstDarwinbutevenagainstmenlikeAsaGray，LeConte，andothers，whohadattemptedtoreconcilethenewtheorywiththeBible：heinsistedthat“evolutionismandthescripturalaccountoftheoriginofmanareirreconcilable“——thattheDarwiniantheoryis“indirectconflictwiththeteachingoftheapostle，`AllscriptureisgivenbyinspirationofGod’“；hepointedout，inhisoppositiontoDarwin’sDescentofManandLyell’sAntiquityofMan，thatintheBible“thegenealogicallinkswhichconnecttheIsraelitesinEgyptwithAdamandEveinEdenareexplicitlygiven。”TheseutterancesofProf。DuffieldculminatedinadeclarationwhichdeservestobecitedasshowingthataPresbyterianministercan“dealdamnationroundtheland“
　　excathedrainafashionquiteequaltothatofpopesandbishops。Itisasfollows：“Ifthedevelopmenttheoryoftheoriginofman。”wroteDr。DuffieldinthePrincetonReview。”shallinalittlewhiletakeitsplace——asdoubtlessitwill——withotherexplodedscientificspeculations，thentheywhoacceptitwithitsproperlogicalconsequenceswillinthelifetocomehavetheirportionwiththosewhointhislife`knownotGodandobeynotthegospelofhisSon。’“
　　Fortunately，ataboutthetimewhenDarwin’sDescentofManwaspublished，therehadcomeintoPrincetonUniversity“deusexmachina“inthepersonofDr。JamesMcCosh。Calledtothepresidency，heatoncetookhisstandagainstteachingssodangeroustoChristianityasthoseofDrs。Hodge，Duffield，andtheirassociates。Inoneofhispersonalconfidenceshehasletusintothesecretofthismatter。WiththathardScotchsensewhichThackerayhadapplaudedinhiswell-knownverses，hesawthatthemostdangerousthingwhichcouldbedonetoChristianityatPrincetonwastoreiterateintheuniversitypulpit，weekafterweek，solemndeclarationsthatifevolutionbynaturalselection，orindeedevolutionatall，betrue，theScripturesarefalse。Hetellsusthathesawthatthiswasthecertainwaytomakethestudentsunbelievers；hethereforenotonlycheckedthisdangerouspreachingbutpreachedanoppositedoctrine。Withhimbegantheinevitablecompromise，and，inspiteofmutteringsagainsthimasaDarwinian，hecarriedtheday。Whatevermaybethoughtofhisgeneralsystemofphilosophy，noonecandenyhisgreatserviceinneutralizingtheteachingsofhispredecessorsandcolleagues——sodangeroustoallthatisessentialinChristianity。
　　Otherdivinesofstrongsenseinotherpartsofthecountrybegantotakesimilarground——namely，thatmencouldbeChristiansandatthesametimeDarwinians。Thereappeared，indeed，hereandthere，curiousdiscrepancies：thusin1873theMonthlyReligiousMagazineofBostoncongratulateditsreadersthattheRev。Mr。
　　Burrhad“demolishedtheevolutiontheory，knockingthebreathoflifeoutofitandthrowingittothedogs。”ThisamazingperformancebytheRev。Mr。BurrwasrepeatedinaverystrikingwaybyBishopKeenerbeforetheOecumenicalCouncilofMethodismatWashingtonin1891。Inwhatthenewspapersdescribedasan“admirablespeech。”herefutedevolutiondoctrinesbysayingthatevolutionistshad“onlytomakeajourneyoftwelvehoursfromtheplacewherehewasthenstandingtofindtogetherthebonesofthemuskrat，theopossum，thecoprolite，andtheichthyosaurus。”HeassertedthatAgassiz——whomthegoodbishop，likesomanyothers，seemedtothinkanevolutionist——whenhevisitedthesebedsnearCharleston，declared：“Theseoldbedshavesetmecrazy；theyhavedestroyedtheworkofalifetime。”AndtheMethodistprelateendedbysaying：“Now，gentlemen，brethren，takethesefactshomewithyou；getdownandlookatthem。Thisisthewatchthatwasunderthesteamhammer——thedoctrineofevolution；
　　andthissteamhammeristhewonderfuldepositoftheAshleybeds。”Exhibitionsliketheseavailedlittle。WhilethegoodbishopamidvociferousapplausethusmadecomicallyevidenthisbeliefthatAgassizwasaDarwinianandacoproliteananimal，scientificmenwererecordinginallpartsoftheworldfactsconfirmingthedreadedtheoryofanevolutionbynaturalselection。WhiletheRev。Mr。Burrwassoloudlypraisedfor“throwingDarwinismtothedogs。”Marshwascompletinghisseriesleadingfromthefive-toedungulatestothehorse。WhileDr。
　　TaylerLewisatUnion，andDrs。HodgeandDuffieldatPrinceton，wereshowingthatifevolutionbetruethebiblicalaccountsmustbefalse，theindefatigableYaleprofessorwasshowinghiscretaceousbirds，andamongthemHesperornisandIchthyorniswithteeth。WhileinGermanyLuthardt，Schund，andtheircompeersweredemonstratingthatScripturerequiresabeliefinspecialandseparatecreations，theArchaeopteryx，showingamostremarkableconnectionbetweenbirdsandreptiles，wasdiscovered。
　　WhileinFranceMonseigneurSegurandotherswereindulgingindiatribesagainst“acertainDarwin。”GaudryandFilholwerediscoveringastrikingseriesof“missinglinks“amongthecarnivora。Inviewoftheproofsaccumulatinginfavourofthenewevolutionaryhypothesis，thechangeinthetoneofcontrollingtheologianswasnowrapid。Fromallsidescameevidencesofdesiretocompromisewiththetheory。StrictadherentsofthebiblicaltextpointedsignificantlytotheversesinGenesisinwhichtheearthandseaweremadetobringforthbirdsandfishes，andmanwascreatedoutofthedustoftheground。MenoflargermindlikeKingsleyandFarrar，withEnglishandAmericanbroadchurchmengenerally，tookgrounddirectlyinDarwin’sfavour。EvenWhewelltookpainstoshowthattheremightbesuchathingasaDarwinianargumentfordesigninNature；andtheRev。SamuelHoughton，oftheRoyalSociety，gaveinterestingsuggestionsofadivinedesigninevolution。
　　BoththegreatEnglishuniversitiesreceivedthenewteachingasaleaven：atOxford，intheveryfrontoftheHighChurchpartyatKebleCollege，waselaboratedastatementthattheevolutiondoctrineis“anadvanceinourtheologicalthinking。”AndTemple，BishopofLondon，perhapsthemostinfluentialthinkerthenintheAnglicanepiscopate，acceptedthenewrevelationinthefollowingwords：“Itseemssomethingmoremajestic，morebefittinghimtowhomathousandyearsareasoneday，thustoimpresshiswillonceforallonhiscreation，andprovideforallthecountlessvarietiesbythisoneoriginalimpress，thanbyspecialactsofcreationtobeperpetuallymodifyingwhathehadpreviouslymade。”
　　InScotlandtheDukeofArgyll，headandfrontoftheorthodoxparty，dissentinginmanyrespectsfromDarwin’sfullconclusions，madeconcessionswhichbadlyshooktheoldposition。
　　Curiouslyenough，fromtheRomanCatholicChurch，bitterassomeofitswritershadbeen，nowcameargumenttoprovethattheCatholicfaithdoesnotpreventanyonefromholdingtheDarwiniantheory，andespeciallyadeclarationfromanauthorityeminentamongAmericanCatholics——adeclarationwhichhasaverycurioussound，butwhichitwouldbeungracioustofindfaultwith——that“thedoctrineofevolutionisnomoreinoppositiontothedoctrineoftheCatholicChurchthanistheCopernicantheoryorthatofGalileo。”
　　Hereandthere，indeed，menofsciencelikeDawson，Mivart，andWigand，inviewoftheologicalconsiderations，soughttomakeconditions；butthecurrentwastoostrong，andeminenttheologiansineverycountryacceptednaturalselectionasatleastaveryimportantpartinthemechanismofevolution。
　　AtthedeathofDarwinitwasfeltthattherewasbutoneplaceinEnglandwherehisbodyshouldbelaid，andthatthisplacewasnextthegraveofSirIsaacNewtoninWestminsterAbbey。ThenobleaddressofCanonFarrarathisfuneralwasechoedfrommanypulpitsinEuropeandAmerica，andtheologicaloppositionassuchwasended。Occasionallyappeared，itistrue，asurvivaloftheoldfeeling：theRev。Dr。LaingreferredtotheburialofDarwininWestminsterAbbeyas“aproofthatEnglandisnolongeraChristiancountry。”andaddedthatthisburialwasadesecration——thatthishonourwasgivenhimbecausehehadbeen“thechiefpromoterofthemockdoctrineofevolutionofthespeciesandtheapedescentofman。”
　　Stillanotherofthesebelatedprophetswas，ofallmen，ThomasCarlyle。Souredandembittered，inthesamespiritwhichledhimtofindmoreheroisminamaraudingVikingorinoneofFredericktheGreat’sgeneralsthaninWashington，orLincoln，orGrant，andwhichcausedhimtoseeintheAmericancivilwaronlytheburningoutofafoulchimney，he，withthepetulancenaturaltoadyspepticeunuch，railedatDarwinasan“apostleofdirtworship。”
　　ThelastechoesoftheseutterancesreverberatedbetweenScotlandandAmerica。Intheformercountry，in1885，theRev。Dr。Leeissuedavolumedeclaringthat，iftheDarwinianviewbetrue。”thereisnoplaceforGod“；that“bynomethodofinterpretationcanthelanguageofHolyScripturebemadewideenoughtore-echotheorang-outangtheoryofman’snaturalhistory“；that“DarwinismreversestherevelationofGod“and“impliesutterblasphemyagainstthedivineandhumancharacterofourIncarnateLord“；andhewaspleasedtocallDarwinandhisfollowers“gospellersofthegutter。”InoneoftheintellectualcentresofAmericatheeditorofaperiodicalcalledTheChristianurgedfranticallythat“thebattlebesetinarray，andthatmenfindoutwhoisontheLord’ssideandwhoisonthesideofthedevilandthemonkeys。”
　　TothehonouroftheChurchofEnglanditshouldberecordedthataconsiderablenumberofhertruestmenopposedsuchutterancesasthese，andthatoneofthem——Farrar，ArchdeaconofWestminster——madeaprotestworthytobeheldinperpetualremembrance。Whileconfessinghisowninabilitytoacceptfullythenewscientificbelief，hesaid：“Weshouldconsideritdisgracefulandhumiliatingtotrytoshakeitbyanadcaptandumargument，orbyaclap-trapplatformappealtotheunfathomableignoranceandunlimitedarroganceofaprejudicedassembly。Weshouldblushtomeetitwithananathemaorasneer。”
　　Alloppositionhadavailednothing；Darwin’sworkandfameweresecure。Asmenlookedbackoverhisbeautifullife——simple，honest，tolerant，kindly——andthoughtuponhisgreatlaboursinthesearchfortruth，alltheattacksfadedintonothingness。