On the first day of the new year a meeting was called, to convene in the principal theater of Portland, at which a thousand citizens were present, for the purpose of adopting resolutions to be forwarded to Congress through Oregon's representative in the Senate. Through these resolutions this city desired to go on record as favoring international arbitration of all questions of vital difference that may arise between nations.
Among the speakers who addressed the gathering were several Protestant ministers, a Catholic priest, who came to represent the archbishop of Oregon, a Jewish rabbi, an attorney, and President Jordan, of Stanford University (California).
The first speaker dwelt upon the natural combative nature of the race, and expressed the view that the only hope of a reign of universal peace is in the conversion of the world; that, until the coming of such a time, nations and individuals will be at enmity and constantly at war with one another.
Another speaker declared that the constantly-increasing expense of war will compel all nations to disband their standing armies, and cease their development of navies, and thus will be ushered in a reign of universal peace.
War's Curse upon the Race.
President Jordan, by a brief review of the history of several European nations, demonstrated the loss to the world, occasioned by war, in the destruction of robust men, leaving the infirm, the crippled, the decrepit, and the imbecile to perpetuate the race.
By way of illustration he drew a parallel to the results of war upon the race, referring to the deterioration of a herd of cattle, if the best physically developed animals in the herd are constantly selected to be driven to the abattoir for slaughter, leaving the physically inferior for the perpetuation of their kind.
As a case in evidence, he referred to a certain portion of France, where nearly the whole male population are idiotic, from the fact that for generations war had slain the well-favored among them, leaving the imbeciles to preserve the population from extinction.
A very unsatisfactory explanation was offered by another speaker of the strange spectacle presented by the rulers of nations in calling for international arbitration one day, and perhaps the next giving orders for vast increase in their respective armies and navies.
"Peace, Peace, when There Is No Peace."
One minister made the very doubtful statement that "capital and labor are uniting for the peace of the world."
The concurrent opinion of nearly all of the appointed speakers was, that the tendencies of modern civilization indicate the approach, altho distant, of a reign of universal peace, when war and bloodshed will eventually cease.
Truly, the desire for universal peace is a laudable one. Every right-thinking man certainly deprecates the horrors of war, and craves permanent peace and freedom from war's dread scourge and molestation; not only for himself and family, but likewise for every other household.
However, this blissful state can not be brought about by the conversion of the world: for the world will never be converted. The Scriptures hold out no hope to encourage such belief, and the progress of all the churches in Christendom does not indicate it. Six thousand years has failed to produce this result, and each succeeding century brings three billions of people upon the stage of action for conversion. The wheat (righteous) and tares (wicked) will grow together till the final harvest of earth, and "the harvest is the end of the world." At this time the "wheat" is gathered for eternal life, and transplanted into the kingdom of glory, while the "tares" are gathered and burned in fire. Matt. 13:37-43.
One who disbelieves in the possibility of a reign of peace under conditions existing in this present world, is counted pessimistic; but, of a truth, the person who believes in the nearness of the second coming of Christ, in reality takes the truly optimistic view of the final condition of this world, which, for six long millenniums, has been the scene of war and bloodshed.
The only way by which a reign of universal peace can be ushered in is by the second coming of "the Prince of Peace;" for, opposed to the idea of the conversion of the world is the Scripture statement that, just prior to His coming, the nations are angry (Rev. 11:18), and the kings of the whole world will be gathered together in battle array (Rev. 16:13-16). This is the sequel to the present unprecedented war preparations.
The True and Undeceptive View.
The only hope for the final solution to the capital and labor question is in the same event (James 5:1-10).
The hope that nations will cease to learn the arts of war, and abandon its pursuit for the arts of peace, based upon the decadence of the race, produced by the most vigorous falling in war; the delay of the arrival of the dove of peace until the nations shall abandon war because of the financial ruin wrought thereby; the approach of international amity, based upon the unscriptural doctrine of the conversion of the world; the combined hope offered by all of these views, is a gloomy survey of the dark side of the mental picture. Faith in the heaven-born, prophetically-inspired doctrine of the near-coming of the Prince of Peace, affords a hopeful and undeceptive view of the bright side of the picture.
A vivid illustration of a frequent cause of war, and also of the
Hopelessness of the Idea
of a reign of peace this side of Christ's coming, was developed in this same arbitration meeting. A minority of the audience held opposite views from those presented by the chosen speakers. These asked for opportunity to express their views. Immediately numerous voices of the peace arbitrators (?) were raised, demanding that the men of opposite opinion be ejected from the room, and forthwith the meeting was thrown into a state of confusion and turmoil, closely akin to war, which continued for half an hour.
The ruling passion that controlled the meeting during this period was the genuine war spirit, whether manifested by nations, churchmen, or worldlings. The furious spirit that would hurl a fellow citizen out of a meeting for candidly expressing views contrary to those held by the majority, is the same spirit, which, for slight offense, or fancied insult to dignity, leads a strong nation to rush to arms, to blot a weaker one out of existence.
Thus the convention itself demonstrated that the world is not upon the threshold of a reign of universal peace.
The only prevention of war is to be found in that divine incarnation of love which controlled Him who, when suffering an appalling death at the vile hands of unjust persecutors, found expression in the words, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
The indwelling Christ will conquer the desire for the destruction of even a deadly enemy. The enthronement of the great Peacemaker in the soul temple will supply conquering power over the inborn spirit of envy, hatred, malice, revenge, war; and only those who possess His Spirit will meet opposition, calumny, insult, persecution, in meekness; and such will be in readiness for the home-gathering by the Prince of Peace to His eternally-pacific kingdom.
G. W. REASER.
SUNDAY ENFORCEMENT NEWS AND COMMENT.
By John D. Bradley
[From JOHN D. BRADLEY, 60 New York Ave. N. W., Washington, D. C.]
A "Better District of Columbia Sunday-law"
heads a list of things which the International Reform Bureau announces that it is "pressing" and plans to secure during the present winter. Another thing is "a bill to prohibit the issuing of money orders and registering letters on Sunday." In the leaflet making this announcement it is boasted that "Congress has passed eight laws drawn up by the Reform Bureau," one of which was "the bill to close by contract the gates of the St. Louis Exposition on Sunday." As was announced by Mr. Crafts, through the Washington Post, on the day of the convening of the present session of Congress, there are "numerous bills" emanating from the Reform Bureau that "were introduced in the last session of Congress and are still pending," and among them are the two Sunday measures named. They are given in the extract below, from a "Report of the International Reform Bureau's Legislative Committee, Rev. J. G. Butler, D. D., Chairman," that was presented in the Senate by Mr. Gallinger, on February 8 last, and ordered to be printed as a Senate document. It appeared as "Senate Document No. 150, Fifty-eighth Congress, Second Session," and was headed, "Moral Legislation in Congress, Passed and Pending." The extract quoted, which should be of interest now, in view of the fact that it has been announced in the press, by the promoter of these measures, that they "will be earnestly contested [pushed and lobbied] in the short session [the present session of Congress]," is from page 12 of the document, appearing under the heading, "Bills in Defense of the American Civil Sabbath."
To prohibit Sunday banking in post-offices.—Penrose-Sibley bill (S. 3,518, H. R. 11,433): The issuing and paying of money orders, and the registering of letters, and delivery of registered mail on Sundays, is hereby prohibited in the mail service of the United States.
This law might well be extended, if possible, to stop increasing Sunday work in government departments at Washington, especially in the printing office and the library, and also the use of United States soldiers for parades at catchpenny Sunday picnics.
Sabbath law for the District of Columbia.—Allen-Dillingham bill (twice approved by Commissioners of the District of Columbia):
It shall not be lawful for any person to keep open any place of business, or maintain a stand for the sale of any article or articles of profit during Sunday, except vendors of books and newspapers, and apothecaries for the dispensing of medicines, and undertakers for the purpose of providing for the dead, or others for the purposes of charity or necessity; nor shall any public playing of football or baseball, or any other kind of playing, sports, pastimes, or diversions, disturbing the peace and quiet of the day, be practised by any person or persons, within the District of Columbia, on Sunday; nor shall any building operations or work upon railroad construction, be lawful upon said day; and for any violation of this act the person offending shall, for each offense, be liable to a fine of not less than five dollars nor more than fifty dollars, and in the case of corporations, there shall be a like fine for every person employed, in violation of this act, laid upon the corporation offending.
Sec. 2. It shall be a sufficient defense to a prosecution for labor on the first day of the week, that the defendant uniformly keeps another day of the week as a day of rest, and that the labor complained of was done in such manner as not to interrupt or disturb other persons in observing the first day of the week as a day of rest. This act shall not be construed to prevent the sale of refreshments other than malt or spirituous liquors, or to prevent the sale of malt and spirituous liquors, as now provided for by law, or tobacco, cigars, railroad and steamboat tickets, or the collection and delivery of baggage.
When the national capital had a city council, it enacted a law against Sunday labor and traffic, but it was afterwards found that the mayor forgot to sign it. Efforts have been made in vain since 1889 to get7Congress to correct the clerical error and restore the law, which was in substance as above.
The Clergy Sunday Law.
Opposition to and the attempt to suppress governmental Sunday work in Washington, is not to be confined to the International Reform Bureau this winter. At a meeting, on December 12, of the "Association of Christian Clergy" of Washington, at which there were present seventy clergymen, "representing nearly all, if not all, the Protestant denominations having working congregations in the city," it was "decided that the first Sunday in the coming year should be devoted to the discussion of the question of Sabbath observance in the city of Washington," and it was announced that "these sermons are to be expressly aimed at the governmental practise of making certain employees work on Sunday," and that "a systematic campaign will be inaugurated to remedy this state of things." "The day mentioned was chosen as the day for the beginning of the combined attack." This meeting "was called for the purpose of promoting better fellowship and understanding among the ministers of the various Christian denominations in the city," and was addressed by Dr. Josiah Strong, of New York, whose topic was, "The Work of the Institute of Social Service." "He dwelt at considerable length on the necessity for a greater interest and fellowship among all classes of Christian workers, under whatever name they might be represented to the world, in order that all shades of belief might be brought into closer fellowship and relation." As a result of this meeting it is expected that "a permanent organization will be formed, which will have in charge further meetings of the ministers, and arrangements for the perfection of plans for the carrying on of Christian work." It is peculiar, but it is almost invariably the case, that about the first thing, and often about the only thing, that issues from an attempt of the clergy or church people of "the various Christian denominations" to get together on common ground "for the carrying on of Christian work," is a movement in behalf of Sunday observance and Sunday-law enforcement. It must be that they are more thoroughly in accord in this matter than in any other, and that they consider it of first and foremost importance in united "Christian work."
A resolution "memorializing the next Kansas Legislature to pass a bill to prohibit the playing of football and baseball on Sunday," was adopted by the Kansas Presbyterian Synod at Wichita, on October 15.
On November 1, the Detroit (Mich.) Free-Press reported as "among the latest campaign documents to make their appearance" in that city, a circular, issued to the members of the local Master Butchers' Protective Association, and signed by the president, secretary, and business manager of that organization, presenting and calling attention to certain resolutions which had just been adopted at a meeting of that organization. The resolutions called attention "to the fact that in the last session of the Legislature, Edwin Denby, the present Republican candidate for Congress, opposed the bill providing that meat markets shall be closed on Sunday," and it was therefore,—
Resolved, That Edwin Denby is an enemy to the master butchers and their employees, and to all laboring men who desire to have one day's rest in the week, and that it is our duty, as citizens, to do all in our power to defeat the election of Edwin Denby, and that we use our best efforts with all good citizens to work and vote against him.
Is the Sunday question to become a political issue, and a test by which the fitness of candidates for office is to be determined? There can be no question that there are some with whom that is already the case. Mr. Denby is either a son or nephew of the late Charles Denby, a former minister to China.
On November 8, the Willmar (Minn.) Gazette published as "worthy of careful perusal and consideration," a lengthy communication from "a well-known citizen," appealing to "those people who have the interests of temperance work at heart" not to support at the approaching election the Democratic candidate for governor, Mr. John A. Johnson, because, as a state senator, he had voted in the negative on a certain Sunday enforcement measure.
Fresh from the Sunday-rest Congress at St. Louis, Dr. Edward Thomson, president of one of the several organizations in the United States, devoted to Sunday observance and enforcement, entered upon "a two weeks' effort to stir up a revival in his chosen line of work" in Wheeling, W. Va., on October 20, the result of which, according to the Register of that place, was likely to be that "of creating better Sunday regulations for Wheeling." The visit of Mr. Thomson was in response to an invitation from "the ministerial association, to come to the city and speak in the various churches and public halls."
An official statement issued at the Department of Justice in Washington, on December 10, announcing that the President had removed from office Judge Benjamin S. Baker, associate justice of the supreme court of New Mexico, and judge of the Albuquerque district, gave as one of the reasons for this action that in that district "the Sunday law was not enforced against gambling and saloons," and that Judge Baker "was not doing what a judge should do to remedy" this and other "evils" named.
LITERARY NOTICES.
By Editor
No PUBLISHING house in the world has done so much to make the Bible convenient, beautiful, and usable as has the Oxford University Press, Oxford, England. We nearly said that all publishing houses combined had not done so much as has this one. This would be placing it too strongly, doubtless; but we are perfectly safe in saying that the Oxford Teacher's Bibles have always stood at the head in beauty of workmanship, in convenience, in durability, in helps to the study of the Bible in small space. Other Bibles have been published with some one or two excellent features, but the Oxford has combined more.
Its latest are reprints of the text of our common version in clear, beautiful type of varying size, as your eyes may choose, on their special unsurpassed India paper, with entirely new helps. And these helps are multum in parvo, placed in the form of a cyclopedic concordance. There is selected from the great mass of Bible helps, a wonderful amount of information thoroughly revised to date. In the old series of helps the information was given in forty-seven alphabetical lists; in this edition it is in one list in alphabetical order, so that all given on any subject may be instantly found. The Cyclopedic Concordance is more than a mere word book or text finder. Not alone is each word found in its proper alphabetic place, but oftentimes it is found in some table with kindred words. For instance, "diamond" is found in its regular alphabetic place; it is found also in the list of "precious stones of the Bible." Each musical instrument is found in its regular place in the vocabulary; also in the list of "musical instruments." Each mountain is given in its place; then there is a list of "Mountains of Scripture," with their principal associations. The order of events in Christ's life, and very full chronological tables are given. It would take at least two score of headings to summarize the contents. There are beside fifteen new maps, embodying the latest discoveries, with complete index, and thirty-one illustrations from photographs, revealing some of the very latest discoveries in archeology.
To sum up, it is an extremely beautiful and helpful book. Its prices are according to style, type, size, and binding. University Press Warehouse, 91 and 93 Fifth Avenue, New York; Henry Froude, Amen Corner, London. The Oxford Bibles may be obtained from the Pacific Press, Mountain View, Cal.
"Life of Christ" for Little Children, with illustrations from the masters, and illuminated after parchments of the fifteenth century. By Mary Mein Carter. Printed on fine plate paper, pages 9x11¾ inches. A. J. Holman & Company, Philadelphia.
This book of sixty-four beautiful pages has twenty-eight full-page illustrations of persons or events in connection with the life of Jesus, with the artist's name. In each opposite page is an alphabetical verse. For instance, opposite Raphael's "The Way to Calvary," is this verse:
L stands for the Lord,
Who for us was led
Up Calvary's mount,
Where for mankind He bled.
These verses have no particular merit, save the simple truth taught in most cases. The illuminated pages are very beautiful, and the photo-reproductions of the great paintings excellent. There are also five pages giving sketches of Da Vinci, Raphael, Corregio, Reni, Rubens, and Murrillo, with portraits. It is neatly bound in cloth with illuminated side title.
"Man and His Environment."—"Thoughts of a Thinker," collected and edited by John P. Kingsland. 334 pages, cloth; $1.25, net; postage 13 cents. James Pott & Co., New York.
This volume is composed of selections from the manuscript notes of a student of philosophy and religion, especially in the relation of life experience to time and place. It is what may be called a "new thought" book, gathering some of the best of God's gems of truth, and asserting that man has the power within himself to attain to all. It does not ignore Jesus Christ as respects His beautiful life, but in that life is no redemptive power, save as an example. It is a series of hopeful thoughts of what man ought to be and may be, but which after all miss the Way, the Truth, the Life, as it is revealed in God's Word and in Jesus Christ. In fact, the volume is a mass of undigested, incertitudes, the scanning of which makes a thousand times more precious the eternal certitudes of Holy Writ.
"The Bible Reader Number Two." By Edward A. Sutherland and M. Bessie DeGraw. Advocate Publishing Co., Berrien Springs, Mich.
This is an honest, faithful attempt to give children a reader, the matter of which teaches, not only facts, but living, moral, saving truth. The greater part of the matter is composed of Bible stories on persons, events, and providences in the book of Genesis, with occasional short lessons on things in nature. The plan, to take a lesson at haphazard, runs about like this: Reading Lesson, "Hagar the Egyptian Maid," followed by a list of words to spell; For Study, questions on the lesson; then follows "Word Drill," with a list of about forty words to combine into sentences. Following this is a poem, and the next exercise is "Lessons on the Oak." Our chief criticism is that there is too little variety. Many beautiful selections could have been embodied, which would have given greater variety in style. We earnestly commend the book to parents having little children.
News from Russia and Europe
At St. Petersburg, Russia, on January 20, while the czar was engaged in conducting the annual ceremony of blessing, the waters of the Neva River, near the Winter Palace, a charge of grape-shot from a battery that was firing a salute, crashed through the building in which the ceremony was taking place. The royal family had a narrow escape from instant death. It is generally believed that this was another attempt on the life of the czar. All the guns of the battery were aimed directly at the building in which the ceremony was taking place. One of the guards was killed by one of the grape-shot. All the members of the battery have been placed under arrest to prevent the escape of the guilty parties.
Great strikes are now in full swing in both Germany and Russia. They are said to be due to Socialistic influence. About 300,000 workers have gone on strike in Germany, and the situation is a cause of much embarrassment to the government. Sixty thousand men are out in Russia, and others are expected to join the strikers almost any time. The authorities are in fear of riots, and the cessation of labor at government arsenals and ship-yards is seriously hindering the work of fitting up vessels of war and manufacturing ammunition.
Inquiries recently made by the State Department are said to have revealed a plan on the part of the neutral European powers, to partition China at the close of the present war. Secretary Hay has been conducting correspondence with these powers, and has received assurances from them that they will respect the integrity of China. It is also reported that Russia has indicated to Secretary Hay that it is not pleased with the activity of the Washington Government in this matter.
In view of Russia's charge that China had broken her promise of neutrality, Secretary Hay has again urged upon China the importance of keeping her promise in this regard, and has received assurances that China would do all in her power to keep the spirit of that engagement.
President Roosevelt is pressing for the passage of a law to regulate railway rates. The various railway interests are combining to oppose any such law. It is worthy of note, that Mr. W. J. Bryan is supporting the President's action in this matter.
The international commission to inquire into the North Sea incident, in which Russian vessels of war fired upon British fishermen, began its public session, on January 19.
The members of the Woman's Army and Navy League are now petitioning Congress for the restoration of the army canteen.
EVOLUTION AND GEOLOGY
By Geo. McCready Price
IX. DARWINISM.
WHAT is a species? An answer to this somewhat perplexing question is essential to a proper understanding of this phase of the doctrine of Evolution.
"A species," says Professor Huxley, "is the smallest group to which distinctive and invariable characters can be assigned."
The Standard Dictionary says that the term is used for—
A classificatory group of animals or plants subordinate to a genus, and having members that differ among themselves only in minor details of proportion and color, and are capable of fertile interbreeding indefinitely.
It also adds:
In the kingdoms of organic nature [plants and animals] species is founded on identity of form and structure, both external and internal, and specifically characterized by the power of the individuals to produce beings like themselves, who are also in turn productive.
To make the matter a little more plain I quote from the late Prof. J. Le Conte, whose writings on the subject of Evolution have had a wide circulation.
There are two bases on which species may be founded. Species may be based on form, morphological species; or they may be based on reproductive functions, physiological species. By the one method a certain amount of difference of form, structure, and habit, constitutes species; according to the other, if the two kinds breed freely with each other and the offspring is indefinitely fertile, the kinds are called varieties, but if they do not they are called species.—"Evolution and Religious Thought," p. 233.
He also adds that this latter test, that is, whether the kinds are cross-fertile, or not, "is regarded as a most important test of true species, as contrasted with varieties or races."
The Theory of Natural Selections.
Darwinism then professes to show how the species now in existence probably originated from previous simpler species by processes now in operation around us, the chief one of which is known as "natural selection."
We will now state the theory as given by Le Conte.
According to Darwin, and all (?) biologists of the present day, species are variable without limit, if only the causes of change are constant and slow enough in their operation, and the time long enough. A species must be in harmony with its environment, for that is the condition of its existence. Now, if the environment change, the species must tend to change slowly from generation to generation, so as to readjust its relations in harmony with the changing environment. If the change of environment be slow, the readjustment may be successful, and the species will change gradually into another form, so different that it will be called a different species, especially if the intermediate gradations be destroyed. If the change in the environment be too rapid, many species, especially the more rigid, will be destroyed, while the more plastic may survive by modification. Thus, at every step in the evolution of the organic kingdom, some species have died without issue, while others have saved themselves by changing into new forms in harmony with the new environment. Comparing to a growing tree, some branches overshadowed die, while others push on for light, forming new lateral buds, and dividing as they grow. By continued divergent change, species gradually become genera, genera families, etc. Thus, varieties, species, genera, families, orders, classes, etc., are only different degrees of differences formed all in the same way. Varieties are only commencing species, species commencing genera, and so on. In a perfect classification varieties, species, genera, families, orders, classes, etc., are only different degrees of blood-kinship.—Id. pp. 72, 73.
Bible Truth and Human Theory.
In this statement of the case I wish to note three assumptions which are contrary to both the Bible and true science. I give them here in brief form, tho I can not attempt to consider them in all of their manifold bearings.
These assumptions are:
1. That species are variable without limit.
2. That "the time" at our command, that is, the time since life has been on the globe, has been "long enough" to develop in this way all the countless forms of life now in existence.
3. That the general tendency of these unlimited variations through almost unlimited time has been always in an upward direction, i.e., toward a more complex development.
Regarding the first of these assumptions I may say that there has never yet been found a single example, either among plants or animals of a real new species produced by either natural or artificial breeding since man began to experiment. When I say "new species," I mean a new physiological species as already defined.
Nature's Laws Overthrow the Theory.
No one pretends that anything more than physiological "varieties," i.e., kinds cross-fertile with their ancestral types, have ever been produced within the historic period. Hybrids can in some cases be produced between what are commonly called distinct species, but between true species they are either sterile as in the case of the mule, or speedily revert to one of the parent types as in many cases with plants; and then where is the "commencing species?" We can, by patient and very close breeding, produce types as utterly unlike as pug and greyhound among dogs, or carrier and tumbler among pigeons. But then, very close breeding of extreme types weakens the stock, especially in fertility, while judicious crossing of diverse types strengthens the stock and increases its fertility; that is, tho the above mentioned varieties of dogs or birds are so utterly unlike in appearance, they are perfectly cross-fertile, and their progeny speedily tend to become uniform or homogeneous if left wild, as in a state of nature. On the other hand, the horse and the ass, tho almost infinitely more alike to outward appearance, will not cross in a state of nature, and when induced to do so by man, produce a hybrid that is perfectly sterile. As Huxley said in his very candid letter to Charles Kingsley:
If Carrier and Tumbler were physiological species equivalent to horse and ass, their progeny ought to be sterile or semi-sterile. So far as experience has gone, on the contrary, it is perfectly fertile. . . . It has been obvious to me that this is the weak point [one of the weak points] in Darwin's doctrine. He has shown that selective breeding is a vera causa for morphological species; he has not shown it a vera causa for physiological species.—"Life and Letters," Vol. 1, p. 239.
Still Waiting for the Proof.
This is the way all through nature, among either plants or animals, so that, altho Professor Huxley has told us elsewhere, "I adopt Mr. Darwin's hypothesis, therefore, subject to the production of proof that physiological species may be produced by selective breeding," yet we know that this long-desired "proof" is still eloquent by its absence, tho for about a century the thousands of biologists have been ransacking every corner of the globe to find it. In fact, all scientists must acknowledge that, however "plastic" they may imagine them to have been in the past, species are now fixed within certain limits, beyond which we have never yet been able to carry any product of variation.
Before passing on to the second and third assumptions mentioned above, as involved in the Darwinian argument, we must trace briefly the great and
Surprising Change of Attitude
on the part of the scientific world within the last few years.
For, about 1887, Professor Weismann's writings began to show that changes in the individual brought about by environment or by use and disuse of organs are positively not transmitted to offspring. Many leading biologists, such as A. R. Wallace and E. Ray Lankester in England, and hosts of others in Germany, quickly said that Weismann was right, and that not a single example had ever been proved of acquired characters having been thus transmitted. Some other evolutionists, with Herbert Spencer at their head, still clung to the theory as already formulated, claiming that "natural selection" alone is totally inefficient to explain the development of life, and that they must be allowed to retain Lamark's less extreme ideas about the effects of environment, and of use and disuse being reproduced in offspring.
A Telling Illustration.
The "Neo-Darwinians," as the followers of Weismann and Wallace were nicknamed by the others, not only claimed that no actual example of the transmission of acquired characters had ever been proved, but they were ready with numerous examples where such an idea would be absurd. For instance, in the case of bees and some other insects it is the "neuters" which do all the work, while the real fathers do not work at all, neither does the "queen," or mother; and yet the newly-hatched offspring are perfect architects from the beginning. From which of their non-working parents do they inherit this striking instinct for industry and skill? "They are descended from countless generations of queen bees and drones, whose habits have been widely different from those of the workers, and whose structures are dissimilar in various respects. In many species of ants there are two, and in the leaf-cutting ants of Brazil there are three, kinds of neuters, which differ from each other and from their male and female ancestors 'to an almost incredible degree.'"—"Ball's Effects of Use and Disuse," pp. 15, 16. They then argued that since these striking examples of complicated structures and marvelous instincts have been produced somehow "without the aid of use—inheritance—nay, in spite of its utmost opposition"—why should we suppose that the latter has ever played any part in the evolution of other organisms?
