The Passing of Evolution 9 endowed them with the marvelous capacity for variation which we know they possess. This mysterious capacity for variation lies at the basis of his theory. If anything is to be evolved in an orderly manner from the resident forces of primordial matter it must first have been involved through the creative act of the Divine Being. But no one knows what causes variation in plants or animals. Like the wind it comes, but we know not whence it cometh or whither it goeth. Breeders and gardeners do not attempt to produce varieties directly. They simply observe the variations which occur, and select for propagation those which will best serve their purposes. They are well aware that variations which they perpetuate are not only mysterious in their origin, but superficial in their character. In Darwinism the changing conditions of life, to which every individual is subjected, are made to take the place of the breeder and secure what is called natural selection. In this case, however, the peculiarities selected and preserved must always be positively advantageous to the life of the indi- viduals preserved. But to be of advantage a variation must both be considerable in amount, and correlated to other varia- tions so that.they shall not be antagonistic to one another. For example, if a deer were born with the capability of growing antlers so large that they would be a decided advantage to him in his struggle for existence, he must at the same time have a neck strong enough to. support its weight, and other portions of his frame capable of bearing the increased strain. Other- wise his antlers would be the ruin of all his hopes instead of an advantage. It is impossible to conceive of this combina- tion of advantageous variations without bringing in the hand and the designing mind of the Original Creator. Of this, as of every other variety of evolution, it can be truly said in the words of one of the most distinguished physi- cists, Clerk Maxwell: “I have examined all that have come within my reach, and have found that every one must have a
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