The Signs of the Times, vol. 11

July 2, 1885

“‘Evolution’ and Evolution. (Concluded.)” The Signs of the Times 11, 26, p. 404.

(Concluded).

OF those who have read, attentively, these articles on Evolution, and those on Geology would preceded these, no one can fail to see the striking similarity in the essential characteristics, and the manner of treatment, of the two so-called sciences, as drawn from the writings of their most eminent representatives. To carve this, as it were, in bold relief, on the brazen faces of these two sciences, we present the following:— SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.1

In the Independent of May 27, 1880, appeared an article by President Gregory, of Lake Forest University, Ill., on the question, “Is Evolution Science?” in which occurred the following quotation, and comment:— SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.2

“Take, as illustration of the quality of the so-called science, the well-known passage from Mr. Darwin: ‘The early progenitors of man were, no doubt, covered with hair, both sexes having beards. Their ears were pointed and capable of movement, and their bodies were provided with a tail.... The foot ... was prehensile, and our progenitors, no doubt, were arboreal in their habits, frequenting some warm, forest-clad land.... At an earlier period the progenitors of man must have been aquatic in their habits.’ SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.3

“When men laud this as ‘advanced science,’ we have to say that it is a double ‘no doubt,’ and a ‘must have been’ resting on a hypothesis which is conceivable, but has not a fact to support it. We protest, in the name of sound thinking, against the almighty must-be-ity with which the evolutionist constructs his system; and we do it for the same reason that we protest against the equally patent must-be-ity and per seity of the speculative philosophers and theologians.... Let us have real science, and not sham science.” SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.4

Now we present for comparison with the above from “Darwin’s Descent of Man,” an extract from Geikie’s Geology, and see whether President Gregory’s “protest” will not lie with equal weight against each. SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.5

The third paragraph under Park III., Dynamical Geology, reads as follows:— SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.6

“At an early time in the earth’s history, anterior to any of the periods of which a record remains in the visible rocks, the chief sources of geological action probably [italics ours] lay within the earth itself. The planet still retained a great store of its initial heat, and in all likelihood, was the theater of great chemical changes, giving rise, perhaps, to manifestations of volcanic energy somewhat like those which have so marvelously roughened the surface of the moon. As the outer layers of the globe cooled, and the disturbances due to internal heat and chemical action became less marked, the influence of the sun, which must always have operated, would then stand out more clearly, giving rise to that wide circle of superficial changes wherein variations of temperature and the circulation of air and water over the surface of the earth came into play.” SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.7

So on this we too would say, “When men laud this as ‘advanced science,’ we have to say that it is simply” a “probability” linked with a “likelihood” and sustained by a “perhaps,” and all suppored by a “must have operated,” with not a fact to underlie any of it, because it is all concerning periods of which there is no “visible record.” In the words of President Gregory, “we protest, in the name of sound thinking, against the almighty ‘probabilities,’ and ‘perhaps’s,’ and ‘must have’s,’ with which the geologist, as well as the evolutionist, constructs his system.” And with him we say, “Let us have real science, and not sham science. SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.8

We would not be understood as being, in the slightest degree, opposed to true science. On the contrary, we will yield to none in genuine admiration of science; but it must be “real science, and not sham science,“—a science which, when it says “doubtless,” means doubtless in its absolute sense of having removed all doubt by sound reasoning and demonstrative evidence; and not as it is used by the “falsely so-called” science of our day, simply to give expression to a whole system of doubt. The truth is, that the most charming book, the Bible always excepted, of course, that we have ever had the pleasure of reading, is the most profoundly scientific book that we ever read. That is, “Maury’s Physical Geography of the Sea.” He does not deal much in such terms, but when he does say “doubtless,” it is doubtless. As an illustration of what we regard as genuine science, we give the following from Lieutenant Maury’s treatise, sections 88-93:— SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.9

In December, 1853, the fine new steamship, San Francisco, sailed from New York bound for California with a regiment of United States troops on board. While crossing the Gulf Stream she was overtaken by a fearful gale, and by one single blow of a terrible sea, one hundred and seventy-nine persons,—officers and men,—were washed overboard and drowned, and the ship so crippled that she was simply adrift. The next day she was seen by a vessel, and again the next day by another; but neither of these could render any assistance, and so she was left still adrift. When these two ships reached the United States, they reported the matter; and vessels were sent out by the Government to search for and relieve the drifting ship. But the questions were, Which way should they go? and where should they look? Appeal was made to Maury, and he, sitting in the National Observatory, prepared a chart of the Gulf Stream for that time of year, and from a point where the disabled ship was last seen, he drew, as it were, upon the waters of the trackless ocean, two slightly diverging lines, thus, and said that the ship had drifted between them. Then one of the relief cutters, which was at New London, Conn., was told to go along a dotted line between these two lines, thus, to the last dot, and there she would see the object of her search. And right in sight of that very place the disabled ship was found. (For full particulars see the work referred to.) SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.10

That was science in the fullest sense. When evolution can show such accuracy as that, it may lay claim to being a science; but it is entitled to no such claim as long as “facts can in no way interfere with the theory.” And yet Lieutenant Maury was so much a lover of God and the Bible that he saw God’s greatness manifested in every and all of the winds, currents, and creatures of the air and the ocean, and constantly found the beautiful truths of the Bible, most beautifully demonstrated in the “wind in his circuits,” and by the rivers which “run into the sea,” as well as in the “sweet influences of Pleiades,” and held his reverence for the Bible at such a height that in one instance at least, and which he had recorded, he actually gave up, entirely, a generally accepted theory, because, for one reason, as he himself says, “I found evidence in the Bible which seems to cast doubt upon it.” And so, like the true scientist that he was, he gave up the human theory, adopted the view that the bible seemed to present, and soon demonstrated it as a scientific truth, although it was in direct opposition to one of the most eminent geologists of the day. That is the kind of science that we love; because, being based on the truth of God, it is a part of the truth of God itself. And so, consequently, when a men depart from the truth of God as recorded in nature, we can expect nothing else than, as we think is plainly shown by the evidence of this series of articles, that they will depart from the truth of God as recorded in revelation. SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.11

But as evolution, with all its “no doubts” and “must have been’s” has never been able to give, as Mr. Darwin says, an explanation of the “loss of the tail” by “man,” so on the other hand, geology with all its “probabilities,” etc., cannot tell whether its changes have been wrought by the means conjectured, or by other, and totally different means and at the same time much more rapidly than is allowed in any of the calculations of geologists. And therefore we, as evolutionists, are willing to admit as a “working hypothesis” that man, as man, was created, and created, without a tail. And as geologists, we will admit as a “working hypothesis” that “once upon a time” “the windows from on high were opened, and the fountains of the great deep were broken up,” and that “a flood of waters covered the whole face of the earth.” And the “probabilities” are, “no doubt,” that, “in all likelihood,” we, as evolutionists and geologists,” “must be” just as near right about these things as “perhaps” are the evolutionists and geologists of the “advanced science” school. SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.12

But that geology and evolution are essentially alike, is not all. Evolution is absolutely dependent upon geology. Without geology, evolution can have no place. Proof:— SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.13

“The high antiquity of man, ... is the indispensable basis for understanding his origin.”—Darwin, Descent of Man, Vol. 1, p. 3, Appleton’s Edition of 1871. SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.14

So geological science goes before and gives to the earth, all the way from ten millions to ten thousand millions, of years of growth and development, and thus the course is laid wide open, and the field entirely cleared, so that there is nothing to obstruct, in the slightest degree, the wildest flights of even the evolutionary imagination. Thus geological science furnishes to the full, the element of “high antiquity” which is demanded as “the indispensable basis” of evolution. Then evolutonary science follows after, and upon this “basis” builds up its atheistical structure. And thus the two “falsely so-called” sciences unite, not only to destroy faith in the word of God, but to rob the Creator of his prerogative and remove him from his throne. SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.15

Geological science goes before and upon the basis of its deductions demands that we give up the first chapter of Genesis. With this as its “indispensable basis” evolution follows after, and upon its deductions demands that we give up the whole Bible. But that Book, from beginning to end, has been given to us as being, what it is in truth, the word of God, and:— SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.16

“I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; PREACH THE WORD.” 2 Timothy 4:1, 2. SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.17

“The voice said, Cry. And he said What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; the grass withereth, the flower fadeth;” “but THE WORD OF OUR GOD SHALL STAND FOREVER.” SITI July 2, 1885, page 404.18

A. T. J.

“Notes on the International Lesson. 1 Kings 12:25-33. Idolatry Established” The Signs of the Times 11, 25, pp. 406, 407.

JULY 12—1 Kings 12:25-33

“THEN Jeroboam built Shechem.” He enlarged and fortified the city, and made it his capital. Shechem is one of the most noted places mentioned in the Bible. It was the first place at which Abraham stopped, when he departed out of Haran and came into the land of Canaan; there the Lord appeared to him and made him the promise of the land; and there he built his first altar in the land of Canaan. Genesis 12:6, 7. When Jacob came out of Mesopotamia, on his journey back to his own land, he pitched his tent before the city, and “bought a parcel of a field, where he spread his tent.” Genesis 33:18, 19. In this “parcel” of ground at Shechem, the children of Israel buried the bones of Joseph, which they had brought out of Egypt. Joshua 24:32. On each side of it, on Mts. Gerizim and Ebal, stood all the people after crossing over Jordan, when the blessings upon the obedient, and the curses upon the disobedient, were pronounced. Joshua 8:33. Here all Israel assembled to make Rehoboam king; here they rebelled and chose Jeroboam; and thus it came that he made it his capital. It was near the town that the Saviour, “being wearied with his journey, sat thus” on Jacob’s well, when the woman of Samaria came to draw water. See John 4:1-42. Shechem was thirty-four miles north of Jerusalem. SITI July 2, 1885, page 406.1

“AND Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David; if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem.” There probably was some truth in this observation. For, as all were to assemble in Jerusalem three times in the year especially, besides the many other important occasions of worship; and as the Levites that were in all the cities would have to go up from time to time to fill the order of their course in the temple service; the chief religious interest would be at Jerusalem, and therefore the interests of the whole nation would be centered there, and Jeroboam’s rule would be to a certain extent only nominal. Even if all this were so, it could only be for the best interests of the nation in every way. But that was nothing to Jeroboam. Like every other professional politician, his own personal interests must take precedence of everything, even to the usurpation of the prerogatives which God had reserved to himself. SITI July 2, 1885, page 406.2

“WHEREUPON the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold.” These calves were the images of the Egyptian gods. Jeroboam had learned about them and their worship, curing his sojourn in Egypt, when he fled from Solomon. The worship was of the same degraded nature as that of the gods of the Ammonites, Moabites, and Zidonians, with the exception of burning the children in the fire. SITI July 2, 1885, page 406.3

“AND he set the one in Bethel.” It was, no doubt, an easy task to turn the people to Bethel instead of Jerusalem to worship, for there Abraham had built an altar and had worshiped, both before and after he went to Egypt (Genesis 12:8; 13:4); there the Lord appeared unto Jacob, and there Jacob set up a pillar, and called it God’s house (Genesis 28:10-22); there Jacob built an altar when he returned with all his substance from the house of Laban, and there the Lord appeared to him again, and renewed to him the promise made to Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 35:6-15); in the troubled times of the judges there was the ark of the covenant, and there the people came to inquire of the Lord (Judges 20:18-28); and there Samuel went in his circuit once a year to judge Israel. So when Jeroboam built an altar there, and established a system of worship, idolatrous though it was, he could appeal to them upon all these sacred memories, as against Jerusalem, and especially when by the cry, “These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt,” he would palm off upon them the idols as simply representations of the God of their fathers. SITI July 2, 1885, page 406.4

“AND the other put he in Dan.” Dan was already the place of an idolatrous worship by the tribe of Dan. When the tribe of Dan sought for an inheritance in the land, they first sent out five men, who, in their search, came to Laish, and found a place where there was “no want of anything that is in the earth,” and returned and told their brethren. Then the tribe sent 600 armed men to take the place. As they were on the way, they came to the house of Micah of Mount Ephraim, and there they found a graven image, and ephod, a teraphim, and a molten image, and a Levite whom Micah had hired as his priest in the worship of these his gods, and the Danites took priest, idols, and all, and carried them with them to Laish. They attacked and destroyed Laish, and there they built a new city and called it Dan, and established their idolatrous worship there, and maintained it till the captivity of the ten tribes. It was easy enough, therefore, for Jeroboam to set up his golden calf at Dan, and to turn the people there to the worship of it, not only because the people were prone to idolatry, but because they were actually practicing it. SITI July 2, 1885, page 406.5

AND so with one place of worship in the northern, and another in the southern, part of his kingdom, he could present very forcibly his next appeal: “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem.” Yes, it is too much for you to go to the place that the Lord himself appointed, and to worship him as he has directed. It is too hard for you to obey the Lord, you can obey me, that will be much easier. It is too hard for you to travel away down to Jerusalem, here is a place to worship almost at your own doors as it were; this will be ever so much easier for you. These are thy gods, anyhow, that brought you out of Egypt. You worship the same gods here that they worship at Jerusalem, only in a little different way; but then everybody cannot see alike; there is unity in diversity; we are all only branches of the same church; we are only different departments of the same army; the Lord is the one great Commander! Yes; Jeroboam could thus offer them ease, and that is the one thing desirable with many who pretend to worship the Lord. They will willingly worship if they can only do it in their own way. But such people don’t worship the Lord, they worship themselves. SITI July 2, 1885, page 406.6

BUT was Jeroboam the last one who ever held out to the people such inducements? Hardly. We need not go very far to find the same thing to-day. When the Sabbath of the Lord, and the coming of Christ, are now presented to the people, and their holy claims urged upon them, there are plenty of would-be leaders, who, like Jeroboam, will appeal to their love of ease. “Oh,” say they, “it is not necessary for you to keep the Sabbath. Just think, you will lose your position, and your standing in society and in your church. And oh, worse than all, those people who keep the Sabbath, and are looking for the Lord, don’t have any church fairs, nor festivals, nor “mum” socials, nor fish-ponds, nor grab-bags, nor sleeping-beauties, nor kissing-bees, nor gambling—why you cannot even put up your young ladies at public auction, and sell them to the highest bidder! And that is “too much for you,” just stay where you are. We worship the same God that they do, only in a different way. Of course we don’t do as he has commanded, but all cannot see alike, you know.” SITI July 2, 1885, page 406.7

BUT in all this as in that of old, “This thing became a sin.” It is not the service of God at all. All such are “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God,” and he commands, “From such turn away.” This is what was done by a great many in that time, for we read: “And the priests and the Levites that were in all Israel resorted to him [Rehoboam] out of all their coasts. And after them, out of all the tribes of Israel, such as set their hearts to seek the Lord God of Israel came to Jerusalem, to sacrifice unto the Lord God of their fathers.” 2 Chronicles 11:13, 16. SITI July 2, 1885, page 407.1

“AND he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi. And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that [is] in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made. So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.” 1 Kings 12:31-33. “And he [God] shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.” SITI July 2, 1885, page 407.2

AND from that day forward neither Jeroboam, nor Israel, ever knew safety. What he and they supposed the easiest way proved the hardest possible way. So it has ever been, and so will it ever be with every one who chooses his own way. Man’s way leads direct to perdition; the Lord’s way leads straight to paradise. Man’s ways is the hardest way; the Lord’s way is the easiest of all ways. Christ said, “My yoke is easy.” And the only easy way is to deny self, take up the cross and follow him. There is no other. SITI July 2, 1885, page 407.3

A. T. J.