Page:Divine Selection or The Survival of the Useful.djvu/12

 The religiously inclined saw in Evolution, with its theories of "natural selection" and "survival of the fittest," a most dangerous enemy, threatening to do away with religion, spirituality, the Scriptures, and God, as the impressions of superstition made in the childhood of our race.

Evolution was too formidably intrenched behind apparent fact and crafty reason to admit of absolute defeat with the weapons then at hand. Some scoffed, others ridiculed; but never in the world's history have these resorts stayed the progress of good or evil. Yet here and there a stalwart nature has risen and dealt the theory a staggering blow, from which it has tried to recover by shifting position or by re-intrenchment.

Nevertheless, Evolution has extended its lines until it is accepted by many among all thinking classes. There are many of the religious who accept it,