ANALYTICAL OUTLINE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

THE RIGHT OF SEARCH.

AGNOSTICISM and

Gnosticism:

Its Pretensions.

Prof. Clifford-

His "Ethics of Religion";

His new divinity.

Prof. Tyndall-

His assumptions;

His admissions.

Their relation to

MATERIALISTIC ATHEISM :

Is it true?

Is it demonstrable?

Is it Scientific?

CHAPTER II.

EVOLUTION.

EVOLUTION :

Theories of:

Three main varieties:

The Theistic,

The Atheistic,

The Agnostic.

Their relation to the doctrine of

Development:

Mr. Darwin's "view"; and his Opinion.

His "opinion" may be questioned; and

His "view" has not been shown to be true.

Is strongly Theistic,

Is shown by Professor Mivart to be

"Not The Origin of Species," and

"Not antagonistic to Christianity."

The Theistic Doctrine of Evolution :

(Its three main Varieties)

Maintained by Mr. Darwin; but

Opposed by Professors Huxley and Tyndall.

Prof. Tyndall "abandons," once for all "the conception

of creative acts."

Prof. Huxley excludes "the intervention of any but what

are termed secondary causes."

Evolution :

As strictly defined,

As popularly understood.

The validity of the Facts

Independent of every Theory as to their Cause.

The Phenomenal Sequence,

Not the Ideal Hypothesis,

A Universal Law.

The Ideal Hypothesis, which

"Derives man in his totality from the inter-

action of organism and environment through

countless ages past."

II. THE TRANSMUTATION OF SPECIES.

"Not Proven" (Prof. Huxley).

"Of direct and positive testimony"

"There is no fragment whatever" (Dr. Elam).

Mr. Darwin's admissions

"Fatal" to his theory

Condemned by Prof. Mivart.

CHAPTER IV.

"SCIENTIFIC LEVITY."

AGNOSTIC EVOLUTION:

An Unverified Hypothesis

Based on two subordinate hypotheses

Equally unverified.

(1) Spontaneous Generation.

(2) The Transmutation of Species.

SPONTANEOUS GENERATION.

"Does life grow out of dead matter?" (Prof. Whewell.)

"It is a result absolutely inconceivable." (Mr. Darwin.)

"Not supported by any evidence." (Dr. Carpenter.)

"Scientific Levity." (Humboldt.)

From Matter to Life:

The attempts to bridge the chasm

Have all failed.

The "nucleated vesicle "

Is on the wrong side of the gulf.

The "chemico-electric operation"

Is a mere supposition."

The "Protogenes of Haeckel," and

Dr. Elam's refutation of Mr. Spencer.

The "line of demarcation

between the organic and the inorganic

Is as wide as ever."

Chemistry: Its century of triumphs.

Its one conspicuous Failure. Hence

b

SPONTANEOUS GENERATION is

"An astounding hypothesis " (Dr. Carpenter)

(Prof. Tyndall), and

(Virchow.)

CHAPTER V.

A HOUSE OF CARDS.

Agnostic Evolution: Not scientifically true.
"A flimsy framework of hypotheses."

(Dr. Elam.)

Devoid of "experimental demonstration." (Tyndall.)

Its Fundamental Proposition :

Condemned by Scientifie Authorities

"The older and honoured chiefs in Natural Science;"

"A minority of minds of high calibre and culture."

The New Syllogisms:

(Darwin.)

(Tyndall.)

(Mr. Spencer)

(Prof. Tyndall)

(Mr. Darwin)

"Probable"; "provisional"; "" uncertain."

Its hypothetical completeness: Dependent on
Its Continuity—"in nubibus."

Refuted by Du Bois Reymond.

His Fundamental Postulates:

Incapable of Proof.

Monera; Gastreada ; Amphioxus.

Accepted by Mr. Huxley. And yet

Mr. Huxley admits that

The doctrine of Evolution involves the assump-

tion of

Spontaneous Generation; while this last has

"No experimental evidence in its favour."

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Supported by no valid or intelligible reason."