Before leaving this attempt to show that there is no necessary conflict between biological and theological science, it is important to call the attention of the intelligent public to the fact that what formerly appeared to be the solid consistency of the 'Darwinian' creed, has been broken up into a state not far removed from chaos. It has become apparent how very little way has really been made towards showing what have been the actual factors in evolution--how the fact of evolution through variation has actually occurred. Thus Mr. Bateson[14] remarks, 'If the study of variation can serve no other end, it may make us remember that the complexity of the problem of specific difference is hardly less now than it was when Darwin first showed that natural history is a problem, and no vain riddle.' What is the cause of variations occurring? What law do they exhibit in their occurrence? Do variations occur with a certain degree of sudden completeness[15]? Or how are we to {236} explain the maintenance of variations, which in a more developed stage are to be very useful, before they can be shown to be useful at all? What is the place held in evolution by 'natural selection'? What, if any, the place held by use-inheritance? Is the factor of 'mimicry,' supported by Darwin, an important or even real factor in evolution? What is to be the issue of the controversy between the biologist and the physicist on the question of the time required for organic development? Are we to suppose that organic development at the beginning proceeded very much more rapidly than at a later stage? Or even that it exhibited laws of which we have no experience now, such as would admit of a 'natural' development of life out of what is not living? All these, and many more questions, appear to be so completely open that, granted the general theory of continuous evolution as against special creation, hardly anything as regards the factors or causes of evolution can be said to be scientifically settled. Thus on such subjects as the origin of the human race, its exact relation to an animal ancestry, and the right interpretation of the fact of sin, {237} before science can make demands on theology, there must be more agreement in her own camp. [1] See especially Ezekiel xxviii, xxxi. [2] See vol. i. p. 193. [3] Clem. Alex. _Strom_, vi. 12. 96; Iren. _c. Haer._ iv. 38. [4] See also above, vol. i. pp. 78, 79. [5] On the meaning of 'freedom of will,' see vol. i. pp. 230 ff. [6] See above, vol. i. pp. 80-1. [7] Romanes, _Examination of Weismannism_ (Longmans, 1893), pp. 61-70, 153. [8] _The Last Link_ (Black, 1899), p. 79. [9] Romanes, _Darwin and after Darwin_ (Longmans, 1895), ii. p. 279. [10] _Examination of Weismannism_, pp. 114, 115. [11] _Darwin and after Darwin_, ii. p. 90.