A Look at Evolution

But how shall we avoid throwing ourselves into altruistic work if we are surrounded by poverty, ignorance, suffering, and every appearance of misery as very many people are? Those who live where the withered hand of want is thrust upon them from every side appealingly for aid must find it hard to refrain from continuous giving. Again, there are social and other irregularities, injustices done to the weak, which fire generous souls with an almost irresistible desire to set things right. We want to start a crusade; we feel that the wrongs will never be righted until we give ourselves wholly to the task. In all this we must fall back upon the point of view. We must remember that this is not a bad world but a good world in the process of becoming.

But how can we avoid throwing ourselves into work to help others if poverty, ignorance, suffering, and misery surround us? Very many people live in such conditions. When desperate need reaches out for help from every side, people must find it hard to stop giving. Then there are social problems and other injustices against the weak. These stir generous people with an almost irresistible desire to set things right. We want to start a crusade. We feel that these wrongs will never be corrected until we devote ourselves entirely to the task. In all these situations, we must return to our way of seeing the world. We must remember that this is not a bad world, but a good world still taking shape.

Beyond all doubt there was a time when there was no life upon this earth. The testimony of geology to the fact that the globe was once a ball of burning gas and molten rock, clothed about with boiling vapors, is indisputable. And we do not know how life could have existed under such conditions; that seems impossible. Geology tells us that later on a crust formed, the globe cooled and hardened, the vapors condensed and became mist or fell in rain. The cooled surface crumbled into soil; moisture accumulated, ponds and seas were gathered together, and at last somewhere in the water or on the land appeared something that was alive.

Without any doubt, there was a time when no life existed on Earth. Geological evidence is undeniable: Earth was once a ball of burning gas and molten rock, surrounded by boiling vapors. We do not know how life could have existed under those conditions. Life under those conditions seems impossible. Geology tells us that a crust later formed, and Earth cooled and hardened. The vapors condensed into mist or fell as rain. The cooled surface crumbled into soil. Moisture collected, and ponds and seas formed. At last, somewhere in the water or on land, something alive appeared.

It is reasonable to suppose that this first life was in single-celled organisms, but behind these cells was the insistent urge of Spirit, the Great One Life seeking expression. And soon organisms having too much life to express themselves with one cell had two cells and then many, and still more life was poured into them. Multiple-celled organisms were formed; plants, trees, vertebrates, and mammals, many of them with strange shapes, but all were perfect after their kind as everything is that God makes. No doubt there were crude and almost monstrous forms of both animal and plant life; but everything filled its purpose in its day and it was all very good. Then another day came, the great day of the evolutionary process, a day when the morning stars sang together and the sons of God shouted for joy to behold the beginning of the end, for man, the object aimed at from the beginning, had appeared upon the scene.

It is reasonable to suppose that this first life existed in single-celled organisms. But behind these cells was the persistent urge of Spirit, the Great One Life seeking expression. Soon, organisms with too much life to express through one cell developed two cells, then many. And still more life was poured into them. Multicellular organisms formed: plants, trees, vertebrates, and mammals. Many had strange shapes, but all were perfect for their kind, as everything God makes is perfect. No doubt some forms of animal and plant life were crude and almost monstrous. But everything served its purpose in its time, and it was all very good. Then another day came, the great day of evolution. The morning stars sang together, and the sons of God shouted for joy at seeing the beginning of the end. For man, the goal from the beginning, had appeared on the scene.

An ape-like being, little different from the beasts around him in appearance but infinitely different in his capacity for growth and thought. Art and beauty, architecture and song, poetry and music, all these were unrealized possibilities in that ape man’s soul. And for his time and kind he was very good.

He was an ape-like being who looked little different from the animals around him. But his ability to grow and think was infinitely different from theirs. Art and beauty, architecture and song, poetry and music were all possibilities not yet realized in that ape man’s soul. And for his time and kind, he was very good.

“It is God that worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure,” says St. Paul. From the day the first man appeared God began to work IN men, putting more and more of himself into each succeeding generation, urging them on to larger achievements and to better conditions, social, governmental, and domestic. Those who looking back into ancient history see the awful conditions which existed, the barbarities, idolatries, and sufferings, and reading about God in connection with these things are disposed to feel that he was cruel and unjust to man, should pause to think. From the ape man to the coming Christ man the race has had to rise. And it could only be accomplished by the successive unfoldments of the various powers and possibilities latent in the human brain. Naturally the cruder and more animal-like part of man came to its full development first; for ages men were brutal; their governments were brutal, their religions were brutal, their domestic institutions were brutal, and what appears to be an immense amount of suffering resulted from this brutality. But God never delighted in suffering, and in every age he has given men a message, telling them how to avoid it. And all the while the urge of life, insistent, powerful, compelling, made the race keep moving forward; a little less brutality in each age and a little more spirituality in each age. And God kept on working in man.

“It is God who works in you, both to will and to act according to his good pleasure,” says St. Paul. From the day the first man appeared, God began to work IN men. He put more and more of himself into each succeeding generation. He urged them toward greater achievements and better conditions in society, government, and home life. Some people look back at ancient history and see the terrible conditions, the brutality, idol worship, and suffering. When they read about God in connection with these things, they may feel he was cruel and unjust to man. Those people should stop and think. The human race has had to rise from the ape man to the coming Christ man. And this rise was possible only as the human brain’s hidden powers and possibilities gradually developed. Naturally, the cruder, more animal-like part of man developed fully first. For ages, men were brutal. Their governments were brutal, their religions were brutal, and their family institutions were brutal. This brutality caused what appears to be an immense amount of suffering. But God never took pleasure in suffering. In every age, he has given men a message telling them how to avoid suffering. And all the while, the insistent, powerful, compelling drive of life kept the human race moving forward. Each age brought a little less brutality and a little more spirituality. And God kept working in man.

In every age there have been some individuals who were in advance of the mass and who heard and understood God better than their fellows. Upon these the inspiring hand of Spirit was laid and they were compelled to become interpreters. These were the prophets and seers, sometimes the priests and kings, and oftener still they were martyrs driven to the stake, the block, or the cross. It is to these who have heard God, spoken his word, and demonstrated his truth in their lives that all progress is really due.

In every age, some people have been ahead of the rest. They heard and understood God better than others. The inspiring hand of Spirit touched these people, compelling them to interpret God's message. They were prophets and seers, sometimes priests and kings. More often still, they were martyrs sent to be burned at the stake, beheaded, or crucified. All progress is truly due to those who heard God, spoke his word, and demonstrated his truth through their lives.

Again, considering for a moment the presence of what is called evil in the world, we see that that which appears to us to be evil is only undeveloped; and that the undeveloped is perfectly good in its own stage and place. Because all things are necessary to man’s complete unfoldment, all things in human life are the work of God. The graft rings in our cities, the red-light districts and their unfortunate inmates, these he consciously and voluntarily produced. Their part in the plan of unfoldment must be played. And when their part has been played he will sweep them off the stage as he did the strange and poisonous monsters which filled the swamps of the past ages.

Again, let us briefly consider the presence of what is called evil in the world. We see that what appears evil to us is only undeveloped. And what is undeveloped is perfectly good at its own stage and in its own place. Because all things are necessary for humanity’s full development, all things in human life are the work of God. He consciously and willingly created the corruption rings in our cities, the red-light districts, and the unfortunate people living there. They must play their part in the plan of development. And when they have played their part, he will sweep them off the stage. He did the same with the strange and poisonous monsters that filled the swamps of past ages.

In concluding this vision of evolution we might ask why it was all done, what is it for? This question should be easy for the thoughtful mind to answer. God desired to express himself, to live in form, and not only that, but to live in a form through which he could express himself on the highest moral and spiritual plane. God wanted to evolve a form in which he could live as a god and manifest himself as a god. This was the aim of the evolutionary force. The ages of warfare, bloodshed, suffering, injustice, and cruelty were tempered in many ways with love and justice as time advanced. And this was developing the brain of man to a point where it should be capable of giving full expression to the love and justice of God. The end is not yet; God aims not at the perfection of a few choice specimens for exhibition, like the large berries at the top of the box, but at the glorification of the race. The time will come when the Kingdom of God shall be established on earth; the time foreseen by the dreamer of the Isle of Patmos, when there shall be no more crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are all passed away, and there shall be no night there.

As we conclude this view of evolution, we might ask why it all happened. What was it for? Anyone who thinks carefully should find the answer easy. God wanted to express himself, to live in a physical form. He also wanted a form through which he could express himself at the highest moral and spiritual level. God wanted to develop a form in which he could live as a god and reveal himself as a god. This was the goal of the evolutionary force. As time passed, love and justice softened the ages of warfare, bloodshed, suffering, injustice, and cruelty in many ways. And this process was developing the human brain until it could fully express God's love and justice. The goal has not yet been reached. God does not aim to perfect a few select people for display, like the large berries on top of the box. Instead, he aims to bring glory to the whole human race. The time will come when the Kingdom of God will be established on earth. This is the time foreseen by the dreamer of the Isle of Patmos. There will be no more crying or pain, because all the old things will have passed away. And there will be no night there.