dominion over the brute creation both he and they are mutually benefited. The condition of one would be less happy without the other.

True it is that some animals are hostile and injurious to man, but they tend to sharpen his vigilance, to quicken his energies, and to develop his powers of body and of mind. Yet many do submit themselves unto him, and have contributed much to his comfort and convenience. Without their aid he could not have accomplished what he has. They, too, are all advantaged in being subject unto man's dominion. This will easily be seen if we suppose that all the domesticated animals were to be set free from man's restraint. Instead of being cherished and protected by him they would be driven into "the highways and hedges" to satisfy the pangs of hunger. Many would die of want, while others would fall a prey to the strength or stratagem of some more powerful foe. Instead of the dog sharing the meals and protection of his master, he would be a poor houseless wanderer. Instead of sheep being reared and sheltered, they would be exposed to the mercy of every foe. True, some suffer through the brutal treatment they receive from sinful man; but as a whole they are better cared for than they would be if left to roam at large.

If, now, the domesticated animals are better fed and sheltered than otherwise they would be, how much better still their condition would have been if sin had been unknown. In man's onward march to improve the earth and to replenish it, he destroys many species of plants, and he introduces others. He destroys dangerous and carnivorous animals, replacing them with those that are

domesticated. In our island during the period of human history, the wolf, the bear, the wild boar, the beaver, and many others have been exterminated; while the dog, the partridge, the Chinese goose, the hen, and indeed all the domesticated fowls, with other tame animals, have been imported. These vast forests, which occupied so much of our country when Cæsar, with his Roman galleys landed his soldiers on the coast of Kent, have been cleared away to yield the valuable pasture lands and cornfields of our era; while vegetables from nearly every part of the world have been introduced. By drainage and manures he improves and modifies the soil. Now cornfields wave with golden grain where once water occupied the sites. Witness what has been done in the fens of Lincolnshire during the present century. How, by systematic drainage, men have rescued many thousands of acres from annual, constant, or periodic floods. Many valuable farms have also been reclaimed from the Yorkshire moors and commons. And now, but for the sin of man, God might look on approvingly as when He saw everything that He had made, and behold it was very good.

265

CHAPTER V.

THE ADAMIC RACE.

THAT human beings exist upon the globe now, and that there was a time when they did not exist, are truths admitted by all parties.

There are many things in which learned men differ widely, if not wildly, in reference to man's origin and early condition on the earth. With regard to the place where, the time when, man began to exist, have called forth many conflicting opinions. Some there are who adhere to the old theory-the one taught in the book of Genesisthat the first man was created in some region in Western Asia; other writers object to this view altogether, and assert that the first man was not created, but developed from some lower animal. Dr. Wilson very truly says, they

seem ready to believe anything but the Bible, and to accept any theory, however wild and monstrous, rather than acknowledge the existence of a Being who is the Creator of man, and Who will bring us into judgment."

Much has been said on both sides of the controversy. Take two examples. On the side of Scripture, Archbishop Whately shows from a scientific stand-point, that the first man was a civilized being.

His position is, that " mere

savages-men in the lowest degree of barbarism in which they can possibly exist at all-never did, and never can, unaided, raise themselves to a higher condition." He shows that when savages are brought into contact with superior races, then it is difficult to teach them the simplest arts. That whatever the natural powers of the human mind may be, they require to be started by some instruction from without. He maintains it to be a complete moral certainty that men born in the savage state, not being developed by education, "Never did, nor can raise themselves from that condition." The question next arising is, when and how did civilization first originate? How comes it that the whole world is not peopled exclusively with savages? "Hence," says Dr. Whately, "according to the present course of things, the first introducer of civilization among savages is, and must be, man in an improved state. In the beginning, therefore, of the human race, since there was no man to effect it, this must have been the work of another Being." The conclusion seems to be that as man must have had a Divine Creator, it seems equally true, that, to some extent also, he must have had a Divine Instructor.

On the opposite side of the subject, Sir John Lubbock read a paper before the British Association for the Advancement of Science, at Dundee, some eight years ago, on "The early condition of mankind." This paper purports to be a reply to the Archbishop. His conclusion is that the primitive condition of man was one of utter barbarism. That from this barbarian state, certain races have raised themselves to a state of civilization; and that instead of the present savage being a degenerate descendant of more

civilized ancestors, all the civilized races are their descendants. Another conclusion is fairly deducible from some other statements made by Sir John, though not formally stated by him, "That the utter barbarism of the first man was in a condition far in advance of some others that preceded him." That may seem incongruous, but still the conclusion may be fairly drawn from a statement which explains "the first man" to be "the first thing worthy to be so called." Hence, there must have been some preexisting creatures not worthy to be called men, from which man sprung. The modes of argument pursued by Sir John are connected by two propositions. First, "That there are indications of progress even among savages." Second, "That among the most civilized nations there are traces of original barbarism." Is it not very strange that neither of these writers have explained the term civilization? This should have been settled first of all. True, we know the proper, as well as the popular use of the term, but they ought to have explained how they use it. If by the word civilization they mean a knowledge of arts and sciences, with the use of metals, we should certainly conclude that the first men were not civilized, as a knowledge of the fine arts and the use we make of metals were unknown to the first pair. If then by civilization is meant modern civilization, and by the savage state that low and brutal condition of some savages now, then we incline to the opinion that neither writer is correct. Evidently the first men were not civilized as we are; they had neither the comforts nor the inventions of modern society; nor were they in that low barbarous state that many of the African tribes are now.