Almost at the same hour an English
naturalist was applying the same principle to the origin of species, and
the evolution of the human race from the lower animals. The Englishman's
clear, inductive insight was matched by the philosophical penetration of
an American. The Darwinian theory now stands uncontested among
scientific men, and whether admitted or not there is quite as surely an
evolution apparent in the history of religion, not very unlike it. This
is the lesson of the nineteenth century.
The following day one of the deacons of the church called upon Wasson to
inform him that his sermon had given offence and that he must retract
from his position. "But," replied the minister, "I cannot! I am not
going to retract it." Thirty years after this Wasson laughed as
heartily, as a suffering person very well could, while he recollected
the expression of astonishment on the worthy deacon's face. That a man
should do wrong for the sake of money or some material advantage was
conceivable to him--he had known instances of that; but that any man
should so stand in his own light both for this world and the next, was a
moral incongruity which he could not understand. Wasson would not
withdraw from his position, but followed it up the next Sunday by a
still more energetic statement. There was nothing left now but
deposition. A conference was called and Wasson regularly expelled from
the Congregational brotherhood.
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