MAN’S ORIGIN IN AFRICA?

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 774, 21 September 1929, Page 38

MAN’S ORIGIN IN AFRICA?

CHURCH PAPER CRITICISES SCIENTIST

"Die Kerkebode,” tbe Dutch lietornied Church organ in South Africa, in an editorial on the British Association Conference, held In Capetown recently, quotes the following from the opening speech of Mr. J. H. Hofmeyr:—■ "Africa seems full of splendid promise of discovery that may verify Darwin’s belief in the probability that somewhere in this land-mass was the scene of nature’s greatest creative effort. It would seem to be not without significance that Africa possesses in the chimpanzee and the gorilla those primate types which approach most nearly the form and structure of primitive man. To that must be added that in the Bushman, Pygmy, and negroid races Africa has at least two and possibly three early human stocks which are characteristically her own and belong to no other continent. No less striking is the fact that in Gibraltar, in Malta, and in Palestine, that Is, at each and every one of the three portals Into Africa

from Europe and Asia in Pleistocene times, there have been discovered evidences of the presence of Neanderthal man. In Africa itself there was found at Broken Hill some nine years ago a skull with the most primitive or bestial facial form yet seen, and so closely akin to the Neanderthal stock as to establish firmly the expectation of finding further compelling evidence of a long continued Neanderthaloid occupation of the African continent.” “Mr. Hofmeyr,” continues the “Kerkbode,” “of course realised that he was addressing scientists and, therefore, used the language of science, but we must say we were disappointed and surprised to hear the expression from him that man was the result of ‘one of the supreme creative acts of nature.' Here it is that the fight is waged between human science and divine revelation, and we did not expect him to bo so emphatically against the doctrine of the Bible.” “Die Kerkbode” concludes by welcoming the delegates, on behalf of the Church. “We rejoice at the activities of these men among us,” says the journal. “Our country is so rich with the wonders of nature, which science has revealed to humanity, that we owe an inestimable debt to scientific research.”