This was Darwin’s other journey—to make sense of the things he was observing, within the framework of the accepted belief that all living creatures were placed onto this earth in the exact form that they exist in today.  He tried—oh, how he tried—to make what he was seeing and learning fit into that framework.  He had been chosen over some other naturalists to go on the Beagle voyage because he had been studying to be a clergyman—he was more likely than some others might have been to uphold the biblical view of creation.

Editor’s note:  The opening words, children’s story and sermon that follow are from a Sunday service at First Unitarian Church of Hobart, IN, part of a larger conference held in celebration of the 199th Birthday of Charles Darwin.  Individuals and congregations seeking permission to use these items and other parts of the service will find contact information at the end of the article.