two hands. Each hand has five fingers. The peculiar thing
about these hands is that the middle finger is elongated a great
deal--it is about twice as long as the others. This is to enable
it to scoop a special sort of insect out of special cracks in
the special trees it frequents. Now, how did the finger begin
to elongate? A little lengthening would be absolutely no good,
as the cracks in the trees are 2 inches or 3 inches deep. It
must have varied from the ordinary length to one twice as long
at once. There is no other way. Where does natural selection
come in? In this, as in scores of other instances, it shows
the infinite goodness of God.

Now, how does the creation of this long finger show the "infinite
goodness of God"? The infinite goodness of God to whom? To the
animal whose special finger enables him to catch the insect? Then
what about the insect? Where does he come in? Does not the long
finger of the animal show the infinite badness of God to the insect?

What of the infinite goodness of God in teaching the cholera microbe
to feed on man? What of the infinite goodness of God in teaching the
grub of the ichneumon-fly to eat up the cabbage caterpillar alive?

I see no infinite goodness here, but only the infinite foolishness
of sentimental superstition.

If a man fell into the sea, and saw a shark coming, I cannot fancy
him praising the infinite goodness of God in giving the shark so
large a mouth. The greyhound's speed is a great boon to the greyhound;
but it is no boon to the hare.