”It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world as these lowly organised(sic) creatures.” – Darwin

Charles Darwin had studied worms for almost four decades. He was absolutely fascinated with them and their role in the evolution of man and all life on earth.

Darwin’s research into evolution was published in books such as “On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection;” and his worm expose called “Vegetable Mould and Earthworms,” where he describes the activities of earthworms. This is when Darwin had famously said, “I was thus led to conclude that all the vegetable mould over the whole country has passed many times through, and will again pass many times through, the intestinal canal of worms.” He further stated, “The plough is one of the most ancient and valuable of man’s inventions; but long before he existed the land was in fact regularly ploughed, and still continues to be thus ploughed by earthworms. It may be doubted whether there are many other animals which have played so important a part in the history of the world, as have these lowly organized creatures.”

Darwin’s worm ideas were challenged by the status quo, and propaganda by the cartoonists of the day. The image below is of Linley Sambourne‘s cartoon ‘Man is but a Worm’ in an attempt to ridicule Darwin and his research. It shows the evolution of the worm into the human which happens to be Darwin himself.

“We must, however, acknowledge, as it seems to me, that man with all his noble qualities… still bears in his bodily frame the indelible stamp of his lowly origin.” ― Charles Darwin

In the Hebrew Bible: “Man that is a worm (rimmah), and the son of man which is a maggot” (tole’ah), and for the Lord Himself says, “But I am a worm and no man.”

Moe

Moe is the founder of GnosticWarrior.com. He is a father, husband, author, martial arts black belt, and an expert in Gnosticism, the occult, and esotericism.