History of Science

I believe what Hull's statement meant was, that in Darwin's youth he followed the beliefs of all other Scientist prior to him. Before Darwin, the majority of scientist believed that God had created everything from the smallest animal to the "perfect universe." When Darwin wrote the "Origion of Species" he was expectingly ridiculed by other scientists of his day. Even though he carefully documented his evelutionary work on the Beagle, he did not have a mechanism to prove his theory that every species originated on its own. Even though Darwins theory about the origion of species was not accepted, it did make some scientist question their own works they had done using the theory that God was the creator.

The parade of scientist that darwin had previosly wanted to march arm and arm with were, the scientist that had the biggest impact on society as well as science. Such as Aristotle, even though Darwins discoveries disproved his works in biology, he is still considered one of the great philosophers. Newton was another who had one of the largest impacts on science that Darwin admired as being a great scientist and the impact he had on society.

But all of the scientist he admired all used the theory of God in their theological mix.  The scientist during Darwin's life, that he wished to march with, were possibly Adam Sedgwick, a geologist and John Stevens Henslow, a naturalist who helped build Darwin's self-confidence but also taught him to be a meticulous observer of natural phenomena and collector of specimens.

And the scientist with the biggest impact on the "Origin of Species" writings was probably Thomas Robert Malthus, who explained how human populations remain in balance and the writings about the impact on the changeability of species and their survival.

Darwins "Origin of Species" did stop the scientist marching arm in arm with God dead in their tracks, long enough to question themselves if God was a part of the equation in the creation of all mankind. But without Darwin producing a mechanism for his theory on the "Origion of Species" they proceeded with their quest, that God was the creator.