105 years ago today - Mar 9, 1912

[Joseph F. Smith]
I regard Charles Darwin as one of the most able and devoted students of Nature the world has known, and as an investigator whose labors have been of incalculable good to mankind. I do not accept, however, his hypotheses as facts, nor the many vagaries and unproved theories that less able men have tried to aid to his teachings; indeed, as judged by what has passed current under the name of 'Darwinism', I do not believe that Darwin himself is a good Darwinian. ... I believe that the teachings of Charles Darwin in their general outline remain today as a contribution to science; that is to say, I believe that they facts and truths enunciated by Darwin are substantial and valuable additions to our scientific knowledge. ... I believe that the facts and truths taught by Darwin are accepted today by the leading thinkers of the world, but that many of the surmises are unproved theories associated in the popular mind with Darwin's name are, and of right ought to be, rejected by the leading thinkers of the world.

[Source: Joseph F. Smith, Letter to Elmer Kneale, as quoted in Minutes of the Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1835-1951, Electronic Edition, 2015]

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