Evolutionists will occupy a defensive position tonight, when the Reverend John Roach Straton, pastor of the Calvary Baptist church of New York city, will uphold Fundamentalism and one literal interpretation of the biblical story of the Creation of Man, in his lecture on "The Battle Over the Bible," which he will deliver at 8 o'clock in Peabody Hall of the Phillips Brooks House. Mr. R. H. Schacht of Brookline will preside. The meeting is open only to members of the University.

In his lecture at the University, last winter, Dr. Straton raised a storm of discussion among his large audience when he turned the meeting into an open debate, following his talk, and returned question for question to his opponents in the gathering.

After being asked of his own belief in God, how Noah got all the animals into the Ark, and his reconciliation of the Copernician theory, Dr. Straton interrogated the members of the audience.

"Did You Pray Today?"

"How many of you have prayed today? How many of you have read the Bible through? How many of you believe in a living God?" were some of the questions which he put to his hearers.

"Most of you come from Christian homes yet few of you have read the Bible," he continued. "As for me, I take my stand on the teachings of the Bible as the absolute revelation of the living God."

Dr. Straton attacked the scientists who believe and teach the theory of Evolution, as "pagan and heathen minds trying to eliminate God from the Universe," and Mr. H. G. Wells' "Outline of History" as the "most humorous of all the humorous books published this century."

Modern Dancing Degenerate

His vigorous war against vice in New York City and his fearless denunciations of the Modernist movement from the pulpit have gained Dr. Straton nation-wide prominence as the leader of the Fundamentalists. Modern dancing, in his booklet titled "The Dance of Death," is denounced as degenerate and destructive to the moral fiber of a nation, and the spectacle of a prize fight makes him wonder if we have again "relapsed into Paganism."

In line with the Scopes trial of last summer which has been occupying Dr. Straton's interest for the last half year it has been learned that his greatest hope in coming to the University was to engage Professor K. F. Mather in a debate. As the Phillips Brooks House Association had completed its schedule, the meeting could not be arranged.

After graduating from Mercer University, Georgia, in 1898. Dr. Straton was ordained a Baptist minister in 1900. Today the most vigorous leader of Fundamentalism he has been actively engaged in church and educational affairs for over 25 years.

An informal dinner at which Dr. Straton will be the guest of the members of the Christian Association Cabinet will be given at 6 o'clock tonight before the address.