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 1 
 
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 € 
 
 « 
 
-TTT 
 
 FICTIONS AND ERRORS, 
 
 IK A BOOK OK 
 
 THE ORIGIN OF THE WORLD. 
 
 ' .Am. ■ ! ■ -j>j 
 
w: 
 
 PI 
 
/ . • ■ ■/■•■ ' 
 
 FICTIONS AND ERRORS, 
 
 n ▲ BOOK OK 
 
 " THE ORIGIN OF THE WORLD, 
 
 ▲OOOKDIKO TO 
 
 ozaiza-oz:. 
 
 k ■ 
 
 r 
 
 I 
 
 BY J. W. DAWSON, L. L. D., 
 PRINCIPAL OF McGILL UNIVERSITY, 
 
 i, 
 
 OK THK AVTHOBITT OF 
 
 DIVINE REVELATION, 
 
 BY JOHN G. : ^HALL, 
 
 FORMERLY CHIEF JUSTICE, ETTC, 
 nr THK iBi.Ain> or cafk brxtok. 
 
 HALIFAX, N. 8., 
 FBIMTBD AT TU£ METHODIST BOOK BOOM, 1S5 OBANVILIiX ITRBaT. 
 
 1877. 
 
1 
 
 '• 
 
 rj 
 
 I*. 
 
 .T!1I.C' U,n7>A 
 
FICTIONS AND EEEOES 
 
 REFUTED &c 
 
 An aiMitioii luis lately \kvu inaik' !(• llic iiiiiiil.t'i- oi iiuHlcni 
 [iiil^lirations, impoachin^ tlic literal trutli and im>aiiin<; of llu' nar- 
 rativi; ofC't'catioii. ijiven in ihr tii-st chaptt-r <»t' tin- Scriptm-f IJook. 
 (lOiicsis. It is contained in a work i-omposod and pul>li>lK'd \>\ Dr. 
 .1. W. Dawson. I'rincipal of Mr(iill ITniversity in Montival. under 
 tile exalted title of, • 'Die Orii''in of the World aeeordini; t(» IJivel. 
 
 ation aiK 
 
 1 St! 
 
 lonee, 
 
 1 propose to examine in the followiiii;" pauses all the material 
 parts of the \voj"l< which relate to the Sci'i|»tures; and to expo- e and 
 refute its false theories .md statements, and slunv its contrailictions 
 and perversions, and niimei-oiis ernn's conceriunji^ those sacred re. 
 cords. On cant lading" — as a christian duty — to prepare such an 
 answer to the work, my ii'rst thought was, tt) classify and luing*. 
 under certain heads, those portions relating to the Script tires, as 
 ley appear in the several pa^e; 
 
 th 
 
 but 
 
 on 
 
 furlh 
 
 cr consK 
 
 lerat 
 
 ion. 
 
 I 
 
 concludetl it woultl he more intelligihle and satisfactory to the 
 reader, antl also tho most candid and fair course towards the Dr. 
 to take his chapters se[>aratel3'. and comment on them in regular 
 succession. 
 
 irHving neon a prayerful and earnest student of the sacred scrip- 
 tuivs for nea.ly sixty years; atitl having some years ago published 
 V(dumes containing answers tt) tjie nott>rious and profane " Essayw 
 and Heviews." aiui the still more intiiiel writings of Colenso ; also 
 subse(|uently. in jiamphlet form answers tt» t)ther j»ublications on 
 this same subject of creation, I feel sufficiently informed and (juali- 
 fieil tt) deal suitably with tliis work of \)v. Dawstm. 
 
 It may here be I'emarked, tliat it dt)es seem really astonishi.ig, 
 that after the inspired revelations ct)ntained in that first chapter of 
 (rcnosis. tlcscribing creation in such n ])rccise and orderly manner, 
 — having been in constant use by the Hebrew and Jewish pot^ple, 
 for more than three thonsantl years, and the same revelations pos- 
 
 *. ■ 
 
 ¥■ 
 
f 
 
 I. 
 
 •• I 
 
 Bcssed by tlu' «lirisli:in nations, for n])\var(is of oi^htet'ii liundrod 
 years, that none ot'llio wise and good men of those nations — many 
 of them very learned eritien and eommenlators — have heen ahle hy 
 their dili<(ent studies and researches to (d)tain a true and aeeurate 
 knowledi^e ot that divine work of creation ; an<l that its real orii^in 
 and meaning have only recently hecn discovei-ed I»y the sii])erior 
 wisdom and i-esearches of Dr. Dawson, and fiillv I'evealed hy him, 
 in this book with which he has favored, or, as some niay say, has 
 offcti'lc'l the religious and intelligent pin'tionsof society. Tliat trnly 
 learneil man. and able commentator on the scriptures, Dr. Adam 
 Clarke, who [lossessed that deep reverence for those sacred oradesj 
 go deficient in Dr. D., has written as Ibllows concerning ci'ctition, 
 and all the rest of the Pentateuch: — ''The unerring spirit of (Jod 
 directed Moses in the selection of his f(ict,s, and the ascertaining of 
 his (l(it('t<. Inde(!(| the nai'iative is so simj>lc, ho much like truth, 
 BO consistent everywhere with itself, socorrect in its dates, ho ini))ar- 
 lial in its biography, so accurate in is philosophical details, ho piiro 
 in its morality, and so l)enevolent in its design, as am])ly to demon- 
 strate, that it never could have had an enrtfily on'(fin. In this case 
 also, Moses constiiicted every thing according to the ])attei"n which 
 God showed him on the Mount." This is a true description of the 
 manner in which these sacred writings were comj)osed. In one 
 part of the divine Book it is sai<l : — "All Sci-ipture is given by in- 
 spiration t)f God." (2 Tim. 3.) And again : — " No prophecy of the 
 Scripture in of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came 
 came not in 61d time by the will of man, but holy men of God npake 
 an they wei'e moved by the Holy Ghost." (2 Pet. 1.) 
 
 The Dr. says, in his preface ; '' The time is perhaps nearer than 
 we anticipate, when Natural Science and Theology will unite in tlio 
 conviction, that the first chapter of (JeneHis ' Htands alone among 
 the traditiouH of mankind, in the wonderful simplicity and and 
 grandeur of its words.' " Now the T)r. of course, knows the differ- 
 ence between written records and traditions — which last arc merely 
 oral communications — and yet, he has classed this inspired writing 
 in Genesis, with the numerous anci vai'ious " traditions of mankind, ' 
 both heathen and divinely enlightened, as thougli this inspired 
 writing were of about equal validit}' with all those traditions, except 
 " in the wonderful simplicity and granileur of its words." This is 
 one instance, among others which w'ill be shown, of the slight esti- 
 mation in which the Dr. holds Scripture revelation, as compared 
 
-many 
 
 iblo l»y 
 •curute 
 
 origin 
 Hierioi" 
 )y liini, 
 iiy, has 
 xt truly 
 , Adam 
 orai'loHj 
 icatiou, 
 ol' (to'l 
 iniTitc of 
 u) truth, 
 ioinipar- 
 , so puro 
 ) domon- 
 this case 
 in which 
 )n of the 
 In one 
 n hy in- 
 
 V of the 
 cy came 
 
 d spake 
 
 Ucr thau 
 Itc in the 
 I among 
 Liid and 
 lie ditVer- 
 morely 
 writ in (f 
 inkind, ' 
 [inspired 
 , except 
 This is 
 tht esti- 
 Im pared 
 
 3 
 
 with wliat he, and othersof hisda^s. call .S'/<7ur ; and especially when 
 (he divine revelation intei'fercs with tlieir spoculativi' and al)>urd 
 theories. True cliristiaiis do not nee(| the adjunct <>r a>si^tunco of 
 natiiial science, toconvince tliein of the truth of that narlalive of 
 
 creation. aiK 
 
 1 of 
 
 evei'v othei- ])ai't of >eriplure revi'iation. 
 
 Tl 
 
 10 
 
 gri'atest li<^lits ot' heathenism IMalo. Aristotle, Seneca, SoeialcH, 
 Cicero, and hosts of others lai" advanei'd in various l»i"anches of 
 natural seienci!, "never hv tlnir wisdom and seaiihin'' found out 
 (iod," liis works and ways. 
 
 The Dr. heads Ids— " ('haj)ler 1.— Tiie Mystery of Origins and 
 its Solutions." 
 
 " The things tliat ai\' seen tire temporal." — Paul. 
 
 lie conin'cnce-^ with the loHdwini; passagi's : — 
 
 '• Have we. Ol- can we have any certain solution ot" thoNC two 
 great (juestions. Whence aie all things? atid NVhithci'doall things 
 tend? ^' '"^ '■' It would >t'em that to-day men are us 
 much in uncertainty on these suhjecls as at any previous time. 
 '■> * '■•' rhri.^tians have heen accu-jomed to re-t on thii 
 
 cosmogony and prophecy of the jiilile. hut wi' are now fraid<Iy told, 
 on all hands, that the>e aie valueless ; and that even ministi'rs (»f 
 religion, moi'c oi* le-<s. saciiiee theii' sinceritv in makinuf them Ihe 
 basis of their teachings." 
 
 The uncei'tainties here intimated hy the l)r. so far from heing 
 general, a.s he says, are only resting with a small fraction of society> 
 who are either infidels as to the whole of divine revelation, oi* like 
 the i)r, himself, ai-e sjteeulative theoi'ists, yet <daiming t») he scieti. 
 tists and ]>hiloso])hers. With the innumerahlc myriads of Isi-ael, 
 (hiring the Ii.327 years since they received the divine records of 
 creation, tlirough the medium of Moses ; and during the l,.S(l() years 
 that christian nations have had the same Scrijitures. there has heen 
 no .such uncei'tainty as the Dr. has menti(»ne(l. He is i'qually at 
 lault in saving; that we are fraid<lv told " on all hancU" that "the 
 cosmogony amJ prophecy ol" tin' l>':h!e are valueless." Oidy that 
 same fraction of audacious int'dels and piesumptious theori-t.^ aic 
 the persons who say it. The I'eiaark as to miidsters of religioti i- a 
 slanderous Insult, hut only what might l)e exjiccli'd from that pioud 
 and mischievous class. The next p;issage:-i deserving remark nvv. as 
 
 follows : — 
 
 " No apology is needed for a thorough and cai'cftil emiuiry into 
 tho.-^e i(>"n(lations of leligious belief, which le-t on the idea ot'a 
 revelation of origins ar.d destinies ma(Je lo num from without, and 
 on which we may huild the superstiuctui'e of a lational leligion 
 
 r 
 
 f 
 
Tf^- 
 
 4 
 
 ;5iviii^ i^uidanci' lltr tin; prosont and liopc for the f'utuiv. In the fbl- 
 lowin<j; pa^es, I piopo.so to oiiloi" upon ho niucli of this Huhjcct as 
 rcIaU's to tlic orij>'in and t-arlirst history of tho world, in >o I'ai* as 
 Hk^sc air ticalc'd of in tlio liihlc, and in th<' traditions of thi; more 
 MiK'ii'nt nations; and this with rcfiTcncc to tlic picsi'iit stand-point 
 of'Hcioni'o. ni ivhuion to those <|n('stions. " 
 
 Now roatU'i- ol)serve tivM, thai thi- Of. speaks of the 'founda- 
 tions of rcIi^^ioMs Ix'lit'f." resting- merely "'on the ii/ki of a 
 revelation;'" and on this he says. — "We (men) may hiiild a 
 siij)erstruelu!'e of rational reliufion, giving' giiidanc*'."" iS;c. Whatever 
 the J)r. may he as to human science and lilei'atiii'e. evei'v genuini' 
 (Jhristian will see thai lie is iu)t even a child in the seieiict' of theo- 
 logy and other divine siil.jccts; and that his fomidalion and snper- 
 sliuctiire are eiiually wi-aU and >njrt/ilfi<s. Ohserve fui-ther, that he 
 does not take I'ither the Bihio or traditions as the foundation ol" his 
 Hiihject. hut says he will treat of it with reference to the present 
 stand-j)oint of sciciu-e." Yet he has said in a pit's'ious ])age. that 
 '• .scicntitic facts and )>rincij>les are in tlu'lr nature mic«>rtain, and 
 must constantly change as knowledge advances ;'" and that "they 
 cannot soIm- for us the great practical ju'ohlems of our religion aiwl 
 destiny. 
 
 1 now come to those pages of the huok which give the most 
 material parts, or indeed it may ]h) said, the very foundation 
 of the l><)ctor's nnscri])tural and ahsiird story regarding creation. 
 H eommenees on page 17, where, on mentioning the ''question of 
 origins, as.eontained in the llehrew scriptures."' and "the found- 
 ation and historical development of its solution, he says: — "We 
 <nay discuss these subjects under the heads of the Abrahamic 
 (Jenesis, and the Mosaic (lenesis." 
 
 There never was, in any form an Abrahamic (Jenesis. It is 
 ^nerely an invention of the Dr. losuit his stoi'V. lie then gives the 
 title — "The Abrahamic (Jenesis. " 
 
 Here, 1 will deal fairlv with the \)y. and llberallv with the 
 riiader, by giving sudi large extracts from his book, as will show 
 the wiiole of his theory, and at the close ot cafh of them, I will 
 comment on and answer its several parts and particulars. The Dr. 
 refers to a theory held by sonie that the earlier parts of the book of 
 (Jenesis existed as ancient documents, in the time of Moses; and 
 says that attempts have been made to separate the older from the 
 newer portions. Of these attenijUs he writes as follows: — 
 
he fbl- 
 jcct us 
 \\\r SIS 
 V. more 
 il-j)(»inl 
 
 loundii- 
 (I (»!" :i 
 luiM a 
 liat.'vcr 
 
 )t' tlu'o- 
 
 I su|>oi-- 
 that he 
 
 II of hin 
 
 (TQ, tliut 
 lin, luul 
 I " they 
 ;-ion tuid 
 
 u' most 
 ivhition 
 leation. 
 stion of 
 fonnd- 
 — " We 
 ahamie 
 
 U is 
 lives the 
 
 •ith the 
 111 show 
 I, I will 
 The Dr. 
 I book of 
 3S-, and 
 I'om the 
 
 " A new and intrrestinij a-)ut| has hcen ^ivon to llicni. hy the 
 I'oadintjs ofiJK' inscriptions on flay tahlets. found at Nincvcli. and t<» 
 which especial attention has hcen ^ivt-n hy the lale .Mi*, (i. Sniilli of 
 the Ar(di(e(»l(»<;ieal heparlment ofihe lirilish Miiscmn. A^surhanipal. 
 Kinuf of Assvria. one <»f the K inirs Unown to lhe( JreeUs hv tin- nanu* 
 of Sai'danapulns. reiifiuMJ at Nineveh ahoiit 15. ( '. «I7.'i. lie was a 
 tfi'andson ol the Hililieal Sennaeherih. and son of I'^sarliaddon ; an<l 
 it seejiis that he had iidierited from his father, a lihrary ol Clialdeaii 
 and Assyrian literatui(>, wi'itlen on tahleis of clay, ami containing 
 nundi ancient loi'eof the nation^ iidiahitimr the valleys of tin- Tiirris 
 and Kuphrat«'s. -^ •^' •'' Ills Scrihes ransack«'(| tlu' recoid (dian\- 
 l)ers of the olde.->t tem])les in I lie world, antl Hahel. Kiveh, Aecad,and 
 IJr, had to yicl<l up their treasures of history and theoloiry to ilili- 
 gi-nt e(»pyists. who (ranscrihed them in l>eaiiliful ai'iv»wdiead tdiarae- 
 ters. on new clay taldets. and deposi'a>d tliem in the lihrary of the 
 great Iving. -^ ^= '•• Tln-y were also insci'ihcd with leiri'nds, 
 statinu the sources whence they had heen derived. * '■^- -^ Tlmuijh 
 the date of the wriliiiii" oi tlns(> tahlets is comparatively modci-n. 
 heing ahout the time of the later Kings of .Itidali. the original re- 
 eorils from whi(di they were transerilie<l, ])rofess to have hei-n very 
 ancient — some of tln-m about l.tKM) years before the time of Assur- 
 banijial, so thai tliey g») l>ael< to a lime anti-rior t<» that (d the etirly 
 Hebrew patriar(hs. * -J^ -i- The subjects li'cated of in the 
 Nineveh tablets are very various, but those that concern our pi-escnl 
 pur])0sc aiv the documents relating to the creation, tlu' fall of inan, 
 and the didiige.' The Dr. says, these tal)lets were '' exhinned by 
 Ivuyard and ISmith.'' 
 
 Now let us look at the various particulars of ibis story 
 of the J>r. and ascertain what ])ortions are farts, and which 
 are^\7/o/i.s, or more mi-^^o/is. The following may be admittetl as 
 facts. — There were such Kings of As.syria. Layard and Smith dug 
 up those chiy tablets from the earth, near the river Euphrates, 
 supposed to ho the site of Nineveh. The tinie of making the in- 
 scriptions on them, B. C. C73. (This was about the time of Manas 
 8eh, king of Judah. The translation of the inscriptions will be 
 given iu tlie proper place in another ])age.) Now for the fic" 
 tious, or inventions : — 1. Assurbanipal inheriting a library fi'ora 
 his father. 2. His Scribes ransacking record chambers of temples 
 at Babel, Ercch, Accad, and Ur, and obtaining from them treasures 
 of history and theology. 3. Their making these identical clay 
 tablets, and depositing them in the king's library ; and lastly, these 
 tablets being transcribed from other recoj'ds of a much earlier date. 
 
 Now take these fictions from the story, and it remains a shape- 
 less skeleton, utterly worthless as to the purpose for which the Dr. 
 

 ■V I: 
 
 :'"; 
 
 6 
 
 haH introduced it, and thoicforo the story itsolt, and tlie purpose, 
 must, as to. the suK'Ject in question, be thrust aside with the con- 
 tempt thc3Mleservc. The Dr. next proceeds with his story ol' the 
 (day tablets, as follows: — 
 
 ''The Assyi'ian (Jeiiesis is siniilai" in order and arran^en)ent to 
 tliat in our own Bible; and gives tjie same general order in the 
 creative work. ' Its days, however, of ci'oation, as indeed there is 
 good internal evidence to prove those of Moses also ai-e, seem to be 
 periods or ages. It treats of the creation of gods as well as of the 
 univei'se." The Dr. gives it from Mr. Smith's translation, as 
 folhtws : — 
 
 " When above were not raised the heavens, 
 
 And below on tlie earth a plant had not grown up, 
 
 Tlie deep also iiad not broken up its boundaries, 
 
 Chaos, (or water) Tianiat, (the sea or abyss) was the producing mother of them 
 
 all. 
 These waters at the beginning were ordained, 
 But a tree had not grown, n flower had not unfolded. 
 When the gods had not sprung up any one of them, 
 A plant had not grown, and order did not exist. 
 Were made also the great gods, 
 
 The gods Latrama and J^ahamu, they caused to con)c * * * 
 And they grew * * * 
 The gods Lar and Kisar were made, 
 A course of days and a long time passed, 
 The god Ann * * * 
 The tjods Sar and * * * " 
 
 On a subsequent j;ago tlie Dr. gives the following further lines 
 
 of the tablet :— 
 
 " In its mass, (that is of tlie lower chaos,) he made a boiling. 
 The god Uru, (the moon) hi caused to rise out the night he overshadowed. 
 To fix it also for the light of tbe night until the shining of the day, 
 That the month might not be broken." 
 
 The words within the brackets are evidently no part of the 
 inscriptions, but must have been introduced by the Dr. or some 
 previous hand. 
 
 Now every common-sense person, or even a child in a Sunday- 
 school will say: " What has all this legendary rubbish to do with 
 the inspired Bible account of Creation in Genesis ? But the Dr. 
 thinks otherwise, for he has put it forward as one of the chief foun- 
 dations for his version of that Bible record. By way as it would 
 soem of strengthening his legendary story concerning that creation, 
 he has, on searching around, got hold of a book called " The Popul 
 Vuh, or sacred book of the ' Quiche' Indians of Western America, 
 an undoubted product," as the Dr. says, " of prehistoric religion in 
 
)t' the 
 some 
 
 [nday- 
 with 
 
 I'oun- 
 Ivould 
 ition, 
 *opul 
 )rica, 
 Ion in 
 
 the western continent." I will not cntiiniber my pai^e or oftend or 
 weary my render with the whole of this Amei'ican Genesis as the 
 Dr. might tall it, hut give here a few lines containing a!I the 
 principal parts of it. 
 
 "And the heaven was foi-med, and all tlie signs thereof set in 
 their line and alignment, and its boundaries fixed towards the four 
 winds, by the creator, and formei", antl mother and father of life 
 and existences. -^ ■''•■ -^ Behold the tii'st word and the first dis- 
 course. There was yet no man. nor any animal. * * -•'^ 2»J'oth- 
 ing but the tirmament. The face of tlie earth had not 3'et aj)peared 
 over the peaceful sea. * -^ * So now, how the heavens exist, 
 bow exists also the heai't of heaven, such is the luinie of God. It is 
 thus that he is called. And they spoke, they consulted together 
 and meditated, they mingled their words and their opinions." 
 •■'And the ci'ealion (of the earth) was verily after this wise. Earth 
 they said and on the instant it was formed, like a cloud or a fog wa.s 
 its beginning. Theu the incuintains rose over the water like gi-eat 
 fishes ; in an instant the mountains and the plains were visible and 
 the cypress and the pine appeared." 
 
 The Dr. has sui-ely committed a great mistake or blunder in 
 introducing this American Genesis, for it will go far to injui-e or 
 destroy that part of his story in another part of his book, which 
 says that the whole time or period, dui-ing whicli creation has been 
 going on, is at least one liundred n\illions of years, which would 
 give for his si.x periods of creation a little over sixteen millions of 
 yeai's for the works of each ])oriod ; certain specified or assigned 
 2)ortions of it being performed during each period. ]iut the plain 
 and sensible Indian Chronicler, though not an L. L. D., says and 
 repeats it, that the works were done the Instant the word was given. 
 However, this point as to time may be determined by readers as 
 between him and the Dr. ; it is quite certain that the Indian has the 
 advantage of the Dr. as regards the wisdom and power of the 
 creator, and with reference to the time occupied in performing the 
 work. 
 
 The Dr. proceeds with his story in the following words : — 
 
 " We now come to the historical connection of all this with 
 Abraham. * * * Himself of the stock of Shom, ho dwelt in 
 Ur of the Chaldees, a city in whose ruins now known by the name 
 
 f^'M 
 

 
 8 
 
 of Mut^hc'ii", Chaldean inscriptions have 1)een found of a date anterior 
 to that of the patriarch.'' This hast statemsnt cannot he shown to 
 he true, though douhth'ss the I>r. has heard it. lie conchides as 
 foUows: — 
 
 " In tlie tinicof Ahrahama ])oIythelstic religion already existed 
 in Ur, lor we are told that his father ' served other gods.' Fuj'ther, 
 the legends of the creation and the dehige, and the Antedeluvian 
 age, with the history of Nimrod and other jtostdiluvian heroes ex- 
 isted in a written form; and strange though this may seem, there 
 can be little doubt that Abraham betbre he left Ur of the Chaldees, 
 had read the same creation legumds that have so recently been 
 translated and }»ublished by Mr. Smith. But Abraham's relation to 
 these was of a peculiar kind. AVith a spiritual eidightenment 
 beyond that of his age, he dissented from the Turanian Animism 
 and polj'theism, and maintained that pure and s])iritual monotheism 
 Avhich according to the IJible had been the origional faith of the 
 sons of Xoah. lint he was overborne by the tcnclences of his time, 
 and probably the royal and priestly iriHuencc then dominant in 
 Ohaldea; and he went forth from his native land in search of a 
 countiy where he might have freedom to worship Crod. It is thus 
 that Alu'aham a])j)ears Jis the earliest refoi-mei', the i\vs{ of those 
 martyrs of conscience, who fear not to ditfer from the majority." 
 
 Here, as in a preceding instance, a separation must bo made 
 and shown bet ween /rt(^f,8 and fictions. As to Facts : — 1. Abraham 
 left Chaldea, his native land, and journeyed into Canaan. 2. — " His 
 father 'served other gods.'" Here the Dr. has told only a third 
 part of the truth, but probably this is only owing to his very defec- 
 tive knowledge of Scripture. In Joshua 24, 2, 3, is written : — 
 " And Joshua said unto all the people. Thus saith the Lord God 
 of Israel, your fathers dwelt on the other side of the flood in old 
 time, Terah the father of Abraham and the father of Nachor ; and 
 they (the three) served other gods. And I took your father 
 Abraham from the other side of the flood and led him throughout 
 all the land of Canaan ;" again v. 14. "Put away the gods which 
 your fathers served on the other side of the flood." Hero it is scon 
 that Abraham until taken away by Clod "served other gods." Thus 
 this Scripture testimony i tterly destroys the whole glowing oration 
 and encomium of the Dr. concerning Abraham's noble stand for 
 pure and spiritual monotheism — his being persecuted for it — his 
 " going forth in search of a country where he might have freedom 
 to worship God" — his being " the earliest reformer and first of 
 martyrs for conscienco." All this belongs to the next division, — 
 Fiction or Invention. There is not a woixi of it in Scripture or any 
 
9 
 
 iinterior 
 hown to 
 hides as 
 
 r existed 
 Further, 
 [leliiviuTi 
 i^roes ex- 
 in, there 
 Miuldees, 
 tly been 
 'hit ion to 
 itcimient 
 Vuimisiii 
 lothoisni 
 h of the 
 Ids time, 
 inant in 
 reh of a 
 t is thus 
 of those 
 rity." 
 [bo made 
 )i'aham 
 — " His 
 a third 
 ' defec- 
 tten :— 
 ord God 
 in old 
 
 other history. Xow I'or Firfi 
 
 on 
 
 ■1. 
 
 Thi 
 
 hove eoncerniiiu 
 
 lOr 
 
 and 
 father 
 3ughout 
 which 
 is seen 
 " Thus 
 oration 
 md for 
 it — his 
 Veodom 
 first of 
 sion, — 
 or any 
 
 Abraham's conihiet. cV:e. 2. — liistoi-y <>l" Nimi-od and other |)ostdolii- 
 vian liei'oes in a written form. 3. — Abi-aham liefoiv he left Ur 
 havintf rt'ad the same ereaiion leui'iids. recently translated and 
 [nil)lished by ]\lr. Smith. There is mueh to be said here on this 
 last toj>ie. The i)r. has stated cnrreetly enouu'h that the i.l^(•ri|)tion^^ 
 on the elay tal)lets wi're made ••abont W. <'.(u'A. al)out the lime 
 of the later kin<i;s of .Judah." X(»w this was u]»\vards in tinin' hun 
 '/red ycarfi after Abj'aham's time. Yet the Di'. says there can be 
 little doubt tiiat Abi-aham betbiv he let'l V \\ had lead the same 
 ei'oation lc_i::end< translated by Mi". Snnth. Suri'Iy not those in- 
 scribed, as the Dr. says on the tab|(>ts by the Sci'ibcs of Assnrbanijial 
 I>. ('. ()73, I'or that woiiM maUe Al)i"aham to have read the lcii:endai'_\" 
 inseri])lions 1.200 years before thev were made, oi- about 1.100 after 
 his death. The Dr. has given no })roof to show that they were 
 tronsi'riptiims from previous tablets or document^. He merely says 
 that " the oi'i<^inal records from which they were transcribed proffSti 
 to have been very ancient.'' These are evidently the (imai^inar}') 
 treasures of history and theology, which the Dr. says, (or has 
 fancied) the king's Scribes discovered when they " ransacked the 
 (supposed) temi)le8 at Babel, Erach, Accad and Ur." Taking the 
 whole, at the best, it is numifestly a lame and absurd story. Hut 
 what better can be expected of heathen legends and those who 
 patronize and adopt them. The higli character given to Abraham 
 by the Dr. fully applies, after its elements had been imparted to 
 him by divine influence, on his prompt obetlience to the call to leave 
 idolatrous Chaldca; and that character is even far more exalteil by 
 his being named in three ditferent portions of Scripture, the ''Friend 
 of God."' (Set 2 chron. 20, 7. Isai 41, 8. James 2, 23.) 
 
 The Dr. proceeds as follows: — "Did Abraham take with him 
 in his pilgrimage the records of his people ? It is scarcely ])ossiblc 
 to doubt that he did ; and this probably in a written form, but purified 
 from the polytheism and innane imaginations accreted upon them 5 
 or perhaps he had acccs.: *o still older and more primitive records, 
 anterior to the lise of the Turaniau superstitions. In any case, we 
 may safely infer that Abraham and his tribe carried with them the 
 substance of all that part of Genesis which contains the history of 
 the world up to his time; and that this would bo a precious heir- 
 loom of his family, until it was edited and incoi-porated in the 
 Pentateuch by his great descendant Moses, It seems plain, there- 
 
10 
 
 
 
 if; » 
 
 I" 
 
 foro, tliat the orii^inal propliot or Sooi", to wlioin the narrati/e of 
 cication was revealed, lived befbi-e Ahraham ; but we need not doubt 
 but the latter had the benefit of divine guidance in his noble stand 
 against the idolatiyof his age; and in his selection of the doeunients 
 on which his own theology was based. These considerations help 
 us to undei'stand the persistence of llelo'ew Monotheism in tlie pres- 
 ence of the idolatries of Canaan and Hgyjtt, since tlwse wei'C closely 
 allied to theChaldean system, against which Al)i'aham had protested- 
 They further illustrate the nature of the religions basis in his peo- 
 ple's l)elief on which Moses had to work, and on which he ibunded 
 his theocratic system, iiefoi-e leaving this part of the subject, 1 
 would ol>serve that the view above given, while it exjdains the 
 agreement between the Hebrew (icnesis and other ancient reliijious 
 beliefs, is in sti'ict accordance with the teachings of (lenesis itself 
 The histoi'y given thei-e implies monotheism an<l knowledge of (Jod, 
 as the Creator and liedeemer in antedcluvian and i)Ostdeluvian 
 times, a decadence from this into a systematic polytheism ; at a 
 vei-y early date, the pi-otest and dissent of Al)raham, his call of God 
 to be the ujiholder of a pure faith, and the mainteiuince of that faith 
 by his descendants. Besides this, any careful i-eader of (lenesis and 
 of the book of Job, which, whatever its origin, must be more ancient 
 than the Mosaic law, will readily discover indications that 
 Abraham and the patriarchs were in the possession of documents 
 and traditions of the same import with those in the early chapters 
 of Genesis, and that these were to them their only sacred literature." 
 1 have hei'o from necessity given such an extended extract fi'om 
 the book, on seeing that its numerous statements and particulars 
 Avero so connected or interwoven, that they could not conveniently 
 bo separately given and pass under comment. Still proceeding on 
 the preceding plan of separating fact from fiictlon^ or invention, 1 
 find that the long extract contains only the few following Facts or 
 Truths : — 1. " Monotheism and knowledge of God as creator in the 
 early times mentioned, and decadence from it." 2. — " The call of 
 God to Abraham to be the upholder of a purer faith." The follow- 
 ing are the numerous Fictions and Falsities. 1. — Abraham carrying 
 from Chaldea in a " written" or any other form "the records of his 
 people." (Not the slightest intimation of it in Scripture or else- 
 where.) 2. — He and his tribe carrying with them the substance of 
 that part of Genesis containing the history of the world to his time. 
 3. — Its being a precious heir-loom. 4. — Its being incorporated in 
 
11 
 
 llglOUS 
 
 Ition, 1 
 licts or 
 1 in the 
 2all of 
 tollow- 
 l-rying 
 1 of his 
 else- 
 Ince of 
 time, 
 ted in 
 
 the PcntateiK'h bv Moses. 5. — The Seer before Abi'ahuin. 0. — 
 The iKUTUtive of creation revealed to him. 7. — Al)raham'.s protest. 
 8. — His selection ofdoouments. I). — The pesistcnee of the Hebrews 
 in moni)theisju. 10. — Mo.ses fouiuling- his •' theocratic system on the 
 pe(;ples beliefs." 11. — Its beini^ stated as framed by Moses, (when 
 (rod alone was the author of it and Moses mei"ely the recorder, 12. — 
 The asserted au;reement between •' (Jenesis and other ancient bo- 
 liet's.'" 13. — That i^ivcu view of the Dr. " beini;- in strict accordance 
 with (lenesis itself" 14. — '' Indications in Genesis and Job that 
 Abraham and the patriarcdis possesseil documents and ti'aditions of 
 (he same inij)ort as those in the early chapters of Genesis." (Not a 
 word of the kind in Job or other part of Scripture.) Now most 
 |»iain speaking [leople, t(dei'ably well acquainted with tiic iSciijitures 
 will call this view of the Dr. concerning crealion, a "more trumpt'd 
 iij) story" to suit the ivst of his theory; some balder still will say 
 it is "jest a pack of lies." 
 
 The .iCtitious story of the Seer before Abraham, No. 5, is given 
 by the Di*. in page (55. in the following woi-ds : — " It is now neces- 
 sary to enqnii-e in what jn'ccise form this remarkaldo i-evelation of 
 the orgin ot' the world has been given, I have ali'eady rcferied to 
 the hypothesis, that it repi'esents a vision of creation, presented to 
 the mind of a Seer, as if in a series of pictures which he i'e])resents 
 to us in words. This perhaps is the most intelligible conception of 
 the manner of communication of a revelation from God. '■'^ ■^- -^ 
 We may imagine the Seer — porhai)-; some aboriginal patriarch long 
 before the time of Moses — pei'haps the first man himself, wraj>t in 
 cxtatic vision, having his senses closed to all the impressions of the 
 present time, and looking at a moving procesdion of the events of 
 the world's past history, presented to him in a scries of apparent 
 (lays and nights. In the fii'st chapter of (Jenesis he rehearses this 
 divine vision to us, not in poetry, but in a scries of regularly ar- 
 ranged parts or strophes, thrown into a sort of mythical order, fitted 
 to impress them on the mcmoi-y and to allow them to bo handed 
 down from mouth to mouth, perhaps through successive generations 
 of men, before they could be fixed in a written form of words." 
 
 The Dr. wanted a primary foundation for his fabulous theory 
 and he has invented this vision for the purpose. Now let us dissect 
 this marvelous supposed vision and examine its j)arts. Ln framing 
 it the Dr. has found the word ''^perhaps'' very useful, and thrusts it in 
 wherever he thinks a flaw may be discovered or any part of the 
 vision may seem to be out of joint. But this will not save him from 
 the exposure of the blunders it contains, and the deep discredit of 
 having invented it for the purpose of assisting his unscriptural and 
 
«Wf 
 
 12 
 
 ; 
 
 /.'. 
 
 V 
 
 'X: 
 
 rj. 
 
 
 profunc [lieoiy. He says. '• pei'haps' it way tlie firnt man. (Adam) 
 who was favored with the vission. Lot it he so. The T>v. next 
 says: — ' lu the first chapter otCJenesis, he (Adam) rehearses to us 
 this divine vision." So it was Jiot Moses, but Adam, or scmio other 
 Seer, ^' loni^ before; tfie time of Moses, who wi'ote the first chapter of 
 oiij" ])resent IjooU of CJenesis. The Dr. plainly asserts it and the 
 ])assa/^e can have no other meaning. And yet, he concludes with 
 .sayinii;, that the .several parts of tlie vision were so arranged that 
 they could be "handed down from mouth to mouth through succes- 
 sive generations before they could be iixed in a written form of 
 words."' Whei-e, during those successive generations, was our first 
 cha])ter of CJenesis which the Seer wrote ? Can the Dr. inform us, 
 for it is material to his story"? Will he say perhaps it is in some 
 clay tablets among the treasures of the vast libraries in the temples 
 at. JJabel, Accad and Ur, but not yet exlmmed ? Fui-ther, what " jiast 
 history of the world" could Adam write? 
 
 D' the Dr. had fabricated this, or any similar story, on some 
 secular subject, to serve like the Arabian Night's Tales for amuse 
 ment, or like (xuiliver's travels among the Brobdinags and Lillipu. 
 tions, as a political satii*e, it would Imve been merely considered as 
 an instance of condescension or weakn ss in a man advanced in 
 years, having a reputation for mental ability and literary attain- 
 ments and at the head of a University; but when his story is seen 
 to be, as it really is, in direct opposition to divinely revealed truth, 
 on the sublime subject of the divine work of the creation of the 
 heavens and the earth and all therein, the Dr. well deserves very 
 severe censure for composing and publishing this unscriptural and 
 entirely fictitious account of that sublime and glorious work. Every 
 sound Christian and true believer in Bible revelation, will treat this 
 invented and fabulous story of creation, not ouly with contempt for 
 its inconsistencies and absurdities, but with scorn and detestation 
 for its profanity. I will frankly say that such are my feelings and 
 judgment concerning all those parts of the Doctor's book, which re- 
 late to this subject of the first creation. 
 
 As to the persistent monotheism of the Hebrews, which the Dr. 
 asserts, I must hero briefly give it a fully refuting answer. So 
 far from such persistence, they were prone to idolatry, and as wo see 
 in the Scriptures, all through the 450 years of their judges and the 
 500 years of their kings, until their captivity in Babylon, they 
 
n. (Adam) 
 J Dr. next 
 arse.s to us 
 ^onie other 
 chapter of 
 it and the 
 hides with 
 anged that 
 igh succcs- 
 n form of 
 as our tirst 
 inform us, 
 is in some 
 he temples 
 vhat "past 
 
 y, on some 
 
 for amusc" 
 
 nd Lillipu. 
 
 iisidered as 
 
 vanced in 
 
 iiy attain- 
 
 jry is seen 
 
 lied truth, 
 
 ion of the 
 
 rves very 
 
 itural and 
 
 *k. Every 
 
 treat this 
 
 tempt for 
 
 etestation 
 
 3ling8 and 
 
 which re- 
 
 h the Dr. 
 
 »wer. So 
 
 as wo sec 
 
 s and the 
 
 on, they 
 
 13 
 
 were, with occasional intermissions of i-estiludo, involved vciy gene- 
 rally in the idolatrous worship and rites, and saci'iticos and ohscrvan- 
 ces of the heathen nations around them. I have thus noticed this 
 subject, chiefly for the purpose of showing how vei'v doticicnt Di*. 
 Dawson is in knowledge of Scriptui-e history. 1 have pi'eviously given 
 instances of that deficiency as to Bible revelation generally, and 
 will have to notice seveial others. 
 
 I must also remark on the statement of the Dr. in that loni;- 
 list of his fictions in a j)revioiis page, that Moses took the '• ]»eoj»les 
 beliefs as the religious basis on which ho had to work and on which 
 lie founded his theocratic system." 
 
 It is an invariable custom with infidel and skeptical writers on 
 the laws and institutions, the facts and events and other parts of 
 Scripture records, to speak of them as having been designed and 
 effected solely by the persons named, as acting in their accomplish- 
 ment without reference to any divine operations eommand or 
 influence wluitevei". The Dv. has observed this course throughout 
 Ids book wdien treating of Scriptural subjects. He sa3's Moses took 
 the '' peoples beliefs" and makes him the founder of the system. 
 Both these statements are uttei'ly untrue, as the Dr. must know, if 
 he has read the Scriptures on the subject; and if he has not read 
 them he is equally culpable in making the assertions. 
 
 The people had no true " Iteliets" in God, and his worship and 
 service before their arrival at Sinai, where, under the most sublime 
 and awful circumstances, He established and made known to them 
 all the laws and institutions, sacrifices, ordinances and every part of 
 that system. Moses of himself neither designed or established even 
 the smallest particular of that system. He merely announced them 
 to the people at God's command. Moses had no discretion or liberty, 
 even as to a board, a curtain, a socket, or any other part of the 
 tabei'nade, or the dress of the priests, the number or time of the 
 sacrifices, or even as to making the incense. f)r as to any part of the 
 ritual services or observances. The divine command was given to 
 Moses, — " See thou make all things after the])attern showed to thee 
 in the Mount." And so he did. On everv subject the Lord com- 
 manded him .• — "Say to the people." 
 
 The Dr. has treated of these numerous subjects through eight 
 pages under the heading: — " The Abrahamic (Jenesis." But cwtaiidy 
 he has not furnished any Genesis by Abraham and^ if he has shown 
 one at all, it must bo either that marvellous and frightful Genesis 
 
14 
 
 ' i 
 
 ■, 
 
 i<- 
 
 r'3 
 
 '-'* 
 \-''}. 
 
 : t> 
 
 on the Chaldco clay tal)lcts, or that hy the Sachem of Western 
 America, or that of some ancient Seer, whose existence antl (Jenosis 
 have not yet been discovered. TJie Dr. next gives the Title: — 
 
 " The Mosaic Genesis." 
 
 Well, now, surely the Dr. will give iis something like a real 
 liciiKj Geneva to Murk upon. Bui lie makes a \\}vy fatal heginuiiig 
 for he sajs : — 
 
 '* In the period of 400 years, intiM'vening hetween Abraham's 
 departure fiom Ur, and the exodus of Lsral trom Kgypt, no great 
 ])i'opheti{' mind like that of the Father of the Faithful appeaivd 
 among the Hebrews." 
 
 Now, as to Abraham, the Lord said of him to Abimelech, " he is 
 a jirophot" (Gen. 20) but probably this only meant a true leligious 
 teacher; for there is not in the whole histor}' of Abraham, or in any 
 part of Scripture, a single instance of his predicting or foi'ctelling 
 any facts or events. J3ut here the Dr. nuij' be asked if he ever read 
 the 49th chapter of tnis same book of Genesis, the tirst chaj)tcr of 
 which, as to its true liberal meaning, ho is endeavoring to pervert, 
 and thus may as to some persons, especially youth, weaken or des- 
 troy its sacred authority. That chapter commences as follows : — 
 "And Jacob called unto his sons and said. Gather yourselves 
 together, that I may tell you that which shall befall you in the last 
 days." And then beginni.ig with lleuben, the eldest, he foretold to 
 each of the twelve in regular succession the character and future 
 history of his tribe; and all of the predictions have been accurately 
 fulfilled. Of Judah he gas'e one of the most sublime and extended 
 prophecies contained in the Scriptures, concerning our Lord and his 
 kingdom in the following words: — •' The Sceptre shall not depart 
 from Judah nor a law giver trom between Ids feet until Shiloh come; 
 and unto him shall the gathering of the people be." This last 
 clause foretells the conveyance of the knowledge of Ohristianit}- to 
 all the nations of the world. Sui-oly then, Jacob, by divine impar- 
 tation possessed a '' pi'ophetic mind"' in the very highest degree. 
 His son Joseph also had the prophetic mind or gift, for he accurately' 
 foretold the final results of the dreams ol'his two fellow prisoners 
 and also the seven years of plenty and the seven of famine. The 
 Dr. must in future read the Scriptures cai-cfuUy before lie writes 
 concei'ning them, and thus avoid the display of his ignorance of 
 their contents. A mistake in geology is, of little imjiortance, but 
 
15 
 
 r Western 
 1(1 (reiiesis 
 3 Title:— 
 
 like a real 
 
 )e<i;iniHii;; 
 
 Vhraham'H 
 
 , no ^reat 
 
 appeai-et.! 
 
 h, '• he is 
 
 3 religioUH 
 
 , or in any 
 
 foretelling 
 
 ever read 
 
 haj)toi' of 
 
 pervert, 
 
 3n or (ie.s- 
 
 dUows : — 
 
 ourselves 
 
 n the last 
 
 )retold to 
 
 d future 
 
 eurately 
 
 xtended 
 
 and his 
 
 t depart 
 
 h come ; 
 
 his last 
 
 anity to 
 
 iinpar- 
 
 degj-ee. 
 
 •urately 
 
 isoners 
 
 The 
 
 writes 
 
 11 nee of 
 
 lee, but 
 
 one us to Scripture is always more or less discreditahle, as well as 
 dungcrous. 
 
 This error of the Di*. is immediately suceeeded Ity two others, 
 in these words : — 
 
 " Undei' the leadership of Moses, the Ahi'ahamids. (why not 
 give the pro])er name — Israelites) now redueed to tluM ondilioii of a 
 serf ])opulation, emaneipated themsi-lves fi-om Kgyptiun In»iid:ii;e." 
 
 They neither " emanei[)atod themselvi's" nor were they luider 
 the actual leadershij) of Moses. The l>ivine Rnler of the universe 
 delivered them and diiveted and guided them in tdl their wander- 
 ings, prescribing irhi'o, and irfirrc, and /loir. to pilch theii- tents, 
 according to the divisions into which he had foi'med them. Has the 
 Dr. evei' read of the plagues inflicted on the Egyptians, by which 
 God compelled Pharaoh to lot them go; and of the pillar of cloud 
 by day, and the ])illar of tire ly night, the i)arting ot the waters of 
 the Ilcd Sea, and the Isaelites going over diy and safe, and Pharaoh 
 and his pursuing host being destroyed l>y the return of the walei's ? 
 The Dr. seems to know as little of I'Lxodiis as he did of (xenesis, and 
 he is worse otF here than in (rcnesis, for he has no (Mialdee clay 
 tablets and Americ'an Indian chi-onicles, nor ancient unknown Seer 
 with a vision to help him. I hei-e close my engagement with chap. 
 1, having commented on all the material parts of it. 
 
 Chaps. 2 and 8 have the title: — '-Object', and Xature of a 
 Eevclation of Origins." 
 
 To all who possess and have read the Bible, and believe its 
 ravclations to have been dividely inspired, the title and the 51 
 pages given under it, ai-e utterly worthless as to imparting any use- 
 ful information concerning the subjects mentioned in the title. There 
 are, however, a few points and })articulars in these pages on which 
 I will comment. 
 
 Referring to the whole work of creation and providence, the 
 Dr. says : — *' Closes takes strong ground on these [loinls. lie iirst 
 insists on the creation of all things by the tiat of the Supreme. 
 Next he specifies the elaboi-ation and ai'i-angement of ail the povvei-s 
 of inanimate nature; and the inti'oduction of organic existence. 
 Lastly, lie insists on the creation of a primal human j^air and the 
 descent from them of all the human i-ace ^^ -^ -^ exj)lains the 
 golden age of Eden, the fall, the cherubic emblems, the deluge, and 
 other facts of human histoiy interwoven by the heathen with 
 their idolatries. He thus gi-asps the whole nniterial of ancient 
 idolatory, reduces it within tlie compass of monotheism, and show.s 
 its relation to the one tine ])rimitive religion."' 
 
f 
 
 t t 
 
 > I 
 
 Vf 
 
 ; ( 
 
 16 
 
 IfiM'O, ii;^aiii, tlie Dr. liiis romniittoil u ,y;iv;it iinoiisiskuicy ami 
 Mimder iVii,Jir(liii^ his story, Tor, in another j)hic(', as has hecii seen, 
 ho describes the work (tf ereatioii in (renesis as havinij; hoen '• jire- 
 .scnted to the iiiiud ot'a Seer as it" in a serii^s of pieturcs which he 
 represents to us in woi'ds =■- '^' perliaps some ahorii^inal patriarch. 
 loni( het'ore the time of , Moses, ])erhaps the first man himself, wrapt 
 in extatic vision. ^•'' '•• -•■ In the fii-st cliapter of ( Jencsis, he (the 
 Seer) I'cheai'ses this divine \i>ion to us in a sci'ics of iviiuhirlv ar. 
 I'anij^ed parts." 
 
 But now llie l)r. makes J/wrv (ilom the (■uiiij"/.<cr and rrrurdir of 
 the woi'Ic and speaks of his iiixis(iti(/ on the whok^ of it. How will 
 tlic! Dr. reconcile the two directly conli-adictory accounts of the 
 Seer befoi'eMo.ses, giving the account in (Iimi. 1. and Moses giving it 
 in the same ehaj> ? It cannot hci done. IJut thr plain and consistent 
 truth is. that (lod, by His ins])iration, conveyeij tlu'wh<»le luirralive 
 to Moses; and conse([uently he was merely the I'ecordcr of it ; in 
 accoi'dance with the Scri[)tures which sa^' : — •• Ifoly men of (iod 
 s])ake as they wei-e mox'cd by the Jloly dhost," and •• all Scri|)ture 
 is given by inspiration of (tod." 
 
 The statement of the Dr. about •■.Moses"' grasping the material 
 of ancient idolatry and, reducing it within monotheism," &.f., is 
 mere Invention. 
 
 It lias just now occurred to nie that I omitted to reintirk on 
 the statement of the Dr. in Chap. 1 that '• Closes established among 
 the Hebrcw.s, tor the tirst time in the world's history, a free consti- 
 tutional republic." 
 
 Tl)is is not only contrary to Scripture, but it is discreditable 
 to the Dr. as an L. L. D,, a Doctor of Laws. The constitution was 
 s\Y\c{\y x\ tlu'ijcnteij-, the I^ord alone being the Jiuler. lie selected 
 and ajipointed Moses, and after him Joshua, and commanded and 
 directed both of tiiem as to axavy i)art of their public conduct. lie 
 also i-aised up all the Judges, from time to time, as thus recorded in 
 the book of Judges, chap 2; "-The Loi'il raised u)» Ju;iges which 
 delivered them out of the hand of those that spoileil them." Also 
 in Acts 18, '' lie gave unto them Judges about the space ot four 
 hundi-ed and fifty years," When they clamoured for a king, the Tjord 
 did not leave it for them to choose or name one, but lie first chose 
 Saul and after him David. Never, during the whole time of their 
 liistory, previous to their being sulwlued and ruled by tlie Romans, 
 were tliey under a ''free constitutional re])ublits, " as stated by the 
 
n 
 
 i-y iind 
 1 1 seen, 
 '• prc- 
 lich hv 
 [riurch. 
 
 ". Wlilpt 
 
 he (the 
 irlv i\y- 
 
 ■order <>t' 
 ow will 
 i of the 
 [iviiii;' it 
 insistent 
 arnilive 
 (f it ; in 
 of (Jtxl 
 Icripture 
 
 in ate rial 
 kv.. is 
 
 nark on 
 I anioTii;' 
 eonsti- 
 
 Ivditable 
 ion was 
 Isclected 
 lied and 
 He 
 )rded in 
 whieh 
 Also 
 lot four 
 10 Tjord 
 It ehosc 
 if their 
 [omans, 
 I by the 
 
 Dr. He proccods next with a lon.ir Jmd hard shoi it the elorieal 
 
 the f 
 
 oilowinir words 
 
 order in 
 
 *' NVe shall only lament that so nimy pious and learned infor- 
 pretei's of ScTi|jtiiiH^ have heeii toi» little acipiainle i wilii natiiii) to 
 appreeiate the natural history i>f the Imk»I< of (iod. oi* adecjiiately to 
 illiisti'ate it to those who ilepeiid on their teaehiii;';." 
 
 Jfe II. en tjivos and sanctions the t'ollowinu* insnltinu,- riMiiarks of 
 a writer named Harvey : — 
 
 '"These; are not days in \vhi(di persons who oiii^ht to he our 
 <j;uides in matters of doctrine, can alTord to he hehiiid the le^t of tlio 
 world in Unowleiu'i' ; nor ean ihey safely sneer at the Uno.viod^o 
 which pntfeth up, until, liki' the apo>tle, the}' hav(! >:»unded its 
 
 lepth 
 
 IS and nrovet 
 
 <1 it; 
 
 s siiallowiie^s. 
 
 ows 
 
 The Dr. then <;;ives his own and final shot as foil 
 
 " It is truly much to he dedred. that divine^ ami comnientalor^, 
 instead of tryini;' to disloi-t the ri'pi'e->cniatioii> ol nitun' in (ho 
 Bible, unto the supposed rei|iiireinents of a hjii-harou-- a<j:e. or of 
 settint!; aside modern discoverie-;. as if they could have noconnccdon 
 with Scripture truth, would st\idy natural subjects and laws sutliei 
 ently to bring themselves in this respect to the level of ilu' lli'l>r(»\v 
 writers.' 
 
 What iijjnorance is here" displayed as to the duties and teach- 
 ings of miiusters of i'eli<fion ! Would the Dr. have them em[)loyo(l 
 ill reading books and running ahout from jilace to place to learn 
 ixhoxxi faumis und Jioras, and the natures and habits ot the vast varie- 
 ties of beasts, birds, ti.shes, and reptiles; and the orders and e!a:;^o.4 
 to which they res])ectively belong; and the ditlVM-ences in their 
 skulls and ijones, muscle- and ligaments, and the disagreements 
 among natural scientists concei-ning them, and who is right and 
 who is wrong on these subjects: and also altout the various stratas 
 of earth, stone, and otiier substances bi>neath the siu-face; ami the 
 discoveries of the impressions of vegetal)los, ])lanls, bea^4s,^S:c., etc ? 
 Discourses of ministers on such subjects might suit the Di-. and his 
 class while here below, but they will not answer for them on the 
 other side of either the Jorden or the Styx. Congregations of chris- 
 tians and common sense people, would so(^n rid themselves of a 
 minister who would annoy them with any such alien and contemp- 
 tible teachings. Ministers of ixdigion know that the peoi)le they 
 address are b3\nature, as Scrijjture declares, "children of wi-ath;'' 
 "dead in trespass and sins;" and that before they or their works 
 can be acceptable to God, they must be '• born again" of His Sj)irit, 
 ho made '' new creatures," holy in heart and life and thus prepared 
 
 ■!'.• . i.; ^ 
 

 > • 
 
 18 
 
 lor adniissioii into His I'utiiri' holy, ;^U)i'i()Us, and fionial kiii^'ikMii. 
 Tlii'V feel tlic awful wrii^jii ai; ! oMiiialloii of tlic divliu' coimnandh 
 —to '' proat'li iIk^ Word. " — dfclan- '• tlic ulioU- couiixd of (tod." — 
 rcprovo, i*el>uki', and cxlioii, •• lo lie dilit:;('nf ii> M'ason and out of 
 season, " and to •' avoiil prot'ani' and vain lialdilinj^s. and o|)|)ositi»)ns 
 ol" .scienci' falsely so called ; an<l fooli>li (jiu'stions and i^enealoiries." 
 
 Now. here, 1 will say. that the naturalists, and iit'ologists, wlio 
 «'.aH>loy themselves in searcdiini; foi-. and aseeitaininir, the plants 
 and natural IVuits ; oi* llu' layei's and sti-atas of coal, and other niin- 
 e.ialH, and stone, and other suhstaneex. whieh will serve for the 
 iLseful pu.|)ost's and eondbrts of life, are i;('neral henefaet<»r.s, valu- 
 Jtble :nenil)ei's of soeiety, IJut those of thein wJio are I'unning 
 hithtir and thitlier, and tlelving in the eaith, or gioping about in 
 old dens, and caves, to diseover hones, stone implements, and Ibssil 
 .substanee.s, or old bi'okeii j»oltery IVom the Nile, oi- other i-ivei's, to 
 worvc as ])roofH of the aije of the world, and to he laid up in niuse- 
 tims; for the ;^aze of the eui'ious, — these j^rctt'utioKs seientists aie 
 inerel}' us'eless lundter in soeiety. and some of them even dangerous 
 /r.^/?d'(/«('»',S' as to divine revelation, and religious belief, esjjceially in 
 relation to certain elusses of the youthful jiopulation, whieli I need 
 i)ot name. 
 
 If one of these savans finds a broken skull, a lione or tootli, 
 a joyouH shout soon goes forth in their ranks, thi'oughout the four 
 «[uarters, and discussions are hold, pa])ers \vritten and read before 
 jifl.sociations, as to whether the precious relic belonged to man or 
 beast; and especially as to its anliqnity, whether 10,000 or 20,000 
 years, or less or more; and furthei", whether it belonged to the 
 j)aleocosmic, paleolithic, glacial, or other periods; or that "of the 
 ^inen of the caves and gravels." And various decisions are given on 
 ,these most important j)oints. Finally, the treasure is laid up caie- 
 i'ully in some museum, for the gratilying insj)ection of all future 
 generations. 
 
 Away with all such trumpery and ruhhish in this age of ad- 
 vanced civilization and intelligence, and useful activity, and real 
 :<eience. 
 
 The Dr. next proceeds as follows : — 
 
 -' Theology claims to be, itself, one of the sciences; and as such 
 it is necessarily imperfect and progressive, * "i^ ^= but theology 
 .is not religion, and may oi'len have very little in common eitlier 
 With true leligion or the Bible." 
 
r.» 
 
 (luMI. 
 
 (i; — 
 
 >nt ot" 
 it ions 
 ^io^*.' 
 
 s, who 
 jduiits 
 
 T min- 
 or tht> 
 i, vuhi- 
 unning 
 uout in 
 id IwHil 
 vei-H, to 
 i\ muso- 
 ists arc 
 ntiorous 
 L'isiUy ill 
 h 1 need 
 
 ir tootli, 
 the four 
 id hol'ovc 
 \) man or 
 •r 20,000 
 to the 
 
 "of the 
 [given on 
 
 up care- 
 la future 
 
 ic of ad- 
 land real 
 
 il as such 
 [theology 
 )n either 
 
 The Dr. has, here, written very inaccurately a> to ilic nicaniiig 
 ol'tht' word 1 hfol<>:rv. ll iiu-aii^ — (liviiiitv — the hivin*- Kcinu', and 
 divine things. 'I'lu'>c ai'c n-vi-aU'd in the inspired anil ini;iililile 
 Scriptnirs; and art; thei'et()ri' neither iinpert'eit or piogic^>ivc. lie 
 should have saiil t»iir /:ii"irlri/jr ofthn srii-ncc is di'li'cli\t'. lint Iit 
 tlier, a. to his rt'Uiark that '* theology is not i-cligion, and inM_\- Ikim- 
 little in coininon with religion or tlu- IhMe." — -I ans\vt*r. that there 
 is no tiao ri'lii::ion without it. and that il is din-cliv and ahsolutelv 
 founded on the Hihie alone. 
 
 On page 40, the Dr., referring to the vision of ircation and the 
 Monaic narrative in (Jen 1, already tieated of, says : — 
 
 " This is, heyond all «[Uestion. the most simple and jtiDhahJe 
 solution oi the origin ot the chn'ument. when treated as inspired." 
 And on a sueceeding page, h.e says of the.saiui! narrative, •' that few 
 modern writers have been disposed to insist that the aecuraey of its 
 d'^tttilrt have been secui'ed hv the divine atHatus." 
 
 Only tho.se of the sUejdical and speculative elass of writers, t<» 
 which the Dr. himself belongs, doubt, or deny, that • divine atHa- 
 ias." All learned and pious commentator.s, and other writers, and 
 all truly religiouB persons, both Jewish and Christian, throughout 
 all ages, to this day. have been perfectly confident, that not oidy 
 that narrative in Genesis, but all other portions of the Old Tes- 
 tament are divinely inspired records ; and therefore accurate in 
 their details and statements. 
 
 Here T conclude my remarky, on the blun<lers and falsities in 
 chapters 2 and 3. 
 
 Chapter 4 bear.s the title — -The Beginning." 
 '' In the begining Klohim created the heavens and the earth." 
 — (icnesis 1. 1. 
 
 The first passages tor remarks are these: — "The material uni- 
 verse was brought into existence in the "beginning;"' a term, 
 evidently indefinite, as far as regards any known epoch, and imply- 
 ing, merely, priority to all other recorded events. It can not be the 
 first day, for there is no expressed connection, and the work of the 
 first day is distinct from that of the beginning.' 
 
 There is a plainly expressed connection, by the woi-d ' And," 
 not only with vere 2. but with the following verses, to the end of 
 verse 5, which show the conclusion of the first days' work. The 
 whole five verses give one connected narrative. The materials for 
 
\ f- 
 
 r 1 
 
 20 
 
 the work were first called into existence, and the darkne^-s was 
 diRpelled by the ci'cation of light; ami these were t^oparated, and one 
 named dai/ and the other night. 
 
 I here adopt and give these words of a vcr^' ioarncd divine and 
 commentator on the subject: — " ' fn the heijinnimj,' must necessarily 
 mean, the commencement of time, which Iblioned, or rather was 
 produced by God's creative acts, as an etlect follows or is ])roduced 
 by a cause." And further: — "When the congeries of elcmentai-y 
 principles, were brought together, CJo<l was pleased to s})end six 
 days in assimilating, assoi'ting, and ai-i-augiiig the matci-ials out of 
 which he built up, not only the earth, but the whole of the solar 
 eystem." 
 
 The Dr. says of the "beginning" of ci'cation, in the first verso 
 ofCrencsis: — "The only other infoi-mation i'espo<;ting it, that avo 
 have in Scripture, is in that tine descriptive poem in Prov. 8, in 
 which the wisdom of God is personified." 
 
 It seems that the Di-. has never seen the verse of Psalm 102., 
 which says : — " Of old liast thou laid the foundations of the earth, 
 and the heavens arc the work of thy hands ;" noi" this in lleb. 4; 
 ''Although the works were finished from the foundation of the 
 world." " 
 
 Here, again, he has shown his slight knowledge of Scripture ; 
 and yet ho dares to meddle most freely with it, denying its plainest 
 meanings, or endeavoring to explain them away, when they conflict 
 with any of his speculative or absurd theories. At the conclusion 
 of this cha])tor the Di-. writes : — 
 
 " This sublime dogma of creation leaves us j>erfectly free to 
 interi'ogate natui'c for ourselves, as to all that it can revcil of the 
 duration and progress of the creative woi'k. * * * \Ye owe 
 profound thanks to the old Hebrew prophet for these words." 
 
 Not so fast Dr. as to your assumed i)orfect freedom to deal only 
 with nature, as to al} the rest of the narrative of Ci'eation recoi'ded 
 in Genesis. You have no such freedom, and you*' taking it as you 
 have done in your speculative and deluding book, is nothing 
 loss than presumptions and profane. As to thanks to the old 
 Hebrew prophet oi* seer, no person Avill object to your personally i-en- 
 doring him thanks, whenever, or wherever, you can discover him 
 but ice, the intelligent and Christian portion of Society, do 'nt bcliev« 
 
21 
 
 ncbS was 
 , and one 
 
 ivine and 
 ;ee!syarily 
 ther was 
 produced 
 cmontary 
 hiyond six 
 als out of 
 the (^olar 
 
 irst verso 
 t, that wo 
 ^rov. 8, in 
 
 salra 102., 
 the oartli, 
 in lleh. 4; 
 ion of the 
 
 Scripture ; 
 ts plainest 
 ,ey contlict 
 conclusion 
 
 Lly free to 
 I' veal of the 
 Wo owe 
 ;ds.'' 
 
 [o deal only 
 In recorded 
 it as you 
 lis nothinjj; 
 to the old 
 [onally ren- 
 Icover hini 
 'nt bclicv« 
 
 in his existence, but tliink your story about him, a mere fiction^ 
 fabricatetl by yourself, to assist your invented, or adopted fable con- 
 cerning creation. And I may fui-ther say, what is true of neai'ly all 
 the othei- parts of his stor}', that he is not the original inventor of 
 this fiction, tliat Moses is not the author of that chapter on creation. 
 His eldei' brother, the notorious Colenso, previously Avrotc that 
 Samuel, or some of his school of the pr()]>hets, wrote i\\<c Pentateuch. 
 Did the Dr. got a hint there, liut Colenso has the advantage of the 
 Dr., for he makes the author a veiitable, well known, living man. 
 
 Chapter 5 bears the title: — " Tiik Desolatk Void." 
 
 Nearly the whole of this chapter of 15 pages is occupied with 
 notices of the vain and absurd imaginations of old heathen writers, 
 ifnd other fabulists in their legendary tales and traditions, concern- 
 ing this first state of the mass of earthly and wateiy elements; and 
 also the oc^ually absurd conceptions and notions of certain modern 
 writers on the same subject. All this, however, as the Dr. must 
 allow, affords no real light on the matter. But it serves well to show 
 how diligent the Dr. has boon in searching out all the heathen tiadi- 
 tions. and reading and studying all the legendary tales, as well aw 
 modern fictions on the subjects. 
 
 In one place the Dr. says : — " It is evident that the state of our 
 planet, which we have just bjon considering is one of which we can 
 scarcely form any adequate conception ; and science can in no way 
 aid us, except by suggesting hypothesis or conjectures." 
 
 Why, then, not let the thing alone, and let it stand just as it is 
 in Genesis ? No, no, say these men of science, that would not 
 answer, it would shut us out from displaying our vast intellectual 
 powers, and magnificent conceptions and theories. 
 
 Although the Dr. has so positively spoken of the inability of 
 science on the subject, he has ventured to say : — 
 
 "I am induced to believe, that the locality of tho deep, or 
 abyss, is to be sought, not in the universal ocean, or tho interior of 
 the earth, but in the vaporous or aeriform mass mantling the surface 
 of our nascent planet, and containing tho materials out of which tho 
 atmosphere was afterwards elaborated." 
 
 According to tliis, we are all living in tho groat "deep," and 
 yet are breathing freel}'. There can be no doubt but the Dr. him- 
 self is far down in tho deep, or abyss of wild conjecture, and his 
 friend, tho old seer, is not at hand to help him out. Scripture says 
 
22 
 
 '\» 
 
 (: ■ i 
 
 J~-' is , 
 
 Kr' 
 
 ill (Ion. *7. 11 : — ••Tiio loiintiiins oi'the <;rent doej) wore ln'oken up." 
 Tlii.s wjis to assist tlio <k'lii<j;e. Accordiui;- to the ]h'. theie is u 
 iiiistiike ill this j)iissa,i;('. It onu'ht to 1k': — ••The tbnntains of liic 
 gi'oat ntino^-phcrr WQi'c broken u])." 
 
 Althf)nnh the J)r. admits that Beieuce here is utterly hel[)less. 
 yet he seems resolved to have somethini:;deHnite; as to tiu- nature of 
 tliis " Desohite Void." and accoi'diiigly he thus writes ; — 
 
 '' Some of the <lelails of the Mosaic vision of the ])riineval chaos 
 may Itt; supjilied. hy the [tr(»bahiiities established by jthysics and 
 chemistry." 
 
 Tlie Dr. has previousJN' made the vision, tlial of a seer, who 
 flourished many aiies licfore either Mo8os or Abraiiani, — j»erhap.s 
 Atlain. — but now he credits it to Moses, lie jucjcceds and says: — 
 
 '•Our first idea of tlie earth would be a vast vaporous ball, re- 
 tiently s])un out from the iiciieral mass of vaj)ors. foi'mini>; tlie nebu- 
 
 la which once re]»i'e<ented the solar system. 
 
 Tl 
 
 us 
 
 hu^'o 
 
 cloud. 
 
 whirlini;' its annual round about the still vaporoiirs centre of the 
 system, would consist of all the matei'ials now constituting^ the solid 
 rocks, as well as those of the seas and atmo-])here. their atoms kept 
 asundei" I)y the force of heal. '■'■ '■- ^' At len_ii;th a li([uid nucleus 
 is foi-med, while upon this are being precii)itated showers of con- 
 densing matter, from the still vast atmospheie, to add to its volume. 
 As this process advances, a new brilliancy is given to the feebly 
 shining vapors, by the incandescence of solid particles, in the U])pcr, 
 hiyers o^ the atmos]ihere. -'^ -'^ '"^ But at length, by fui'lhor 
 cooling, ^his brilliancy is 1 st, and the still fluid globe is sun-ounded 
 by a vast cloudy pall, in which condensing va])ors gather in huge 
 dark masses, and amid terrible electriv explosions, pour in constant- 
 ly increasing acid corrosive rains, upon the heated nucleus, combin- 
 ing with its materials, or again flashing into va])ors. Thus dark- 
 ness, dense and gross, would settle upon the va))orous dec]), and 
 would continue for long ages, until the atmosphere could be tinally 
 cleared ot its superfluous vapors. In the moan time, a crust of slag, 
 or cinder, has been lorming u])on t!io molten nucleus. Broken 
 again and again by the heaving of the seething mass, it at length 
 sets i)ermanently ; and Anally allows some portion of the liquid 
 rain, condensed upon it, to I'omain as a boiling ocean. Then began 
 tlie reign of the waters, under which the fii'st stratified rocks were 
 laid down, by the deposit of earthly and saline matter, suspended, 
 or dissolved, by the heated sea. Such is the picture which science 
 presents to us of the genesis of the earth, and so far as wo can judge, 
 from his words, such must have been the picture presented to the 
 mental vigor of the ancient Seer of creation. * ** In 
 conclusion, the reader will perceive how this reticence of the author 
 
»>•> 
 
 Ml up. 
 
 re is u 
 . (){' the 
 
 iel[>less. 
 xtui'c of 
 
 al ohaos 
 •it's and 
 
 01", who 
 
 ])Ci'haps 
 
 sa}>: — 
 
 hull, ro- 
 be iiebu- 
 e cloud, 
 i-c of the 
 the solid 
 )ius kept 
 i nueleus 
 5 of eoii- 
 voluine. 
 e feebly 
 e ujipcr, 
 further 
 •rounded 
 in huge 
 '.jMstant- 
 eombin- 
 lus dark- 
 lee]), and 
 \v tinally 
 of Hlag, 
 Broken 
 [t length 
 |e liquid 
 In begun 
 I'ks were 
 spcudcd, 
 Hcionce 
 |n judge, 
 to the 
 In 
 author 
 
 of (ienesis. strengthens the argument foi' the ]»rimitivi' sige. of the 
 (looument. and for the vision theory as to its origin." 
 
 Now I will frankh' cnnfe-s. (|i;it oni' of luv motives tor u'ivinii- 
 Ibis exti'inle 1 inuiginative eon'/c^ilion is. to show, as 1 think seemf< 
 highly probable, that th<iugb the l>r. h;i- given it as bis own. 
 produetion. yet he is not eiitille'l to the lepu'at'on—bal as it is 
 
 -of its being the otl'sju'ing of 1 
 
 lis own jxenub 
 
 1)Ut 
 
 is a specimen of 
 
 what is called phnjiut' 
 
 ',<//(. 
 
 -ll 
 
 lat 
 
 bonowinii-. or stealing' from 
 
 anotluM'. At the comm.uu-enu'Mt of tbss review. I mentioned thai 
 several years ago I ])ub!isb'(!><l a small volume in answer to the not- 
 orious •• K-isays and I'eviews." The author of one of them, is (J. 
 AV. Goodwin, .m.a.. and its title is — ■•1'lu' Mosaie (V>smogony." 
 The lollowin<i' is an extract from it which I ^ave in mv answer: — 
 
 '•'The first clear view winch we obtain of the early con- 
 dition of the ivii'ih. jv/esents t<t us a ball o|' matti-r. fluid, with la- 
 tense heat ; spinning on its axis, and revolving round the sun. IFow 
 long it muy have continued in this slate is beyond calculation, oi* 
 surmise, it can only be Itelieved, that a ]>rolonged ])eriod. itegiiming 
 and ending we know not whcii. «da|)sed. Ijcfori' the sui'face became 
 cool and hardened. ^J'he water which now enwrai)s a large ])()i'tion 
 of the face of the glol)e. must, for ages, have existetl oidy in a state of 
 steam, floating above. — and enveloping the planet, in one thick 
 curtain of mist. AVhen the cooling of llie sui-face allowed it to 
 condense and dese.end. then eomnienced the ))rocess by which the 
 lower sti-atitied rocks were formed, and gradiudly s[)read out in 
 vast layers. 
 
 Tlie i-eader will at once peiveive tlu> similarity l)et ween these 
 two cosmogonies. This one by (ioodwin was published about 20 
 voars or more before that iriveii in* tlie Dr. It seems to be a com- 
 mon practice with these specidative writers, to adopt eacli otiiers 
 conceptions and inventions. If all of them, dchnoxrhuhjcd^ and men. 
 tioned or alluded to In this bi)(tk of the Dr., of 438 j)ages were re, 
 moved, but a comporativcly snuill jiortion of it wouKl i-emain as 
 liis own. However as he has adopted them, he most righteously 
 must bear all the discredit or odium winch belong to them. Now, 
 as to that cosmogony by the ]))•., I will not waste my time, or tax 
 the patience of my reader, with special or extended remarks, as to 
 its numerous inconsistencies, and absurdities, hut will give its char< 
 acter in the same terms which 1 applied to the one by Mr. Good- 
 win : — 
 
24 
 
 
 
 " Now to treat plainly, this uecount of the first or early condi- 
 tion of our earth, and its rovolutions and changes ; and the other 
 pactieulars concerning it, neither more nor less can propei'ly be 
 Bald of it, at the bar of reason antl ordinary intelligences, than 
 that it is one of the most wild and extravagantly absurd schemes, 
 or faiivjlos, which a iertile imagination is capable of producing. It 
 would find an appropriate place iti Ovid's Metamorphoses, or in 
 Bome odior heathen M3'thol()gy. Porsons of ordinary sense and 
 in'elligence will at once see and riducule its folly and absurdity: 
 and home may even be inclined to think that the author of it, 
 is i-athei' more in danger of becoming an inmate of a Lunatic 
 Asylum, (ban qutdified to bo a teacher of sound and us^eful science.'" 
 
 Chapter G has the litle, — " Light, and Creative Days." 
 
 The l)j-. has filled eight ])ages, veiy uselessly, in giving his 
 own Conjectures, and those of another wi-itei", as to liow the light 
 was pnKluced, and concludes, — '• That so long as the material of the 
 eai-th constitutes a part of the great vaporous mass, it would be en- 
 compassed with its ditfused light." 
 
 The truly learned Dr. Atlam CMarke, in his commentaiy, has 
 given the following, with other information on the subject : — 
 "Many have asked, ' ITow could the light be produced on the first 
 day, and the sun, the fountain of it, not created till the fourth day.' 
 With the various and often unphilosophical answers which have 
 been given to the question, I will not meddle, but shall observe, 
 that the original word signifies, not onlj' liyht but fire; see Isa. 31. 
 9 : Ezek. 5, 2. It is used for the electric fivid, or lightning. Job 37, 
 3. And it is worthy of remark, that it is used in Isai. 44, 16 for 
 the heat derived from X\\q fire. I therefore conclude, that as God has 
 diffused the matter of caloric, or latent heat, through every part of 
 nature without which there could bo neither vegetation nor animal 
 life that it is caloric or latent heat, which is principally intended by 
 the original word." 
 
 The Dr., in the remaining 34 pages of the chapter, treats of the 
 Creative daj'^s, and, as will be seen b}' the extracts given, insists 
 that they mean vast periods of time, each of them many millions of 
 years. Before remarking on that subject, I must notice and refute 
 some erroneous statements and remarks he bas made respecting 
 certain changes of words in that chapter 1st of Genesis. lie says : — 
 
25 
 
 condi- 
 3 other 
 M'lv be 
 I, than 
 hemes, 
 ig. It 
 *, or in 
 se and 
 irdity : 
 V of it, 
 junatic 
 L'icnce." 
 
 ing his 
 ho light 
 ill of the 
 d be en- 
 
 M'}' 
 
 has 
 
 'h 
 
 ect : — 
 ic first 
 1 day.' 
 have 
 bserve, 
 sa. 31. 
 Job 37, 
 
 16 for 
 rod has 
 part of 
 animal 
 
 ded by 
 
 '!lt was necessary to mark the new application of the term. — 
 earth to the dry land, and that of heaven to the atmosphere, more 
 especially, .s these wei'e the senses in which the woitls were to be 
 popularly used. The intention, therefore, in all the.-e cases, was, 
 to alfix, to certain things, names ditferent from those which they 
 had pj-eviously borne in the narrative, and to certain term-, new 
 senses, ditlercnt from those in which they had been previously 
 used.'' 
 
 The Dr. here speaks of the ''intention'' of the author of the 
 cha]>ter not as probable, but as positive ov certain. Now, whether 
 the Loi'd himself, or Moses, gave the words, the Dr. could not pos- 
 sibly know anything of the intention for using them. But fui-ther, 
 the word land is not in the original, noi* in any ])art of the chapter, 
 but is added by the translators in italics. The word earth, and no 
 other, is used all through the chapter. 
 
 "What petty shifts and inventions will some persons employ, 
 to aid any fictions or erroneous theory ! ! 
 
 The Dr. has adopted the extravagant and absurd, as well as 
 unscriptural theory of certain previous writei's, — that the six days 
 of creation, and the seventh of rest, mean — not our c mmonly un- 
 derstood days of twenty-four hours, partly light, and partly dark, 
 but vast periods of time, more or less, of many millions. I will 
 iirst give several oi his passages on the point, and theti offer some 
 brief and appropriate remarks. Brevitj' will suffice, for many learn- 
 ed and able writers have shown the folly and falsity of the notion. 
 The Dr. frankly admits that : — 
 
 "The general opinion, and that which, at first sight, appears 
 most probable, is, that it is merely the ordinary civil day of twenty- 
 four hours." 
 
 "Most probable"!! — No person, right in his senses, — not 
 afflicted with speculative blindness, — would ever think that the day 
 mentioned in Genesis had any other meaning than that of our com- 
 mon day of twenty-four hours. Ileferring to Psa. 90, the Dr says : — 
 
 " The reference is to the long periods employed in creation, as 
 contrasted with the limited space of years alloted to man.'' 
 
 There is not, in any part of the psalm, the slightest intimation, 
 or hint, of long periods employed in creation / and no torturing of 
 words can give the least appearance or shadow of it. The first part of 
 the psalm speaks of the eternal existence of God, and the brevity of 
 the life of man, as compared with that existanco, in the following 
 
?T 
 
 26 
 
 //„ 
 
 r.'- <, 
 
 
 (■ , 
 
 i y 
 
 
 S I 
 
 Avords : — 'vFroin cvci'lasting to evorlii?stinii- thou iirt (lod."' * -i- 
 
 * A tlioiisand years, in thy sight, arc as yostonhi}' wlien it is 
 ])ast, and as a watch in the night.'' Of men it says : — " They are i\b 
 a slecj); in the morning they are like grass, which groweth up. In 
 the morning it, tlourisheth and gi'oweth u]), in the evening it is cut 
 down and witlicicth." Threescore years and ten, and fourscore, are 
 mentiont'd as the years of man. The com])arison, or contrast, is as 
 to duration, — (Jod vtcrnnl, and man of hut hricf yeai-s. Xot a word 
 as to time em))h)yed in crcatiion. 
 
 The Dr. ])rocceds with another empty argument in the folh»\v- 
 ing woi'ds .• — 
 
 •'That tlie other writers of tlie Old Testament, undei-stood the 
 creative days in this sense, miglit be inferred, from the entire ab- 
 sence of any i-eference to the work of creation, as short, since it 
 occupied only six days. Such reference we may tind in motlern 
 writers, but lu'vei- in the Sci'iptures. On the eonti-ary, we I'cceive 
 the impression <jf the creative woi'k, as long continuetl. Thus, the 
 divine Wisdom says in Prov. 8, ' The Lord possessed me ' from the 
 l)eginning of his way, l)eforc his works of o!d, from everlasting, be- 
 fore the anti(iuities of tiie earth." " 
 
 Now, first, why should those writers make any reference Avhat- 
 evcr as to the time einploj'cd in creation, or as to its being long, or 
 short ? They knew from Genesis, Exodus, and Deuteronomy, as we 
 know, that it was all accomplished in six days. None of tliem had 
 any cause or reason whatever to speak about the time. They had not. 
 like the I)i"., any scheme, oi' fictions story, to elaborate and su])port. 
 Now, here I will nndve the Dr. a witness against liimsolf, for on page 
 140 ho says : — " fiod might have prepared the earth for man, in an 
 instant." And yet he is so unreasonable, and also presumptuous, as 
 to insist, that he was many millions of years about it. As to the 
 citation from Prov., it has no reference or relation whatevei* to the 
 time employed in creation as every unprejudiced person will see. It 
 mci'ely speaks ot the wisdom of God, as one of His etei-nal and 
 uxorious attributes, employed and manifested in His works of 
 creation. The learned commentator bcforemcntioned says on this 
 c 'lapter : — " All these verses (3-29) are a periphrasis for — (or signi- 
 fying) — 7 existed before creafic- :, consequently, before time was.' 
 There arc no such words in th > chapter as, " antiquities of the 
 earth," given by the Dr. The worJ.s of the text are these : — " from 
 the beginning, or ever the earth was." 
 
icn it IS 
 >y are ixt 
 1 lip. In 
 it is cut 
 core, arc 
 list, is as 
 t a word 
 
 c foll()\v- 
 
 itood the 
 utiru ab- 
 Hincc it 
 I modern 
 (3 I'cceive 
 iuis, the 
 fVoni the 
 sting, he- 
 
 ice Avliat- 
 long, or 
 \y, as Avc 
 lieni had 
 • liadnot. 
 support, 
 on page 
 n, in an 
 tuous, as 
 s to the 
 r to the 
 1 sec. It 
 nal and 
 orks of 
 on this 
 lor signi- 
 was.' 
 of the 
 -" from 
 
 27 
 
 In a f'utuiv })age I will lirin<; *iiis i-liaptei' in Proverhs. with 
 ov(M'whclniing force, against tliisnlisurd invention of vast ])i'i'io(is in 
 the Work ofci'ealion. 
 
 The Dr. proceeds as i'ollows : — 
 
 " In (ienc.-iis tlie seventh (hiv is not said to have had an evening- 
 or morning, nor i-; (iod said to have re.->nni('d hi> work- on any eighth 
 day. ('oiis(.'(|uentiy the seventh (Ui\' of creation must he still 
 current. 
 
 Was the \h\ more tlian commonly hold ami jjii'-iiiitpuiini.^. or 
 c.KtremcU' drowsv. when he ix'iined these Avords. -o (lircct l\- contrary 
 to the Scri])lure. then hefoi-e him. whicli says: — ••()n the seventh 
 <\ti\ (um\ ended his work which he had made. And (iod hhssed the 
 >evenlh day. and sanctitied it, hecause that in it he has I'e^ted iVom 
 all Ids woi"k which (Jod created and made.' Thi^ seems e\tiemel>' 
 plain, hut the Dr. denies its ti-ulh. 'I'lie (piestion llK'-elo/e i> : — 
 Who is right, and his word to be believed, — the intiintely wi>e and 
 truthfid (lod. who. in his Sci-ipture. I'epeateilly declares that •• he 
 ended all ids work whicli he creatiMJ and made, and rested on the 
 seventh from all his work ; oi- Dr. Dawson, who says '• the seventh 
 day of cj'cation must be still current." that is, (Jod has not ended 
 that work of creation, and rested, but is still carrvini;' it tbr\\ard on 
 the seventh day. 
 
 His objection as to •' no evening and morning of the seventh 
 day," is weak indeed. These woi'ds, as to the si.\ days, nuirUed 
 more precisely the portion of the work which was coniphited on each 
 day; and also served to contirni the truth, that the whole of the 
 work was accomplished within the six days. The Dr. proceeds thus, 
 on this point : — 
 
 "The argument is not, — ' (lod Avork'cd on six natural days, and 
 rested on the seventh ; do you therctbre t lie same." * -•' -'^ It 
 is this, — Ixod created the world in six of his days, and on the seventh 
 rested : and invited man, in Kden, toentei'on his rest, as a ))er])etual 
 Sabbath of happiness' But man fell, and lost God's Sabbath. There- 
 foi'c, a weekly Sabbath was ])rescribed to him, as a memoi-ial of 
 what ho had lost, and a pledge of what God has promised, in the 
 renewal of life and happiness, through our Saviour." 
 
 Now all this is mere prcsumptious invention and fiction. Ho 
 does not pretend that there is any Scripture to sanction it. But 
 the argment is also strangely inconsistent and absurd, for it says 
 in effect that man instead of being punished for his sin and fall, was 
 
w 
 
 28 
 
 ;i : 
 
 1 ^ : 
 
 i - 
 
 
 ■ >, 
 1' ( 
 
 r'.K T ■' 
 
 •; I 
 
 rewarded and favoi'cd by a seven day's rest being gvcn him and "a 
 renewal of life and happine.sH" hereafter. 
 
 I will now refer to several passages and parts of the book from 
 which to discover, if possible, what the Dr. thinks is the real or 
 proper duration of his Oions or periods of creation. He says : — 
 
 "The record he (God) has given us does not receive its full 
 significance nor attain its full harmony with the course of geologi- 
 cal history unless we can understand each day of the creative week, 
 as including a long succession of ages." 
 
 Observe reader, that with tho Dr. the truth on the sulyect does 
 not depend on what inspired Scripture says, but on "geological 
 history ;" yet he has admitted at the commencement of his book, 
 that " scientific facts and principles ai-e in their nature uncertain^ 
 and must constantly change as knoivledye advances ; and cannot solve 
 for us the gi-eat practical problems of our ori'jiri and destiny^ The 
 Dr. proceeds thus : — 
 
 " We do not know the actual value of our geological ages in 
 time ; but it is probable that each great creative a?on ma}'^ have 
 extended through millions of years." ^ ^ ^ Sjr William 
 Thompson has indeed iinlicated for the time since the earth's ciust 
 first began to form, a period of between one and two hundred 
 millions of yeai-s ; but Professor Guthrie Tait, on the other hand, 
 argues that ten or fifteen millions of years are probably sufficient. 
 * * On the whole, it is evident that only the most vague guesses 
 can at present be based on the facts in our possession, though tho 
 whole time requii-ed has unquestionably been very great ; the depo- 
 sition of the series of stj-atified rocks, probably requiring at least 
 the greater part of the minimum time allowed by Thompson." 
 
 Now, here, wo may make a calculation, or estimate, as to 
 tho whole time which the Dr. seems to think would bo requisite 
 for the work of creation, or was employed in performing it. 
 Suppose Thompson's mininmum to be one hundred millions, of 
 years, the Doctor's "greater part of it" would be, say, only Sixty 
 millions, which will allow ten millions for each of the six oeons 
 or periods. This will entitle tho Dr. to the credit of being the 
 most moderate, or humble, of all his geologic and scientific bre- 
 thren. I must request my readers, to bear in mind, all through 
 tho discussions and statements on this subject, that the objec- 
 tions to tho Scripture narrative of the literal days of creation, 
 urged by the Dr. and others, are founded on the various stratas 
 of Btono, and other solid substances, in depths of tho earth ; and 
 
29 
 
 a 
 
 messes 
 
 -h the 
 
 depo- 
 
 least 
 
 as to 
 qiiisite 
 ing it. 
 ons, of 
 Sixty 
 ceons 
 ig the 
 bre- 
 rough 
 objec- 
 jation, 
 tratas 
 and 
 
 the numerous fossils, bones, plants, and various other substances 
 found in those stratas, or the forms of those substances impressed 
 upon them; and which those opponents contend, must have been 
 formed those millions of years before the commencement of our 
 Sci'i[)tm'e chronology oC less than six thousand yeai-s. Those stra- 
 tas and other particulars form the sum and substance of all their 
 objections. The Dr. has said : — > 
 
 '' Each day of the creating week, as including a long succession 
 of ages;"' and again — '' Kach great creative jeon may have extended 
 through millions of years." 
 
 He does not deny, but impliedly admits that the Scripture ac- 
 count of the pai-ts of the work ])crformed on each day is coriei-t. 
 According to the div'ision of the milli(^ns of years above given, as 
 the minimum bv the Dr., there will be ten millions for the tirst 
 day. Scri[)ture shows, and the \)\\ admits it, that all the work 
 done on that day of millions of years, was creating light, dividijig 
 light from darkness, and calling light day, and darkru^ss niijht. 
 The '■ desolate void" of the earth theiefore continued thi'ough all 
 these ten millions. Where then, as to these millions, is the Doctor's 
 geological evidence of stratas, bones, plants, &c. Theie is none. 
 Surely this vastly extended scene of desolation and barrenness, was 
 not one over which the "sons of God" would '-shout for joy." 
 The work of the second day, or period often millions of years, was 
 merely making the tii-mament, dividing the waters, and calling the 
 firmament " Heaven." Still no evidence for the Dr. either from 
 geology or any other quarter. Surely, thei*efore, these two of his 
 ffion millions must be struck off, as belonging to the region of 
 myths. In the third ten millions, we have a dawning of life, for 
 he;bs, grass, and trees, bearing fruit, were created, but dui'ing the 
 whole of that vast ff»on, thei'o were no men or beasts to enjoy them. 
 They successively grew, and withered, and rotted away. But pro- 
 bably the Dr. may say, the}' left their impressions on some of the 
 stratas, and that helps my geologic and chronological theory. 
 During the fourth ten millions, the sun, moon, and stars were made, 
 but there were no intelligent or other earthly beings to behold and 
 enjoy their beauties and glories, and celebrate the wisdom ;.nd 
 goodness of him who created them. On the fifth day of ten mil- 
 lions of years, only fish and other creatures of the water, and 
 winged fowl were created. Those afford but little, if any, geologi- 
 
t' r 
 
 :w 
 
 K •: 
 
 I'l 1 
 
 v.r.i or other supposed proof, to help tlu; Dr. On the s^th dtxy of 
 millions, al' bcusts iinfl cattU% alter theii- kind, were brought forth, 
 and UinI ihe rational and wonderful ])eings, nnm an<l woman, weri- 
 i-reated. 
 
 Aeeoi'dinjz; then to this grand i;eoloc;ical theory, whieh. it is 
 true, the Dr. has not the exalted lam(^ of eoneeivin<(, but merely 
 jidoptin<j^, we are now Ilviui^ in this sixth ten million a'on, and as 
 but the fraction ot loss than six thousand yeai's of it lias passed 
 away, all classes of the opponents of divine revelation may con- 
 tinue to be gratified and encouraged, and Dr. Cumming, and all 
 prognosticators of the early destruction of our world must hide 
 their heads in shame and confusion. 
 
 The J)r. has endeavored to explain the words, " evening and 
 morning"' given in the chapter, so as to get rid of this objection to 
 his theoi-y ; but it is a very lame effort und could be no other. 
 Every person, not blinded by imaginative conceptions and prejudice, 
 will wee the absurdity of applying an evening and morning to mil- 
 lions of years. But furthei*, this vast periodical theory is expressly 
 opposed to the Scripture, whieh shows a continued work from day 
 to day until it was finished, and then only the one divine rest is 
 mentioned, whereas, aceonlrng to the theoiy, there would be at 
 least _/?i:e long protracted periods of such rest. 
 
 After all the labored plausibilities and inventions which the 
 Dr, employs to support the scheme, it is evident that he feels hard 
 piessod for anything like rational proof; and therefore ho inti'o- 
 duces Persian, Egyptian and Hindoo heathen traditions, mytholo- 
 icies, and cosmogonies to aid him, but he is candid enough to admit 
 that '' such evidence is no doubt of small authority in the interpre- 
 tation of Scripture." Then why introduce it ? It is just as good 
 and plausible Dr. as your own dreamy speculations, for in the many 
 pages you have given to the subject, you have not produced and 
 cannot cite a single word of Scripture, or any really sensible argu- 
 ment to give any colour to this absurd invention whieh you have 
 been so imprudent as to adopt. Not only the whole narrative of 
 creation in Genesis expressly falsifies it, but many other passages 
 of the inspired records. The re-institution of the Sabbath, in Exod. 
 20. says, that on the seventh day we are not to do any work, -'for in 
 six days the Lord made heaven and oarth, the sea, and all that in 
 
31 
 
 ihoiii is. iiiid rt'sicil tlie sovi'iilli ii;i\-. wluTflinT ilu' Lord l)Ii's>«('il tli 
 
 ««i 
 
 :l)lall 
 
 1 u:tv am 
 
 I hall 
 
 OWl'il it, 
 
 [ei'pre- 
 
 good 
 
 I many 
 
 d and 
 
 argu- 
 
 liavo 
 
 ive of 
 
 pages 
 
 lExod. 
 
 [for in 
 
 liat ill 
 
 Xow. according to this theory of the l>r. loss than six thousand 
 years of the millions of the sixth woi-Uing pi'ri.)d have expired, and 
 eonse(iiiently, the whole Jewisli ami Chi'istian ehurches, through 
 all their ages, luive been going wr(»ng in keeping Sahhaths, for the 
 .Sabl>ath jx-riod in still very far oti'. They should, as fonunandod 
 have been working every day; and wc should do the same. JJiit if 
 the Dr. says we are in the sfrtuth piu'iod. of millions of years, as in 
 one place he intimates, then those churches, at»d we also, have been 
 both guilty and foolish, in wcrking at all. All shoidd have been 
 enjoying quiet and comfortable rest. 
 
 There is anotlier scripture whicK, of itself, is stifKcient to des- 
 troy the scheme. It is in Ileb. 4 as follows: — ''Although the 
 works were finished from the foundation of the world. Vor he 
 spake in a certain place of the seventh day, on tins wise, — and God 
 did rest the seventh day from all his works." 
 
 The word '• foundation" evidently means, the calling into ex- 
 istence the material elements, or substances, as mentioned in the 
 tirst verse of Genesis. And the words "from," and " finished," as 
 clearly show, that immediately following that foiuufaf ion, the divine 
 work went forward, and was finished within the six days. The 
 word •'from," in the text, denotes immediate procession or succession.. 
 
 The truth or falsity of this theory must deperui altogether on 
 the testimony of Scripture conceaning creation. All the .Scriptures 
 on this subject are in perfect agreement, and manifestly show, that 
 there was no lapse of time or protracted cessation in the divine 
 operations, between the first act of creation, and the completion of 
 the whole of the earthly and heavenly system. Ail were commen- 
 ced and finished within the six days, as the Scriptures so repeatedly 
 declare. Infidels, and speculative and |»resumptii(jus geologists. 
 may frame their vain schemes and systems, and differ among them 
 selves, as they have always been doing, but the intallible word of 
 the Lord must and will abide and prevail. 
 
 The Dr. seems rather doubtful or startled at viewing his theory 
 when reaching the conclusion of his statements and suppositious 
 concerning it for he saj's: — "I do not suppose that tliis position has 
 been incontrovertibly established. ^^ * =>= Every step of our 
 
n 
 
 .. ■ 
 
 .1 
 1 
 
 82 
 
 subscriuonl proi^ros?* will atVoivl now ci'ltoi'ia of its tnifh or t'allMcy." 
 As tlicroloro lui admits it inav Ik' fdlld^iorts, lie cannot li'ivc any 
 satisliu'toiy reason for ^ivin<;- it further curi-encv. and troiiMinLT or 
 perpiexinii,' IIk; ])ul)lic concernini;' it, willioiit any useful |iui-j»ose 
 whate\i'r lieiuii; served Ity tlu- discussion. 
 
 l! will he seen that I have in part ti'cated the theory with ^^onie- 
 what of ridicule :'oi' its inconsistency and ahsiir<lity. hut there is a 
 Nolonm ami rcvoltin,icas)»ect whi(d» it hears and which justly exposes 
 it to sevi're condemnation. It appears insultini;-, oi* even profatje 
 towards the :-upi*emo fountain of wisdom and power, and all his 
 i^lorious attrihules and ])erfeetions to suj)|)ose that lie wituld or 
 could ac! in such a protracted and defe<-iive manner in plannini;- 
 and executinu" liis mai^niticent work ofei'cation. His desiii-n, at 
 lir t. mu>t havt' heen to create man and all other parts of tlie animal 
 creation lor with him there canr.ot he, as with us, any aftei-thoui;ht>. 
 It is therefore dci'o^atory to Jlis wisd(jm and othei" jierfections, to 
 su)) .'-e, that af'er creating the- earth and merely separating light 
 fj;oni darl;ness, Jle would leave the eaith lor inillion^i of yeai's in a 
 desolate and flreaiy state, without either vi;getal>le or animal life; 
 and during otiier millions otdy create an expanse and divi<le the 
 waters, still leaving the earth in the same dark and dreary eondi. 
 tion ; and fiirthei-. after creating plants and herhs, and fruit hearing 
 trees, leave them tor other millions of years without sun to assist 
 tlieir growth and rii)en the fruit, and let otliei- millions j)ass away 
 before creating man and tlie inferioi* animals, for whose use and 
 eiijovment lie, trom the first, designed to create them. The su]>]k)- 
 sition is not only irrational, hut to say the least borders on impiety 
 and pi-ofanity. 
 
 The Dr. sliould have obediently hearkened to the divine Scrip- 
 ture warning and c;)mmand : — "'Add thou not unto His woi'ds. lest 
 He rc}>rove theo, and thou be found a liar." (Prov. 30.) 
 
 There is a presumptuous class of writers in these last and 
 perilous times, and its numbers are rapidly increasing, who seem 
 to think that they may take any and every liberty they ])lease with 
 the Sacred Scriptures, as to letter or meaning, oven such as the^■ 
 would not take with any respectable human composition. 
 
 The Dr. next, in Chapter 7, fills a little over Ifi pages in telling 
 us all lie knows about " The Atmosphere." 
 
iilliU'V." 
 ivc any 
 Mini; or 
 jmi'jtosc 
 
 III somc- 
 licrc is ji 
 cxpost's 
 |>i'()f':UK' 
 1 :tll his 
 VdiiM or 
 |)liui!iiii,i;" 
 osiii'i). :il 
 aiiiinal 
 li()iiii;lit>. 
 .•tioiis, to 
 n<; light 
 cars in a 
 nial life ; 
 A'ido tlu' 
 ry eondi- 
 
 1 tea ring- 
 to assist 
 |iss away 
 iiisc and 
 |o suppo- 
 
 ini piety 
 
 H' Horip- 
 ii-ds. lest 
 
 List and 
 lo seoin 
 Isc Nvitii 
 [is thev 
 
 loUinir 
 
 33 
 
 lie may bo more or Icsh ri<jfht, or wrong, in his disphiys of 
 science, as to this Hubjcct. A« he docs not here deny or ])ervert any 
 Scripture tri th, I will not take the trouble of eritieising any of his 
 explanations or remarks. And here, 1 may say, once tor all, that 
 if his book had not contained so many and such maniCtvst lontra- 
 diction.s, j)ervei'sions, and misapplications of the Saered Scriptures, 
 [ would not have wasted my time in reading it, or thinking or 
 writing about it. All the geoli)gie and other speculative matter it 
 iMJntains is no way protital»lc foi* any practical purjiose, but is 
 merely literary lunrbtr. 
 
 In '• Chapter 8 " the Dr., in no less than 2 j l)agei, ticats of 
 " The Dry Land and the First Plants-" 
 
 The texts on these subjects, in (Jen. 1, are given, and the Dr. 
 says : — 
 
 "These are events sufficiently simple and intelligiblo in their 
 character." • 
 
 Then why write and publish so many jiages to tell wliat ovciy 
 person already knows? Jt is a work of supeieroation. W the Dr. 
 had given us any additional information as to the different soils, 
 and qualities of the dry land, and which was most suitable for the 
 different seeds, and what plants and fruits were the most nourish- 
 ing and useful, and the best modes of cultivating and improving 
 them, his chapter would have been useful, and have entitled him to a 
 measure of public gratitude. But all such matter would have been 
 too familiar and common-place, and would have shut out the won- 
 derful now^ discoveries of himself and his scientiric brethren, as to 
 the manner in which the diy land came to be separated from the 
 waters, and why and how plants and trees were formed, lie next 
 says :— 
 
 " (xcology shows us that the emergence of the dry land must 
 have resulted from the elevation of parts of the bed of the ancient 
 universal ocean, and thai the agent employed in such changes is 
 the bending and crumpling of the outer crust of the earth, caused 
 by lateral pressure, and operating cither in a slow^ and regular 
 manner, or by sudden paroxysms." 
 
 The sacred text says: — '"And God said, let the waters nndor 
 the heavens be gathered into one place, and let the dry land appear 
 and it was so." But this is not sufficient for the Dr. His geologic 
 deity mtist speak and decide on the yubject. But we have only ^jhe 
 
34 
 
 • f. 
 
 
 bare assertion of the Dr. as to proof fi-oni the oracle. There is no 
 such proof. Furtlicr, who overheard of such a being* as a "bending- 
 and crumpling," intelligent '"agent," as the Dr. has here created 
 and employed to produce " lateral pressure " and "paroxysms." 
 The whole thing is merely high-sounding speculative nonsense. 
 
 Uq speaks of " stratified or bedded masses," and " crystalline 
 rocks" as being "the pillars and foundations of the earth," and 
 and says they were " successive, and belong to ditlcrent periods." 
 
 They are, indeed, such pillars, but they were not successive, 
 but were formed at the first by the Almighty and wise Creator, to 
 bind and keep together the loose earthy inatter, and as " bars and 
 doors" against the waters, as the Lord himself said to his faithful 
 servant Job, and it is also mentioned in Psalm 104. 
 
 In a succeeding l)age the Dr. referring to the dry land, as it 
 first appeared, says : — 
 
 " It wai a world of bare, rocky jieaks and verdureless valleys 
 ■ — here active volcanoes, with their heaps of scori(x?, and scarcely 
 cooled lava currents — there vast mud flats * * No where even 
 a blade of grass or a growing lichen, yet it was good in the view 
 of its Maker, who could see it in relation to the uses for which he 
 had made it, and as a fit preparatory step to the new wonders he 
 Avas soon to introduce." 
 
 lias the Doctor's " old seer " informed him that such was its 
 unsightly appearance, or has the Dr. himself beheld it in a dream 
 or vision, for Scripture says nothing of the kind concerning it. 
 That truthful record shows that immediatel}' on its emergence from 
 the waters it became, at the divine word, clothed with grass, herbs 
 and trees bearing fruit, thus kindly prepared for the speedily coming 
 use of man and beast. 
 
 The Dr. says : " The new wonders ho was soon to inti'oduce.' 
 Does ho meim by this man and the rest of the animal creation ? if 
 so, he has made a fatal mistake, for he has all along been insisting 
 that those animal wonders, instead of being soon introduced, did 
 not appear until many millions of years after that vegctablo 
 creation. 
 
 The Dr. proceeds bj" saying: — 
 
 "The first dry land may have presented crags, and peaks, and 
 ravines, and volcanic cones, in a more marvellous and pcrfeci 
 manner than any succeeding continents — even as the dry and 
 ban en moon, now, in this respect, far surpasses the earth." 
 
 !l;: 
 
lerc IS no 
 "bencling 
 •e created 
 ■oxyHms." 
 nse. 
 
 iryslalline 
 vrth," and 
 leriods." 
 
 niccessive. 
 Jrcator, to 
 '< bars and 
 lis faithful 
 
 land, as it 
 
 ess valleys 
 id scarcely 
 •vhere even 
 1 the view 
 r which ho 
 vonders he 
 
 lich was its 
 
 in a dream 
 
 cerning it. 
 
 lice from 
 
 ass, herbs 
 
 lily coming 
 
 In 1 rod lice.'' 
 ktion? if 
 insisting 
 liuced, did 
 veu'otabk' 
 
 beaks, and 
 |d perfect 
 dry and 
 h." 
 
 35 
 
 It ma_\' l)c thought i»y some that the Dr. has been getting tired 
 of saving >o much about the Kirtli. and. 1)V wav of change, turns t(» 
 the moon. He has indeed been giving us a plentiful su])ply of what 
 is generally called moonshine; and now wo may look for fuithc;' 
 instalments. Hut how has the moon offended bin), that he should 
 send such a hard shot at it. calling it '-dry and barren""? IFas 
 the man in the moon told him so, or doi's he Unow it from his own 
 insjtection ? Some (jf his .speculative, scientitic brethien thiidc thai 
 it is inhabited by intelliicent and other beings. When the beautiful 
 hnninaiy is in its full oi'b. it cei-fainly gives the idea that it is 
 capable of affording a very pleasant and comfortable lordilon. 
 
 The next ]»assages for remarU ai'c in the following words: — 
 
 '• We must not suj)|)ose, however, that the dry land had any 
 close resemblance to that now existing, in its form or ilistribution. 
 (leology am[)ly ]tr()\'es that since the first aj)pearance of dry lantl. 
 its contour has fVe(|uently liecn changed. an(i pi'obably also its 
 position. Hence, nearly all our jtresent land consists of rocks 
 which have been formed under the waters, long after the period 
 now under consideration, and htve been subse(iuently hai'dened and 
 elevated; and since all the existing high mountain i-anges ari' of a 
 comparatively late age, it is probable that this primeval dry land 
 was low, as well as in the earlier pai-t of the [)erioil, at least of 
 comparatively small extent. '-^ ^'^ ='• Though wc^ may know, at 
 present, no remains of the first <\\'\ land, we are not ignorant of its 
 general distribution, for the present Continents show, in the ai'- 
 rangement of their formations and mountain t-hains, evidence that 
 they are j>arts of a plan sketched out from the beginning." 
 
 Now to I'cmark on these several statements In regular succes- 
 sion, I notice the first, which says : " We nnist not suppose that 
 the dry land had any close rcscndjlance to that now existing, in its 
 form or distribution." 
 
 It is most probable he is right here, for the subsequent general 
 deluge would effect such a change. 
 
 Next, " the formation and hai'dening of rocks un<ler the waters, 
 long after the dry land appeared, and their subsequent elevation,' 
 are all matters of mere supposition or invention. The rocks and 
 solid ridges wore, doubtless, at the first wisely formed and placed 
 for the purpose of keeping together and supporting the loose earth}- 
 parts, like to the bones in all tiie animal crcjition, and stems, spriggs 
 and fibres in vetcetable substinx es. 
 
 /' 
 
36 
 
 '. . 
 
 :HH: 
 
 ■ c 
 
 His assertion that probably the primeval dry land was low, 
 and " all the existini; high mountain ranges are of a comparatively 
 late .ige," can be readily and fully refnted, and from plain Scripture 
 proof some of it previously presented by himself, on another point, 
 being in Prov. 8., where it is said of Wisdom: ''Before the 
 mountains were settled, before the hills was I bi'ought forth, when, 
 as yet, He had not made the earth.'' Also in Psalms 90 and 104, 
 before cited by the Dr. : " Before the mountains were brought 
 forth, or ever Thou hast formed the earth and the world." "The 
 waters stood above the mountains, at Thy rebuke they fled," We 
 read also of the high hills and mountains at the time of the deluge, 
 and of the ark resting on the mountains of Ararat when the waters 
 subsided. 
 
 The words, "Though we may know at present no remains of 
 the first dry land," seem strange indeed. There has been no now 
 or second creation of land to form the present globe of earth. The 
 deluge only rent the fabric, but did not annihilate or destroy it; 
 and the Almighty and wise Creator re-formed it in I'egular order, 
 and it is the same earth, or diy land, which we have now, allowing 
 for ordinary natural changes. Lebanon and Ilermon, the moun- 
 tains of Kdom, of Arabia, of India, and, in short, of all the four 
 r^uarters of our earth, are, in general, the same now as when they 
 were so divinely re-formed and established. 
 
 The Dr. seems somewhat puzzled, and at a loss what to say 
 or do, concerning the following passages in Genesis 2, 5 G: "And 
 every plant of the field, before it was in the earth, and every herb 
 of the field, befoi-e it grew, for the Lord God had not caused it to 
 rain upon the e irth, and there was not a man to till the ground. 
 But there went up a mist from the earth and watered the whole 
 face of the ground." 
 
 This, as we plainly see, has reference to the vegetable creations 
 of the third day, and three days before the creation of man. 
 
 The Dr. commences his remarks on these passuges by saying: — 
 
 "Geology informs us that rain fell, as at present, far back in 
 (he Palaeozoic ]ieriod, countless ages before the creation of man or 
 the existing animals." 
 
 From the nature of the subject, geology cannot possibly give 
 ftny such information, and the statement is merely a groundless 
 assertion. If the Dr. thought he had any such information or 
 
ind was low, 
 )mparativcly 
 ain Scripture 
 II other point. 
 'Before the 
 forth, when, 
 i 90 and 104, 
 ;ere brought 
 )rl(l." "The 
 y fled," Wo 
 (f the dehige, 
 jn the waters 
 
 10 remains of 
 been no new 
 ' earth. The 
 )r destroy it ; 
 •efiuhir order. 
 10 w, allowing 
 n, the moun- 
 all the four 
 IS when they 
 
 what to say 
 5 0: "And 
 d everv herh 
 caused it to 
 the ground, 
 id the whole 
 
 Ible creations 
 
 pnan. 
 
 jby saying:— 
 
 far back in 
 \i\ of man or 
 
 )Ksibly give 
 
 groundless 
 
 )rmation or 
 
 37 
 
 ♦ * 
 
 proof, hi would have produced it. As to his countless ages, they 
 were just the three days between the creation of ])lants and that of 
 man, and the beasts of the field, as shown in inspired Sciipture. 
 The " countleso ages " are mere fictions to assist his story. IJul 
 further, he seems, on the same page, to contradict his statement oi' 
 countless ages of rain, as at present, for he says : — 
 
 *' That vegetation should exist for two or three natural days, 
 without rain, or the irrigation which is given in cultui'c, wiuj a cir- 
 cumstance altogether unworthy of notice; but the growth, during 
 a long period, of a varied and highly organized floi-a, without this 
 advantage (of rain) and by the aid of a si)ecial natural )»rovision, 
 afterwards discontinued, was, in all respects, so lemarkable and so 
 highly illustrative of the expedients of the divine wisdom, that it 
 deserved a prominent place." 
 
 Now this long period of the //ora, without any rain, was within 
 the " countless ages," during which the Dr. says rain was falling 
 "as at present." How then can he, with all his inventive ingenu- 
 ity, reconcile these opposite statements. Furthei-, what need could 
 there have been for any such divine expedient as to the flora being 
 for a long period without rain, Avhile at all otiier periotls it was 
 given, as now. The suj)position of any such cxprtlient is derogator} 
 to the Divine Wisdom, and to utter it is still more so. That infal- 
 lible wisdom eau never require to employ expedients to ctVoct its 
 purposes. 
 
 The Dr. proceeds with the following statements and remarks. — 
 
 " Geology cannot, however, assure us either that no land plants 
 existed contemporaneously with these ciwliest animals, or that no 
 land flora preceded them. These oldest fossiliforous rocks may 
 mark the commencement of animal life, but they testily nothing as 
 to the existence or non-existence of a ])revious jteriod of vegetation 
 alone. Farther, the rocks which contain the oldest remains of life 
 exist, as far as yet known, in a condition so highly nietamor[»hi(' as 
 almost to preclude the i)ossil»ility of their containing any distin- 
 guishable vegetable fossils. * >iJ Jt< It' we should ever be so for- 
 tunate as to tind any portion of them containing vegetal)le fossils, 
 and these of species differing from any hithei-to known, either in a 
 fossil state or recent, and rising higher in elevation and complexity 
 of type than the flora of the succeeding Siluran and carboniferous 
 eras, we may then suppose that we have penetrated to the monu- 
 ments of this third creative H?on." 
 
 Here, I first remark, that the Dr. has made some admissions, 
 for which most, if not all his geological brethren will not thank 
 
 ' r 
 
'AS 
 
 I K 
 
 i , 
 
 1r 
 
 , K. 
 
 ^.it 
 
 liiin, and which arc ([iiile sufficient t()coni})lotcly doti-oy the i^roator 
 part, if not the whole, of his thc()ry. irowovc;-. Ix'ibrc proceeding 
 to coiniiiont on his several admissions and leniai'ks in the'lorei^oing 
 (extract, I must request the rcadei- to'hea:- in mind the following 
 facts and particulai's. \vhi(di are directly ct.'nnected witli the sultjoct: 
 — 1. ^Jeiilier the I);-, or anv of th.ose who in anv wav <>])t)ose tlie 
 account of creation giv(Mi in (Genesis, say, o/ prt^tend, that there is 
 any ancient histoiy or authentic written document to contradict or 
 • liscredit that account, and tiiat all the heathen traditions concern- 
 ing the suhjeet ai'c of no v;v!idily whatever. 2. That tlu> v»-h(de 
 prooj" suggested or ofVei'ed hy tho-<e geologic opponents of the 
 (Jenesis rai'i'ativc. consigns ofsti-atas (»f rock^ and other suhstances, 
 and fossils )f animals, hones, vegetaltles. r.nd various othei' remains, 
 an 1 impressions found in v.'U'ious dej)ths of the earth. H. 'I'hat the 
 Dr. has stated that "each great creative a^ui (or day) may liave 
 extended through millions of yeai-s." Xow let us (>xamine sepa- 
 ra'ely the material ]);irticulars in that extract. As to the rocks, he 
 says they are nietan!Oi'[)hic, that is, ti-ansformed. or changed ; and 
 in a ])i'evious ])lace, as hefore shown, he lias said, concerning their 
 deposition and age, ''only the most vague guesses can. at present, 
 he basi'd on the facts in our possession.'" And as to t!ie tliird, or 
 vegetative icon, or period of millions of years, he admits that tiiere 
 are no '-distinguishahle vegetahle fossils.' lie has not shown, or 
 attempted to give, any proof as to the u'on, or millions of years, 
 between the Jirst an<l second ])eriod; w)v as to the millions l)etween 
 the second and third jjeriod ; nor tlie nuUions between this third 
 vegetative j)eriod and the f''irth, during which the sun, moon and 
 stars were created ; of the fourth peri(.»d of millions, when those 
 lumimiries were created, of course there could be no geologic proof. 
 Thus we see, that partly trom an entire lack vi' [)roof by the Dr., 
 and partly from his own admissions, four of the periods of millions 
 of years, each, must be sot anido as having no geologic or other evi- 
 dence of any kind to give them the least semblance of truth. 
 
 The two other, and last periods of " millions of years," arc 
 equally destitute of any real evidence sufficient to obtain the belief 
 of any unprejudiced and truly intelligent person. These two periods 
 will be treated of in subsequent pages. 
 
 The Dr. is very ready and fertile in making assertions, but 
 extremely deficient as to proof. He then proceeds by saying : — 
 
tho greater 
 
 proeeeding 
 
 I'fbregoiiig 
 
 following 
 
 le Miliject : 
 
 <)])jiosc tjie 
 
 at there is 
 
 iitradiet or 
 
 IS eoiieern- 
 
 the whole 
 
 iits oi' the 
 
 jubstaiiees, 
 
 M' remains, 
 
 . That Die 
 
 may have 
 
 nine sepa- 
 
 roeks, lie 
 
 nge<l ; and 
 
 rjiing their 
 
 jit present. 
 
 ? thii'd, or 
 
 hal there 
 
 shown, or 
 
 of years, 
 
 < l)etween 
 
 this third 
 
 moon and 
 
 len those 
 
 gie proof. 
 
 y the Dr., 
 
 millions 
 
 lot her evi- 
 
 >ar8, arc 
 It he belie t' 
 ro periods 
 
 lionf^, but 
 Ing:— 
 
 39 
 
 ** It is not on any scientifie gronnd improhai-.e thtst I he oldest 
 animal remains known to geology belong to tlie mitldie jieiiod of 
 the earth's history, and weie |»reeeded by an enormous lapse (;f 
 ages, in whieh tlie earth was being preptiied foi- ;inimal exi>tenee, 
 but oi" whieh no reeoi'ds remain, exeept those eontained in tlic 
 inspired liistor-y."' 
 
 What is this Dr. — onlv ••not improbable " ! ! ! Whv \'ou have 
 been strenuously eonfendinii,- all alonjj; that thei'e were man\' milli<»n.s 
 of ages before any animal existenee on the eartii. It would almost 
 seem as if the Dr. wanted to m;d;e a large and exciting book, r.nd 
 at the .same time not so to commit himself as to <.nve it jui>- definite 
 or decided cliaracter, for he Ikh made a most al)ounding use of the 
 words " j»ei'liaps."" ■"' ])robable,'" "not im|)robable, ' and others of 
 like uncertainty. Fi'om this it would seem ihat he is not altogetlier 
 settled as to the truth of his story, but. in reality, is only writing 
 in tlie way oi' sjitri(l(itton, as se\eral othei's belbie him have done on 
 the same subjects. He says of that •enormous lapse of ages no 
 records remain exce[)t tiiose in the inspired histor}."' No records 
 on ehaldean clay tablets, no annals of American Indians ! ! and 
 whore are •• the documents of the oldSt'c;-,"' winch Abraham carried 
 as "heirlooms'" from ^[esopotamia into llaran and Canaan? If 
 none or all of these will satisfy you. Dr.. as j)roof on tju' subject, 
 why not take that •• insjured histoi-y " alone as •^utlicient ])roof? 
 That tells you as j)lainly as jiossible that tlie Lor<l (lod created the 
 heavens and the earth, and men and Ijeasts, and all creatures and 
 things therein, within six days, each having an I'vening and morn- 
 ing like all the succeeding days oi human liislor}' to the [Jivsi'iit 
 t imc, 
 
 lie notices the objection of the uselessnesn of the existenee of 
 plants for a long ]ieriod, without any animals to subsist on and 
 enjoy them, and he answers it by saying: — 
 
 '"The previous existence of ])lants may have been, and pro- 
 l)ably was, essential to the comfort and sulisiv^tence of the animals 
 aft erwardn i n trod need . ' ' 
 
 This is wonderful indeed ! ! •• essential to their cotn/ort and .wh- 
 sistenee " many millions of years, — according to his story, — before 
 they were created ! ! 
 
 Further comments on the contents of this ( "h. 8 are not required 
 at present. 
 
 " Chapter 9 " bears the title — " Luminaries." 
 

 
 40 
 
 The Dr. gives the texts concerning the creation of these, in 
 verses 14 to 18 inclusive, in Gen., Ch. 1. He then commences as 
 
 ibIlowB ; — 
 
 *' Every scientific reader is struck with the position of this 
 remarkable statement, interrupting, as it does, the progress of the 
 organic creation, and constituting a break in the midst of the ter- 
 restrial history, * * thus, in effect, as has been often remarked, 
 dividing the creative week into two portions. Why was the com- 
 pletion of the heavenly bodies so long delayed ? AVhy were light 
 and vegetJ (ion introduced previously?" 
 
 On these connected extracts I first remark, that however self- 
 blinded scientists may be struck, or amazed, at this statement of 
 the croati^\''' o ' the luminaries, every truly intelligent and sensible 
 person '' that there is no such break or interruption in the 
 
 work anu ii , or division of the creative week; but they will 
 
 see that it is a regular and consistent continuation of the work, 
 which is th' s 'riven in <hat first Ch. of Genesis, — first, the creation 
 of the earthy nuiior, — )< k*^ the creation of light, — then of the fir- 
 mament, or expanse, — ncxt, the division between the earth and the 
 waters, — then the creation of the plants and trees, and now the 
 creation ot the sun, moon and stars, " for signs and for seasons, and 
 for days and years, and to givo light upon the earth, and to rule 
 over the day and the night, and to divide the light from the 
 darkness." The sun was now also needed for the use of the vege- 
 tjitive substances of the preceding days' creation ; also that of 
 animals and man, created on the tAvo succeeding and last days of 
 the divine and glorious work. The Dr. has only sdid that the lumi- 
 naries Avere to mark seasons, days and years, but has omitted to 
 notice what the text says, that " God sot them in the firmament of 
 the heavens to give light upon the earth, and to divide the light 
 from the darkness." 
 
 lie says, " every scientific reader is struck with the position of 
 this remarkable statement," of the creation of the luminaries. 
 Now, why or how is it remarkable that the wise and benevolent 
 Creator should at the right time create them, and set them in the 
 pi'oper places, to give light upon the earth ? It is not at all amazing 
 to aj»y I'cally intelligent persons. But it is truly amazing that the 
 I)r., a mail at the head of a learned institution, and having a literary 
 reputation, should represent that wise and good Being as creating 
 this globe of earth and leaving it for millions after millions of years 
 
 J' 
 
41 
 
 hose, ill 
 inces as 
 
 of this 
 8 of the 
 
 the ter- 
 marked; 
 he com- 
 5i-e light 
 
 vol* self- 
 
 sinent of 
 
 sensible 
 
 n in the 
 
 hey will 
 
 work, 
 
 LTcation 
 
 ' the fir- 
 
 and the 
 
 low the 
 
 )ns, and 
 
 to rule 
 
 om the 
 
 le vege- 
 
 that of 
 
 days of 
 
 e lumi- 
 
 tted to 
 
 nent of 
 
 light 
 
 tion of 
 narios. 
 jvolent 
 in the 
 lazing 
 lat the 
 torary 
 eating 
 ' years 
 
 without sun, moon or stars, in a state of darkness and desolation, 
 and without any intelligent being, or other creatures, to inhabit it. 
 The scientific readers to whom the Dr. refers, may be truly described 
 as merely a set of impertinent, coneeite-l and ignorant busy-bodies' 
 or meddlers, wiio think that this great work of creation has not 
 been arranged in as perfect a manner as it might have been ettected. 
 and that they can show an order and arrangements more appro- 
 priate and beneficial. "They are the men, and wisdom will die 
 with them." Some of them have, for many late years, been hasting 
 from country to country, peering about in dens and caves, and 
 roaming over deltas, marshes, and gi-avel beds, and digging heir, and 
 blasting there, and penetrating, as they suppose, into the sites ol' 
 ancient great and populous cities, and all for the purpose of dis 
 covering old bones, varieties of fossils, stone hatchets, crockery, 
 impressions of vegetables, and portions of real or supposed skeletons 
 of animals, on layers or stratas of stone, or other substances, and 
 various other remains, formed and deposited many thousands or 
 millions of years past, as they confidently atfirm. AVhen these im- 
 portant discoveries are made, from time to time, papers concerning 
 them are read at the science meetings, and some of the scientists. 
 more presumptuous, ambitious, and profane than others, borrow and 
 steal irom one another, all around, and write and publish books, 
 setting forth all those old varieties as incontrovertible proofs of the 
 invalidity of the inspired narrative of creation, and of scripture 
 chronology. 
 
 The following lines, in that magnificent and unrivalled poem 
 
 of modern times, — "The Course of Time," — by the highly gifted 
 
 Hobert Pol lok, describing certain chtiracters at the bar of the divine 
 
 final judgment, are so fully applicable to those presumptuous and 
 
 conceited geologists, and the antiquarians, that i feel confident the 
 
 reader will see that they are hei-e most appropi-iately introduced: — 
 
 "Blushing and dumb that morning too, was aeen 
 
 The mighty roasoner, he who deeply searched 
 
 The origin of things, and talked of good 
 
 And evil, much of causes and effects; 
 
 Of mind and matter, contradicting all 
 
 That went before him, and himself the while, 
 
 The laughing-stock of angels^ diving far 
 
 Below his depth, to fetch reluctant proof 
 
 That he himself was mad, and wicked, too. 
 
 When, proud and ignorant man, he meant to prove 
 
 That God had made the universe amiss, 
 
 And sketched a better plan. Ah ! foolish sage ! 
 
h' s 
 
 42 
 
 r r 
 
 •" iff, 
 
 He could not trust tJie word of Iloiivcn, nor see 
 
 The liglit which from tlic Bible blazed ; — that lamp 
 
 Which God threw from his palace down to earth, 
 
 To guide his wandering children home, — yet leaned 
 
 His ciiutious faith on speculaticms wild, 
 
 And visionary theories absurd; 
 
 I'rodigiously, deliriously absurd, 
 
 Compared with which, the most erroneous iliglit 
 
 That poet ever took, when warm with wine. 
 
 Was moderate conjecturing; he saw, 
 
 Weighed in the balance of <ternity, 
 
 His lore, how light, and wished, too late, that he 
 
 Had staid at home, and learned to know himself, 
 
 And done what peasants did, disputed less. 
 
 And more obeyed. Nor less he grieved his time 
 
 Mispent, the man of <.urious research, 
 
 Who travelled far through lands of hostile clime. 
 
 And dangerous inhabitant, to fix 
 
 The bounds of empires passed, and ascertain 
 
 The Imrial-place of heroes, never born; 
 
 Despising present things, and future, too. 
 
 And groping in the dark unsearchable 
 
 Of finished years, by dreary ruins seen, 
 
 And dungeons damp, and vaults of ancient waste. 
 
 With spade and mattock delving deep to raise 
 
 Old vases, and dismembered idols rude ; 
 
 With matchless perseverance spelling out 
 
 Words without sense ; Poor man I he clapped his hands. 
 
 Enraptured, when he found a manuscript 
 
 That spoke of pagan gods ; and yet forgot 
 
 The God that made the sea and sky ; alas I 
 
 Forgot that trifiing Avas a sin ; stored much 
 
 Of dubious stutf, but laid no treasure up 
 
 In heaven, on mouldered columns scratched his name, 
 
 IJut ne'er inscribed it in the book of life. 
 
 The l)i'. proceeds as follows: — 
 
 '•(lod said, "Let Ilyht be'; he now says, 'Let (tnninan'cs, or 
 light-bearers, be.' We have already seen that the ligdt of the first 
 day mjiy have cmantited from an extended hiniinous mass, occupying 
 the whole extent of the solar system, and, more or less, attached to 
 tlic several planetary bodies, and afterwards concentrated within 
 the earth's orbit. The verses now under consideration inform us 
 that the process of concentration was now complete, that our great 
 central luminary htul attained to its perfect state." 
 
 All this is cither mere speculative invention, or borroiccd, most 
 probably the latter. It is plainly seen that there is not a word or 
 liint in the text as to any such concentration, yet the Dr. has the 
 boldness to make the invalid assertion that the verses give us the 
 information. 
 
 Ho then says :— 
 
43 
 
 (incs, or 
 
 tho first 
 upying 
 
 lehccl to 
 within 
 orm us 
 
 ir great 
 
 ■d, most 
 
 tvord or 
 
 ms the 
 
 118 the 
 
 ''Previously to this period there had heeii nodistinetly marked 
 seasons, mid eonseiiiu-ntly no natural si'j)arati(>n of years, noi- wcrr 
 the limits oi'davs at all aeeuratelv delined." 
 
 Perfeetly time. Dv.. for the most jxisitive of all reasons, tliougli 
 you will not see it, that ereation had eomnuineed only three days 
 ju'evious, an<l vonse'ixicnfhi, to use your own words, there eould not 
 have heen an\' '■ distiiietlv marked seasons." or •■ natural seiniration 
 
 L ft. 1 
 
 of years."' 
 
 IFe then [>r(n*eeds eoneerning the luminaries, hut not with I'xjhi. 
 l)Ut in the dark, hy saying : — 
 
 "Tin' luminaries were uuidc. or aj»)»<)inted to their ofllce. on tiie 
 fourth day. They are not said to have heen i-reated, heing ineluded 
 in the ereation of the heginning. Tluy were now eompleted and 
 fitted for their work. An important jiart of this titfing seems to 
 have heen the setting, or [ilaeing them in the heavens." 
 
 Xow here is an instanee of the horrowing, or stealing, which I 
 mentioned in a previous page. The Dr. is not entitled to tln^ ci-edit 
 of this invention eonecrning the luminaries; he is only a rc^a/Av. 
 \ eaniKjt exactly tell its age, but I met with it ahout three years 
 ago, in a pamplilet of the like character as the Doctors book, and 
 which J t(jok the trouble to review and answer. The asserted dif. 
 fercnt meaning of crt'utrd, and made, as to the luminaries, is futile 
 indeed. .Surely he must know that in many Scripture })assages the 
 original word for /iiii/;e has the same meaning as create. Here are 
 two instances to show the identity of meaning, — (Jen. 1, 2(j. — ••And 
 God said, let us w«?A-e man in our own image," &e., — v. 27 : '"God 
 created man in his own image,"' kc; also, in Ch. 2, 4: — '• These are 
 tho generations of the heavens, and of tho earth, when they wore 
 created; in the day that the Lord (lod made the earth and the 
 heavens." In these passages tho two words are synonymously and 
 interchangeably used. Does he not know that there arc Hebrew 
 scholars who allow that in some jiarts of Scripture the original 
 words have the same meaning. That the luminaries were "included 
 in the creation of tho beginning,"' is merely the untbunded assertion 
 of tho Dr. The Scripture directly falsities it, by saying that thoy 
 were made and set in the heavens on the fourth day. 
 
 On the next page he says : — 
 
 " The fourth day, then, in geological language, marks the com- 
 plete introduction of ' existing causes,'' in inorganic nature, and wc 
 
44 
 
 I i '■ 
 
 
 
 heneoforth find no more creative interference, except in the domain 
 of organization." 
 
 The Di\ has contradicted himself on this point, for on page 
 197 (previous) he has said : — 
 
 " Wo may rest assui-ed that the vegetative species of the third 
 day have long since perished, and been replaced by others, suited 
 to the changed condition of the earth." 
 
 The Doctor's book, however, contains so man important errors, 
 unfounded assertions and mistakes, that this comparatively small 
 contradiction was scarcely worth noticing. 
 
 He next remarks : — 
 
 " The record relating to the fourth day is silent respecting the 
 mundane history of the period, and geology gives no very cei'tain 
 inlormation concerning it." 
 
 8u)'cly the creation of the sun, moon and stars, and setting 
 them in the heavens, on that fourth day, to give light upon the 
 earth, had some relation to the " mundane system." We would 
 have been badly oft' without them. It seems the Doctor's oracle — 
 Geolog}' — has hero failed him, for he says it " gives no very certain 
 information." This implies that it has some information, bui the 
 Dr. either does not possess it, or does not choose to give it. No 
 other divine works were performed on that day, but creating and 
 establishing the luminaries. Geology could not, of course, then 
 nor can it 71010, give any information concerning those luminaries ; 
 but it seems the Dr. knows something about one of them, for on a 
 previous page he has, as we have seen, rather slandered the beau- 
 tiful moon, by calling it "dry and barren." 
 
 He next assorts i)ositively : — 
 
 " During the third day the extent of terrestrial surface was 
 increasing ; on the fourth day it diminished, and on the fifth it 
 again increased." 
 
 There is not a word of truth in these statements. They are 
 merelj'^ his own fictious inventions. Scripture declares that on the 
 thiixi day the waters and the land were separated, but not a word 
 about the land increasing on that day; or its diminishing on the 
 fourth day ; or again increasing on the fifth. It seems amazing 
 that a person professing a regard for the Scriptures would be so 
 presumptuous as to make such unfounded assertions regarding 
 
45 
 
 those sacred records. Even on his own ficlious theory of porioils of 
 inillionH of years, they could not be warranted. 
 
 In the concluding part of the Chapter the Br. gives several 
 passages of the 38th Chapter of the Book of Job, in which the Lord 
 reproves and counsels his severely tried and upi'ight servant. 
 Several parts of this divine address to Job arc directly applicable 
 to the Dr., especially the questions: — " Who is this that darkeneth 
 counsel by words without knowledge ? " ** Where was't thou when 
 £ laid the foundations of the earth ? " The occasional murinurings 
 and impatient utterances of Job were not a hundredth part so 
 deserving of divine reproof as tlic multitude of contradictions and 
 perversions of Sacred Scripture which the Dr. has so daringly 
 given in his book. Ho should, therefore, on serious reflection, 
 adopt the language and conduct of Job, and say : — "I have uttered 
 that I understood not, things too wonderful for me, which I knew 
 iiot. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." 
 
 Near the close of the Chapter the Dr. says : — 
 
 " It is a narrow piety which loves God, but despises his 
 works." 
 
 Is this intended for ministers of religion, whom, as previously 
 seen, ho has represented as not giving sufficient study and attention 
 to natural objects and subjects ? No persons of real piety do or 
 can despise any part of the works of God. Neither will they dis 
 tort or misrepresent them ; or by their writings, or otherwise, 
 falsify or set aside the plain meanings of His sacred records, and 
 substitute fictions and absurd theories, as the Dr. has been all along 
 doing, in his wildly speculative and really skeptical book. 
 
 " Chapter 10 " has the title,—" The Lower Animals." 
 
 In this chapter of 19 pages, the Dr. has said much concerning 
 the different classes and species of these lower animals, as he calls 
 them. As I know comparatively but little on these subjects, I will 
 not attempt to remark in any special manner concerning them. 
 Indeed, I must here frankly say that as to these, and the various 
 orders and species of beasts, birds, and fishes, and of plants and 
 vegetable substances, and geologic specimens, or remains, generally, 
 HS treated of in the Doctor's book, I will saj' nothing to contradict 
 his statements, except in a few instances, to show the invalidity or 
 Insufficiency of the proofs he supposes they affoi-d to his positions 
 and arguments. If his book had been confined to these subjects, ] 
 
woukl never have read, or examined it, l>ut would have ccmsidered 
 it as of little real value, and would have treated it with duo indif 
 fbrenco, as not adapted to promote any praetieally useful ohjeets or 
 purposes. 
 
 On jmgc 210 he says : — 
 
 " Jioth rei'ords show the existenee of vegetation during tliis 
 period, thougli the geologie reooi'd, if taken alone, would, frou) its 
 want of information resjiecting the thii'd day, lead us to infer t' 
 plants ai'C no older than animals, while ti)e Hihle does not speaL . 
 the nature of the vegetation that may have existed on the fifth day." 
 
 The first statement as to vegetation on this fifth dav. or millions 
 period, as the Dr. has it, is <juite superfluous. Ilis geologie oraele 
 is hero silent, when it ought to have informed jiim on the point. 
 But the Bible informs him that vegetation is aetually about 4S 
 hours, more or less, older than animals. As to the Bible saying 
 nothing about iho, na . urc oi' the vegetation on this fifth day. the 
 brain of the writer of the inspired narrative was not mmldled oi- 
 perplexed with any fictions theory, and he was not so silly as to 
 think or speak on the fifth day of a vegetation, then existing, being- 
 like or unlike that whieh had been created only two days j)reviou 
 
 He proceeds with the following assei-tions : — 
 
 " It accords with both records that the work of creation in this 
 period was gradually progressive, Species after species was locally 
 inti'oduced, extended itself, and after having served its purpose, 
 gradually became extinct. And thus, each successive rock forma- 
 tion presents new grou})s of species, each rising in numbers and 
 perfection above the last." 
 
 As regards the Scripture records, tliere is not a particle of 
 truth in any of those assertions. He knows well that there is no 
 Scripture to sanction them. This inspired authority ex])ressly says 
 they wore all created on one day, having an evening and a morning; 
 and says nothing about progression, or successions of species. All 
 this is mei'C fictious invention. But, further, as to the geological 
 record of those dittej-ent species of animals, all porson.-^ will know 
 that in those rock formations, if there are indeed any likenesses to 
 animals, they could only bo mere impressions, and extremely imper- 
 fect, after the many millions of years, according to the Dr., aft«r 
 they had been made ; and as to ascertaining differences of species 
 through long successive ages, it is simply incredible and fabulous. 
 The Dr. himself has contradicted his assertion hero of progression 
 
4T 
 
 saying 
 
 •pose, 
 orma- 
 
 •s and 
 
 and "rising" 'U perfection in these lower animals, during this 
 period, lor in page 347 he says: — "The lower types ni' animal life 
 are completed at once, and the progress is vvholly in the higher." 
 
 He proceeds in tlie following ])assages; — 
 
 '•'Scripture and geology estahlish a prohahility that the tifth 
 day corresponds with the geological ages with which I have endea- 
 vored to i<lentity it. (ieology, however, gives us no means of 
 measuring precisely the length of this day, hut it gives us the 
 impression that it occupied an cuormous length of time, compai-ed 
 with which the whole human [lerioil is quite insigniticant, an<l 
 rivalling those mvthical 'days of the ('reator.' which we have 
 noticed as forming a pai't of the Hindoo mythology.,' 
 
 The Dr., here, is not quite so defiant of .Scri[»turc ti'uth as he 
 was in the preceding instance, foi- he only gives a jn'ohnOiliti/ and 
 an imprcssum. His comparison with the Hindoo mythology is ver\' 
 true and :ippropriate, for /t/.s •enormous l(>ngth of time" is about 
 as credible as the mvthical davs of that mvthology. Himself has 
 formed the comparison and likeness, and thus has, so far, discredited 
 and condemned the whole of his fabric ated tictious theory of long- 
 periods of creation. 1 thank the Dr. for the hajipy comparison. 
 It has saved me some lines of writing. 
 
 He proceeds as follows : — 
 
 "Why Avas the earth thus occu[»ied, for countless ages, by an 
 animal ponulation, whose highest meml)ers were rej)tiles and birds? 
 The fact can not be doubted, since geology and 8crij)ture. tin- 
 research of man, an<l the Word of (rod, concur in atVirming it." 
 
 Scripture expressly shows that these "countless ages" were 
 just 24 hours. The whole statement belongs to his own Hindoo, oi- 
 some other heathen mythology. 
 
 The numerous invalid assertions of the Dr. throughout hi> 
 book, especially those regarding ►Scriptui-e, .lemind mo of an occur- 
 rence which took place nearly 70 years ago, in a session ot oui- 
 parliament. A debate was proceeding on an important subject. 
 and one of the leading speakers made some sta',.ment which oui- 
 Sergeant Boeraed to think was far outside of the boundaries of ci-edi 
 bility, and the little man, who belonged to the drumatic statl", and 
 l)eing familiar with readv utterances on the stage, he exclaimed, ho 
 as to bo beard by some near him, — "Oh what a lie. ' It is not 
 improbable that some, on reading these assertions of the l)r., as t<> 
 
48 
 
 i, i 
 
 * 
 
 I ' 
 
 111 I. 
 
 
 r 
 
 I ■' 
 
 '(." 
 
 ' I 
 
 I « 
 
 "*^ 
 
 the Scriptures, may be so excited and rude as to utter a similar 
 exclamation, with the only difference of making it in the plural 
 instead of the singular number. 
 
 If the I)r. had lived in the days of St. Paul, and been a member 
 of a Christian Church, and published this fictious book, it is more 
 than probable that the Apostle would have dealt with him in the 
 way of discipline, somewhat sharply, though not so severely as he 
 did with llymencus and Philetus, for, of these, he said : — **Whom 
 I have delivered unto Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme." 
 
 The Dr. gives extracts from the sublime 104th Psalm, the last 
 lines of which, relating to animals and vegetable products, are as 
 follows : — 
 
 " Thou openest thine hand, they are filled with good; 
 
 Thou hidest thy face, they are troubled ; 
 
 Thou takest away their breath, they return to their dust. 
 
 Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created. 
 
 And thou renewest the face ot the earth." 
 
 And then the Dr. proceeds by saying: — 
 
 " There are, however, good reasons to believe that in the plans 
 of divine wisdom, the long periods in which the earth was occupied 
 by the inferior races, were necessary to its subsequent adaptation 
 to the residence of man. In these periods our present continents 
 gradually grew up in all their variety and beauty. The materials 
 of old rocks were comminuted (ground into sand) and mixed, to 
 form fertile soils, and stores of mineral products were accumulated, 
 to enable man to earn his subsistence and the blessings of civilization 
 by the sweat of his brow." 
 
 I have already remarked that very frequently the inventors of 
 visionary and fictious theories, in endeavoring to explain and verify 
 them, introduce, unwarily, some facts or particulars, or even argu- 
 ments, which serve to weaken or destroy them. A few instances 
 of the kind have already been given, affecting the Dr., and very 
 damaging to his story. He should not have introduced those 
 passages of the Psalm, for it aftoi-ds another instance to that effect. 
 It shows constant successive destruction and creation of animal life, 
 and perishing and renewing of vegetation, just as has l)een going 
 on through all the ages of human existence. Now, according to 
 this theory of the Dr., the like creation and destruction, and perishing, 
 and renewing, were going on during his millions of years, or "countless 
 ages." How, then, is it possible that this state of things could 
 ''the better prepare the earth for the residence of man"? The 
 
■i\f 
 
 I* a similar 
 the plural 
 
 I a member 
 it is more 
 him in the 
 erely as he 
 :— '' Whom 
 laspheme." 
 im, the hist 
 nets, are as 
 
 jt. 
 
 1 the plans 
 
 18 occupied 
 
 adaptation 
 
 continents 
 
 materials 
 
 mixed, to 
 
 umulated, 
 
 livilization 
 
 vcntors of 
 
 and verify 
 
 ven argu- 
 
 instances 
 
 and very 
 [led those 
 lat effect, 
 limal life, 
 en going 
 ording to 
 perishing, 
 countless 
 »gs could 
 
 "? The 
 
 statcnieiit is not onlv absurd. I»ul it is a 2'o;)r():i('h or rctlcction oti 
 the \vis<loni un I kimliioss oi tlio moi'ciful Civator, a^ showing;; thai 
 through those agos he wa>i wantoaly giving life, only to take it 
 away, with the pains of death, l)o1b!e man had, l»y his sin, brought 
 death into the world. His statement that '■ the mate) ials of the 
 old rocks were comminuted (i^round into sand), and mixed and 
 formed fertile soils." is passing strange. Mind, reader, he does not 
 say they were niixe I with earth, or any other sultstance. but it wa'< 
 only •• the materials of the old !o(dvs that were mixed to form fertile 
 soils." The Dr. knows even less about farming, oi' husbandly, tharv 
 of S(;i'iptar<?, oi- tho;)logy. Let him tell all that about sand making 
 a fcrtih' soil, to any farme!''s boy. and he will get a hearty laugh, 
 and cause a[>undant ridicule. But the Dr. also olfends against Iuk 
 {\i?XiV idol geology, for he and his l)rethreM strenuously contend that 
 all the rocks wei-e gradually forming, and formed, through those 
 countless age^. and that anim;ds and vegetables became embodied 
 in them, which is partially true; but hei-c the Dr. is, through all- 
 those ages, comminuting them into .sv/w//, '' to form fertile soils.'' 
 And he concludes with saving; that this is (h)ne that '• man mav 
 earn his subsistesicc. and the ble-^sings of civilization, by the sweat 
 of his brow."* Hard work, in lei»d, to get subsistence and (civiliza- 
 tion by working and sowing in sand ! worse than the poor Israelite.** 
 making brick without sti-aw. The sweat, and fle-h, and life of all 
 humanity woidd speedily come to an end, and its mystery and 
 hifiitoiy be finally closed. 
 
 In common fairness, the Dr. must have some credit or favor 
 allowed him for his condemnation of the tluM>ry of evolntion ixmi 
 transtiiMlatioih advanced by his fa!)ulist brethren. Durwin, Tyndal. 
 and others; for near the conelusion of the chaptei- he tiys of that 
 profane absurdity, there is "no countenanee to the idea (Mther ()!' 
 the spontaneous evolution of living beings, undei' the innue:iee ol 
 merely physical cau.ses, and without ci-eative intervention, or of the 
 transmutation of one kind ol animal into another." 
 
 Here I close my extended comments on this ebaittei'. 
 
 The next chapter, No. 11, is entitled.-- • The Highei- .\ninlal^ 
 and Man.'' 
 
 He gives the verses of Gen. 1.. from 21 to X>1— tiie end of the 
 chapter. 
 
%t 
 
 ' ■ *'' .i 
 
 ' *1 
 
 \\:^ 
 
 ; t 
 
 
 ' :: fi> 
 
 50 
 
 In the early part of the Ch. the Dr. gives, apjirovingly, the 
 tbllowing extracts fi'om a work on ci'cationj by a writer of the name 
 of Dana, who, it seems, hekl the same fable as tlie Dr., of long 
 creative periods : — 
 
 '• The quadrupeds did not all come forth together. Large and 
 powerful herbiverous species first take possession of the earth, with 
 only a few small carnivora. These pass away. ••' -^ -•■ Then 
 the carnivora appear, in vast numbers and ])0wei'. '•■• * * As 
 the marumalian age draws to a close, the ancient cai-nivora and 
 hei'bivura, of that era, all pass away, cx{'e|)t, it is btiiieved, a few 
 that are useful to man. New creations, of smaller size, peopled 
 the groves." 
 
 Now, all this is said of the ^' long countless ages," before the 
 creation of man, AVhere did Dana and the Dr. get all this very 
 special information on these ]>oints ? Verily, nowhere. Not from 
 the 8crij)ture>, or any other (juarter. It is all mere speculative 
 invention. The Dr. seems t(> have a strong attachment to the book 
 of Job, and has several times given passages from it, supposing 
 them to be favorable to his story. Now he sludl have some infor- 
 mation regarding enormous and powerful animals, in the time of 
 iiutn, and given by their Creator himself, and which, in description, 
 will fairly match their pre-Adamite Jmonsters, and goes far to 
 destroy their theory of vast pi-ovious ages. It is given in Job, Chs. 
 to and 41 : — " Behold, now behemoth, which I nnide with thee. He 
 laGveth his tail like a cedar. His bones are like bars of iron. lie 
 is the chief of the ways of God. Behold he drinketh up a river, and 
 hasteth not." Further: — ''Canst thou draw leviathan with an 
 hook. N^one is so fierce that dare stir him up. ^'^ * When he 
 raiseth up himself the mighty are afraid. The sword of him thai 
 layeth at him cannot hold, the spear, the dart, ntu* the habei-geon. 
 -■' ^'' Upon the earth there is not his like," 
 
 It is highly probable that in the early ages of the world there 
 were carnivorous, and other animals, much larger, and probably 
 stronger than those in much later periods, and noic; but they Avere 
 all in the time of man, and have long ago passed away. The words 
 in Job, regarding behemoth, — " which I made with thee,'' — show 
 that this great animal was created at the same time as man. 
 
 The Dr. proceeds, by saying : — 
 
51 
 
 I'in^ly, the 
 ^f the niimc 
 )r., of lon^ 
 
 Lai'<^'o and 
 earth, with 
 = '^ Then 
 
 * ^ As 
 •nivora and 
 evcd, a few 
 ze, peopled 
 
 hefore the 
 
 I this very 
 
 Not from 
 
 speciihitive 
 
 to the book 
 
 , supposing 
 
 some infor- 
 
 the fhiie of 
 
 U'seription, 
 
 )es far to 
 
 Job, Chs. 
 
 thee. lie 
 
 iron. He 
 
 river, and 
 
 with an 
 
 When he 
 
 ' liim thai 
 
 abergcon. 
 
 orld there 
 probably 
 they were 
 The words 
 f," — show 
 an. 
 
 "Man was to rule over the fish of the sea, the birds of \hv. air. 
 and the bhemah, or herbivorous animals. The earni vorous creatures 
 are not mentioned, and possibl}' were not included in man's dominion. 
 We shall tind an explanation of this further on," 
 
 Here is another mistake by the Dr., as to the letto' of Scripture. 
 It is evident, from his numerous errors concei-ning it, Ihat he affords 
 it but little close attention. One of the verses which he luis irans- 
 cribed at the head of his chaptei'. tells him that man was to "sulHlue 
 and have dominion over every living thing that moveth upon the 
 earth." 
 
 Now Ih'.. are not carnivorous animals " living things moving 
 ujian the earth " ? We shall see, hereafter, what is the value of his 
 explaiuition on the point. He proceeds as follows: — 
 
 " We have but to sup])ose. in accordance with all tlio [)robal)i- 
 lities of the case, that man was created along with a group ol 
 creatures adapted to contribute to his happiness, and having no 
 tentlency to injure or annoy; and that it is the formation of llicsc 
 creatui"es — the group of his own centre of creation, that is c-.i)ccialiy 
 noticed in Clen. 2. 11^, <'t saj. where Clod is repiesentcd as ioi-ming 
 them out of the ground, and exhibiting them to Adam, a jnissagc 
 otherwise sU])erfluous. and indeed tending to confuse the meaning 
 of the document." 
 
 It is really surprising that the T)r. is so short-sighted, or so 
 • Icfective in discernment as to some of the plainest passages of 
 .Scripture, that he cannot sec their meaning. Is it because he is so 
 infatuated with his theory, tliat he cannot see any thing against It. 
 <nther in Scripture or else vhere ; or does he here sliow the ti'uth of 
 the adage — none r^o blind as those who won't see. V^ersc 8 of Ch. 2 
 of Genesis says: — -'And the Loi-d God planted a garden east\var<l in 
 Eden, and there he put the man Avhom he had formed"; and in vs. 
 10, 20, we have us follows: — " And out of the ground the Lord God 
 fornied every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air, and brought 
 them unto Adam, to see what he would call tliem; and whatsoever 
 Adam called every living creature, tliat was tlie mime tliereof. 
 And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air. ajid 
 to every beast of the field." 
 
 We see, in these verses, that Adam was in the garden called 
 Kdon, and that ho had there before him, not as the Dr. lias said 
 only " the group of his own centre of creation," but as the verses 
 say, "every bea.st of the field, and fowl of the air," and that he 
 
. ■ 
 
 ! ^' 
 
 
 
 52 
 
 " gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every 
 beast of the field." Nothing can be plainer than these vvoi'ds, to 
 show that all the land creatures were before him, and that theyi^ 
 were brought to him for the cxprcns purpose of his naming them. 
 But the Dr. cannot or will not see it. 
 
 He says further, on this subject : — 
 
 "We may also conclude that while Eden was sufficient for hi.'^ 
 habitation, the remainder of the earth would continue just as in tht 
 earlier tertiary pei'iod, under tiie dominion of the predaceous 
 mammals, reptiles and birds." 
 
 And he says of this statement, and the preceding one, that they 
 " are in harmony with the Scriptures." 
 
 There never was any such dominion of these animals. It ha> 
 already been shown from the Scripture at the head ot his chaptei". 
 that God, at the first, gave dominion to man over '• fish, and fowl. 
 and every living thing that moveth upon the earth " ; and he ha.^ 
 constantly retained it to this day. 
 
 The Dr. proceeds on this subject, by saying : — 
 
 "The Bible, gives no countenance to the idea, that all the 
 animals in the world were in Eden. On the contrary, it asserts 
 that a selection was made, both in the case of animals and plants : 
 and that Edenic assemblage of creatures constitutetl man's associates 
 in his state of primeval innocence." 
 
 Now let us take these strange sayings of the Dr. seriatim. 
 
 l^'irst, whether all the animals were in Eden, or not, is a matter oi 
 
 no importance. "We know, to our sori-ow, that the serijcnt (narhash) 
 
 was in the garden, for it was there ho tempted and ruined Eve. 
 
 Next, where is the part of the Bihie which says that a selection was 
 
 made of animals and plants. Why did you not point to the pas.^age. 
 
 Dr. and give us the catalogue? There is not the slightest intima 
 
 tion of an}' such selection in any part of the Bible; yet the Dr. has 
 
 presumed to say that '• the Bible asserts it." If Adam and bis wife 
 
 had been confined to the selection of the Dr. for their support and 
 
 comfort in the garden, they would have been batlly off indeed, as to 
 
 food, for there is not any thing said of vegetables in thoii" garden. 
 
 The text says, — '* Out of the ground made the Lord God to grow 
 
 cverv tree that is pleasant to the sight, and g(X)d for food." Again. 
 
 "Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat; but of tht' 
 
 tree of the knowledge of good and evil thou shall not eat of it.' 
 
 Only fruits of trees such as apples, ]>ears, plums, &c., are hero 
 
aiij to even 
 3se woi'ds, to 
 nd tliut theyC 
 iiiniriiT them. 
 
 ieieiit for his 
 
 just as ill tilt 
 
 predaeeous 
 
 no, that thov 
 
 naljs. It ha> 
 
 his chapter. 
 
 ih, and fowl. 
 
 ; and he has 
 
 that all the 
 
 y. it asserts 
 
 iiid plants : 
 
 I's associates 
 
 Dr. seriatim. 
 
 a matter oi 
 
 nt (jiarhask) 
 
 ruined Kve. 
 
 select wn was 
 
 the passage. 
 
 itost intima- 
 
 the Dr. has 
 
 ind his wife 
 
 su])p(>rt and 
 
 ndeetl, as to 
 
 ell" garden. 
 
 od to grow 
 
 ." Again. 
 
 hut of thv 
 
 eat of it.' 
 
 t., are hero 
 
 5;^ 
 
 rnontioiied as being In the garden. The selection or ariangenient 
 uf the Dr., as to food, would be limited and hard indeed for his first 
 j»rogenitors, — no grain, no potatoes, no turnips, or onions, parsnips, 
 o!" caiTots, or beets, not even kail, or oats to give them porridge. 
 I)(jul»tless \hey had all varieties of vegetables and grains, but not 
 iH'coi'ding lo ilie Doctor's liiblc selection. There is not a word in 
 Sci'i]>tnre us to the selection oi" aiiiinab; for Eden, as the Di'. so 
 jtositivcly asserts. 
 
 .lie write.-, as I'oHows, coiicenii;ig his .-iatcmenls : — 
 
 " 1 have stated these supjioscd coiidltion.-v of the Adaniic creation, 
 lirioHy, and with as little ilhist ration as possiltle, that they may 
 '•oiiiiecieiriy strike the mind of !he render." 
 
 They will, indeed, striki' the mind of the reader, but in a >'eiy 
 liiirei'ciil nninner from wh:it tlx' D:-. aiitiei]):(tcs, 01 desires. The 
 reader will be struck with tlie veiy numerous statements of the Dr., 
 directly contrary to Scri])turc trutli, and probably (ifn*(C(Y/, that a 
 man at the head of a (-'ollege, and of some litecaiy repute, should 
 have been so far led astray I'rom tea -on ;>iid j)rmlenco, as to adopt 
 I he unscriptui'ul and wild coneeptio)is ly,' ceitaiii inver.tive and 
 \isioiui;'v wi'iter,-. aii<l bv aiMin:'- some ol" his own speculations, 
 i'f)mi)0:<e a book, which con\e\'.> no nsei'u! information whatever, 
 liut. on the co'itrai'v, ha^ a direei (endenr\- 10 assist the canst; of the 
 oj)ponents of divine revelation — whose; numbers are increasing in 
 the lavseni. da\' — and to weaken the belief and authorilv ol" that 
 truth among youthful and careless person-^. Certainly Dr. D.-iwsoti 
 had lU) su(di evil ihou'idit. or intention: but. as certainlv. his book 
 is of the character Just described. 
 
 The Dr. has written furthei- concerning Ivlen. as follows :— 
 
 ''One would think that many ]>ei'sons derive theii- idea of the 
 tirst man in Eden trom luirserv picture books, foi- the l>d)!e iiives 
 no coinitenance to the idea that all the animals in the woild were 
 in Ivien."' 
 
 In a subsecpient Jiage he writes thus concennng it : — 
 
 ''It was rather a region, or large territory, than a limited s|)o!. 
 su(di as many who have discussed the quest! 1 of the site of Ivlen 
 seem to suppose. In this view it is a matter of 110 moment to lix 
 its site more nearly than the indication of the Bible, that it included 
 (he sources, and probably large jiortions of the valleys of theTigris. 
 the Euphr.ates and perhaps the Oxus and .laxartes." 
 
..J jt 
 
 *. :S' 
 
 
 ''.' i' 
 
 I 
 
 i U'A 
 
 PI*' 
 
 uX 
 
 '. ;• V 
 
 
 ■ '■ 4 
 
 
 ■» '' , 
 
 » ■ 
 
 ''^ 
 
 ' (i 
 
 
 ,.;? 
 
 
 7','' 
 
 
 if'' 
 
 ''] 
 
 
 
 -•^l 
 
 54 
 
 This description agrees sufficiently with that of tho Bible, and 
 it shows that the district was extensive enough to contain all the 
 creatures brought to Adam, to be named, for they had all been 
 created within but a few days previous. But if this theory of the 
 Dr. were true, and cattle, beasts, biixls, reptiles, and every other 
 '^ living thing " had been on the earth for countless ages, and were 
 then scattered and roaming over the whole globe, many scores of 
 Eden's would not have contained them, and Adam would have been 
 obliged to undergo many long and fatiguing journeys to get sight 
 of them, and name them ; and, mind, there were no railways in those 
 days. Did the Dr. think of this difficulty ? He has said nothing 
 about it. And there stands the Scripture, that " every, living 
 creature was brought to Adam to be named," and that he "did 
 name them." 
 
 It has often occurred to me, in writing, as I have done on 
 several occasions, against infidel and unscriptural publications, that 
 for every objection and cavil they contain, there is some passage 
 or passages of Scripture, specially adapted to meet and refute them 
 showing what I believe to be the fact, that he who constantly sees 
 all that is past, present, and to come, and the end from the begin- 
 ning, has so framed his infallible revelation, as to effect that wise 
 and gracious purpose, of thus exposing and overcoming the enemies 
 of His Truth. 
 
 The Dr. seems to have a contempt for "nursery picture books.'' 
 "Whatever these may generally be, it is almost certain that they 
 will favorably compare with pictures of the monsters and frightful 
 animals and reptiles of his vast periods of creation. He has described 
 these as the huge sloth-like Megatheria, which pass their sluggish 
 lives on the pampas of South America, and the elephantine 
 maraupials, strolling about Australia; and the devouring tannins^ 
 huge predaceous river reptiles." Pictures of these might serve to 
 frighten the nursery children. 
 
 There are no succeeding parts of this chapter on which I think 
 it needful to comment. 
 
 Chapter 12 is entitled,—" The Rest of the Creator." 
 
 Tho Dr. has given the twofirat verses ofCh. 2 of Genesis, which 
 state that God rested the seventh day from all his work, and sancti- 
 fied the day. He has made an alteration of woi-ds in the last part 
 of the second verse. The words in the Bible are, — "which he 
 
55 
 
 » Bible, and 
 tain all the 
 id all been 
 eory of the 
 J very other 
 s, and were 
 y scores of 
 i have been 
 o get sight 
 lys in those 
 lid nothing 
 'ery. living 
 it he ''did 
 
 'e done on 
 ations, thai 
 le passage 
 jfute them 
 tantly sees 
 the begin- 
 that wise 
 he enemies 
 
 ire books.'' 
 
 that they 
 
 d frightful 
 
 } described 
 
 sluggish 
 ephantine 
 g tannins, 
 
 serve to 
 
 3h I think 
 
 9i8, which 
 
 nd sancti. 
 
 last part 
 
 vbich he 
 
 created and made." But the Dr. gives, — '• which ho had created to 
 make." It may be presumed that the Dr. thought the alteration 
 would better suit his theory, and so it will, in one sense, for the 
 expression 'all his work which he had created to make," is an 
 ahsurdity, and so is his whole theory. 
 
 The next erroneous statements of the Dr., for remark and 
 refutation, relate to the astounding antediluvian deluge. 
 
 He writes of it as follows : — 
 
 "The deluge might, in all its relations, furnish material for an 
 entire treatise. I may remark here, as its most important ge'>logical 
 peculiarity, that it was evidently a local convulsion. The object 
 that of destroying the human race and the animal population of its 
 peculiar centre of creation; the preservation of specimens of these 
 creatures in the ark, and the physical requirements of the case, 
 necessitate this conclusion, which is now accepted by the best 
 Biblical expositors." 
 
 These statements are utterly untrue, as will now be shown. 
 The Dr. has either failed to look carefully at the passages o\ 
 Scripture, on the subject, or has wilfully overlooked or rejected 
 them. I cannot but think the latter is most probable, with reference 
 to his theory. The following are the chief passages of the Scriptures 
 on the subject : — 
 
 " And God said unto Noah, the end of all flesh is come before 
 mo, for the earth is filled with violence through them ; and behold 
 I will destroy them with the earth." (Gen. 6, 13.) " And behold 
 I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth, to destroy all 
 flesh, wherein is the breath of life, from under heaven, and every 
 thing that is in the earth shall die. But with thee will I establish 
 my covenant." (Gen. 6., 17, 18.) 
 
 Here we sec the determination of God to destroy " all flesh 
 wherein there is the breath of life, from under heaven." And is 
 not the whole of this globe of earth under heaven ? But further: — 
 
 "The fountains of the great deep were broken up, and the 
 windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth 
 forty days and forty nights." ^ ^ ^ "And the waters prevailed 
 exceedingly upon the earth and all the high hills that were under 
 the whole heaven were covered. Fifteen cubits upward did the 
 waters prevail, and the mountains were covered. And all flesh 
 died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of 
 beast, and of every creeping thing that creepcth upon the earth, 
 and every man. All in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all 
 that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was 
 
i: • 
 
 56 
 
 I i 
 
 
 
 i ■ 
 
 i. 
 
 4 
 
 i'-. ■ 
 
 ' r 
 
 1 •■ 
 
 't 
 
 )\ 
 
 -• -I i 
 
 i." ■ 
 
 't 
 
 
 • io.stroyod whicli was n))()ii the face of the ii;!'()U!i<l. both man ami 
 cattle, and the ('roo|)iiii;' thing's, and the fowl of iieaxn-n ; ami the\' 
 WQVV destroyed fVoui llio earth; and Xoah only iiMnained alive, 
 and they that wei-e with him in the ai-k: And the watei's prevailed 
 upon the eai'tli an hnndred and tit'ty days.' ((Jimi.T. 11, 12 — II*. 2-1.) 
 
 No wonls can possilily l)i' eni}>loyed. more lully to e.\'i)iess tjie 
 fUet of tlie uiiircr.^ality of the delude, than those used in the lore<:oin_i;" 
 Scriptnres. Idiat truth is a.i;-ain and aii:ain repeated. i''irst. the 
 Loi'd declares tiiat he will •• (le-^l roy ail flesh wherein iiiereisthe 
 hreatii of life, fi-om under heaven." Xext. •all the hit;h hills 
 whieh were under the whole heavi'ii were ei>\e' cvl." ■■ FiiietMi euliit.'^ 
 u})ward.-i (a!>ou( 2') fee!) did i!ie watt'i-s j)revaili. and the n-.ountains 
 were eovert'd." '• AH tlt'sh died rhaf moved ujjon the eai'th." 
 Aii'ain. "every living substance was destr^n'ed whi(di was ujmmi tlie 
 tiUH' of the n'iound, man, cattle, ereejjin^- things and fowl." 
 
 Aecoi'dini;' to plain Scripture facts, and admitted l»y all. man 
 and all the animals had been upon the earth for ;dioul !(i')0 yeai's. 
 This was surely lon^' enough, t(^ use the Dotdor's expression, jor 
 •'the increase and diffusion of man and the ci-ealures." ovei' the 
 whole face of the globe. A letu'iied clergyman. ( IJev. ^li-. Stackhouse) 
 in Ids valual)le "work — *• A Complete Body of Divinity" — has thus 
 wrrtten on that, (Jiffusio/i of man au'l creti'uies: — 
 
 '•'Tisa groundless and foi'ee<l conceit to imagine that Judea 
 only, and some other parts about it. in Asia, were stocked with 
 people when the deluge was bi-ought Ujton the old world; foi' if we 
 consider the lo/ujrn'tij of the tirst inhaliilants, and the ])ietty neai' 
 equality ol' their ages, we shall soon ]ierceive that in the s})ace of 
 sixteen hundred vears. mankind would become so numerous that 
 the (diief difficidty wouUl bewhei'eiwe should tind countiies to 
 receive them. There ai-e tra<litions concerning the deluge among 
 the nations of the four quarters of the globe — Europe, A«ia; Alrica, 
 and America. If we v/ill but tui-n aside the surface, and look into 
 the bowids ol" (he eai-th itself, we shall find argnmeids enough foj* 
 our conviction ; for the hcih of i^hcUs which are often found on the 
 tops of (he highest mountains, and the jictrilied bones and teeth of 
 fishes, which ai-e dug u]) hundreds of miles from the sea, ai'e the 
 clearest evide)\ce in the woi-ld that the waters, some time or other, 
 Jiavo overflowed the higliest ])arts of the earth. That these are 
 real shells, tlie nicest examinations, both of the ct/t' and jnirroscopc, 
 do attest ; and that they are ti-uo bone, may be exjicrimented by 
 burning, which, as it does other bones, turns them tirst into a coal, 
 unci afterwards into a calx.'" 
 
:)7 
 
 man and 
 
 ami they 
 
 K'(l aliv*.', 
 
 provailotl 
 
 :— 1!». 21.) 
 
 ^' press (Ik' 
 ii)ren())i)o- 
 
 Fli-st. (ho 
 loic is till' 
 InVli hills 
 con (' II hits 
 Mountains 
 oai'tji." 
 ■■ iijjoii the 
 
 y all. nuin 
 ioO years, 
 ['ssion. for 
 ' over the 
 lekhotiso) 
 has thus 
 
 lat Judea 
 
 <e(l with 
 
 for if Ave 
 
 tty near 
 
 spaee of 
 
 ous that 
 
 nti-ies to 
 
 e amonir 
 
 I. Afriea, 
 
 look into 
 
 (»ugh foi" 
 
 1 on the 
 
 teeth of 
 
 are the 
 
 Ti' other, 
 
 lesc are 
 
 'rosropr, 
 
 ntod by 
 
 ) a eoal. 
 
 The vcr}' learned Di*. Adam Chirke, in his eelehrated eommen- 
 lary on the Seriptures, has also wi'itlen on the same suhjeet, in the 
 Ibllowini; terms, on the words. ••! do hi'inu; a Hood." ((ien.tl, 17): — 
 
 •• The oriii'inal Ue'oii'W word >//(//>/'*//, for Hood, is use<l only to 
 designate the (/eticfdl dcliK/r. Iioing never a})])lied to signily any 
 other k'ind of inundation ; and does not the Holy Sj»irit intend to 
 show \<y this that no other tiuo/l was ever like this, ami that it 
 should eontiiuie to he tiie !<i)li' one of the kin<l." 
 
 ^fanv other learned men have wrillen on the suhjeet, to the 
 same eileet ; andlliat //.'///vv.y///7^ of the fleluge h;is ever heen (he 
 i)eliefof lioth the .Ie\vi:di and Christian <'hui'eh. It could he no 
 other, tiie i'e|ie:ited woi'ds of Seiiptnre are so prtnise and ])lain on 
 the point. 
 
 I'hat one passai^c alone of the hefoie-eiteJ Sei-iptures, v\ hieh 
 says, '■ all the high hills that were under the whole heaven were 
 covered, " is eonelusive in sli(j'\ ing the uiuvei'sality of the diduge. 
 Oui- glohe, we know, is surrounded l>y a eirele. as it wei'O. at some 
 vast distance, called the hcaroi. (»r ex])anse. as the l)r. i-ightly 
 enough terms it. Xow. can he point us to a hill (A' this globe that 
 is not '■ under the whole heaven " ? .Surolv he must either have not 
 observed this jiassage. or wilfully disbelieved or disregarde<l it. 
 His ojtiinon, and that of the lest of his .speculative bi'cthren. is just 
 what Air. Stackhouse has called it, "a groundless and J'orced 
 conceit."' 
 
 As to this ojiinion, or rather '-on'tH. '-Iteing now lield by the 
 best liible exj)ositors." as the J)r. lias said, it is merely an unfoumled 
 assertion. Jle has given no })roof to su|)])ort it. JVo true Scriptural 
 christian lias given, or would gis'c. such an exposition oi* opinion. 
 
 He says, •• Tliis exposition intlicls no vi(,>lence (Ui the terms of 
 the record." it has just been shown by Ihe record itself that its 
 repeated terms ar. in dii'ect opposition to that exposition. Hut this 
 is of no moment with the \)v.. for he either bends, ignores, (jr 
 perverts Scripture, as his purpose oi* ocea.sion requires. Ho proceeds 
 as follows with his own tiction eoncei-inng the deluge: — 
 
 "It is also an important point to be noticed h(M-e, that the 
 narrative of the deluge, in Cienesis, is given as the tosstimony oi" 
 record of an eye-witness, and is to be so understood. Jiearingthis 
 in miiid, and noticing that the writer tells of his own exjierience, 
 as to the rise of the watei", the drifting of tlie ark, thedisa])pearanee 
 of all visible shore, and the sounding fifteen cubits where a hill had 
 
58 
 
 V-! 
 
 \\H 
 
 ••.Iff- 
 
 \^ 
 
 -i 
 
 before boon, all the difficulties of the narrative will at once disappear. 
 These difficulties have, in fact, arisen from regardini? the .stoiy as 
 the composition of a historian ; not as what it manifestly is, the 
 lo/s^, or journal, of a contemporary, introduced with ]>robably little 
 change by the compiler of the book." 
 
 Now, here is an instance on a large scale, in proof of what I 
 have just previously written, of the Doctor's disregard of Scripture 
 truth and his perversions of it, and direct opposition to its plainest 
 statements, when conflicting with his fictions and falsities. This is 
 the character of every part of the extracts above given. Not a 
 word of truth in the story, as will now be shown from inspired 
 scripture ; and there is no other testimony or record concerning the 
 subject. 
 
 The narrative of the deluge is given in chaps. 6, t and 8. In 
 chap. 6 is given, by God, directions to build the Ark; and the 
 precise form and size of it, with a door in the side, and only one 
 " window above," (at the top.) Chap. 7 shows that Noah, at the 
 divine command, selected the animals to be preserved ; and with 
 them, and his wife, and his three sons and their three wives — eight 
 persons in all, entered the ark ; and it is expressly stated, that " the 
 Lord shut him in." It is also stated that he was then in the second 
 month of the six hundreth year of his life ; that '• the Ark went 
 upon the face of the waters;" that at the end of one hundred and 
 fifty days, the waters " so far" abated, that " the Ark rested upon 
 the mountains of Ararat." At the end of forty days after, " Noah 
 opened the window of the Ark and three times sent forth a dove to 
 see if the waters were abated," — the dove returned twice, but the 
 third time did not return. In the "second month" of the "six 
 hundreth and first year of Noah's life, at the express command of 
 God, he left the Ark with all his family and all the various ani- 
 mals. They had all L»een in the Ark, as the Scripture shows, a few 
 days over a year. 
 
 The reader will thus see the entire difference between this 
 plain and consistent narrative, made known to Moses by divine in- 
 spiration and recoi*ded by him ; and the invented fictions story of 
 th« Dr. The following are its falsities : — 1. No testimony or 
 recoixi by an eye witness. 2. No telling of his experience as to the 
 rise of the waters. 3. Drifting of the Ark and disappearance of all 
 visible shore. 4. Sounding fifteen cubits where a hill had before 
 
 
59 
 
 boon. 5. No log <jr jouruul by a coutcmpomry. <J. No compiling 
 by the writer of the book. In tliose few lines of the Dr. tliere arc 
 these six false statements. There is not the slightest eircumstanee 
 to irive the least countenance to anv one of them. As to the sound- 
 i)i(/ of the waters, the .Scripture sliows that Noah «li<l not open the 
 Avindow until after the Ark had rested on the mountains of Ararat. 
 Had he opened the door it would liave let in tlu^ flood. By the 
 direction of ffod, the Ark was secured with "pitch within and with- 
 out." 
 
 Hero I must again remind the Dr. of the inspii'ed solemn warn 
 ing : — " Add thou not unto his w(U'ds, lest he reprove thee and thou 
 be found a liar." (Prov. 80), and the still more awful words at the 
 end of the Scriptures.' '' If any num shall add unto these thing.s. 
 God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book ;" 
 or " if he shall take away from its words, God shall take away his 
 part out ol the book of life and out of the holy cit}." These fearful 
 warnings fully apply as to every part of the sacred Scriptures. 
 
 While I have been writing these strictures, an eloquent and 
 celebrated preacher delivered in this city a lecture on " The lost 
 Virtues" and very suitably he named first, Truthfulness. He was 
 right not only as to this, the chief among the cardinal virtues but 
 also those of generousness, fidelity, temperateness and some others ; 
 on all which, as publicly reported, he eloquently and forcibly 
 expatiated. 
 
 It is indeed saddening and deeply injurious to society generally, 
 when persons in the principal classes, by their writings, or in any 
 other way, publish false and pernicious statements regarding im- 
 portant subjects, most especially any, as in this instance, of a 
 Scriptural or religious nature. 
 
 I shall have to treat further of this subject of the deluge, when 
 I come to remark on the utterances of the Dr. regarding stone and 
 other stratas, bones, skeletons, plants, and his real or imaginary 
 fossils and ancient remains ; and other supposed geologic proofs to 
 support his fabricated story. 
 
 There are no remaining subjects or points in this chapter which 
 require strictures or remarks. 
 
 Chapters 13 and 14.—" The Unity and Antiquity of Man." 
 
(]() 
 
 '% 
 
 yi 
 
 Jle gives the text in (iiMiosin 10, 32, (locriliiiiij; llic 'liviHions 
 ;iii(l i^'cncjiulions of the sons «»f Xoah uf'tor the flf>o<l. 
 
 Ill the.-i' two chattel's, exteii<lin<^ thnm^^'h o? I>iigt>s, t!ie I)r. 
 earnestly and i-iiilitly eonten<ls a<j;ainsl tlu' eiroi- of some of his 
 speeiihitive l»rethreii, that the anti(piity of man is immeasurahiy 
 ;^reater than the Bible ehronolony makes il. Jle <j;"ivcs proofs and 
 ar,«i;umeiils. shoiviii';' the general eorreetiK'ss ol 1 his lattei"('hronoloi;y. 
 This is the only ])a!'t of liis hoojc that is of a veiilahle chai'acter. 
 and <h'soi'viii<;- of any ;ij)|)rol)ation. It i- tiMie his cfiof! were not 
 needed fin- estahlishin/;' the ti'iith of the liihle antinniiy ot oiu' race, 
 lor the Sai'j-ed IJook itself contains (piite sutlieient date> and oilier 
 facts to verity that anliniiity. I will ti-aiisciiljo some |)ai'ts of his 
 (diaptiMs, merely foi- the i»ui'|iose ot' Usini;' them as feini;' valid an<l 
 I'oreiljJe ai;ainst his theory oi the h>n;j,' period ; ol creation, and his 
 siijiposed ])roofs in siij)]»ort ot it. 
 
 In eomnu'iiciii;;' his treatment ol' the snhject. in a systematic 
 manner, he says : — 
 
 '•The special lines ot in\esti_<;-ation, im])oi'tant liei'c. are: — 
 1. I'larly historical records, other than the liihle. 2. 'I'he diversity 
 of human lan^uaii'es. I>. The i^eoloMJcal evidciice aiVoided \>y 
 remains of prehistoric men. found in caverns and other i'epositorie.s. 
 The lasi of these is at |)resent that which ha.- attained t he i^'roatest 
 developnu-nt. 1. iOarly .Human Jlistory." In a fool niAv he luen- 
 lions that in boring opei'ations on the delta of the Nile, a ])iece of 
 j>()ttery was found, '"at a i;reat depth." Oi this the Dr. says: — 
 •' We have to taUo into account the nalui'al or artificial cliani;'os of 
 the i'iver's l)ed, which in this very place is s;ud lohavc been diver-fed 
 fi'<jm its course by ..Meiie.>, and whiidi now, near Cairo, is nearly a 
 jiiiie from its t()rmer site. The liability to err>)r and fraud in boring 
 ojierations is also very well known." -'- ''^ "It is stated that 
 pieces of bui'nt brick, which was not in use in Kt;y]ii until the 
 lioman times, have been found at even giijatei- deptlis than the 
 potteiy. '•" ''"^ This is ojien to the same doul)ts with the (Juadaloupc 
 skeletons, the human liones in ossifl'ercjus caveiiis. and that foun' 
 in the mud of the Mississij)pi, all of wliich, on examinatioi 
 of no value as ])roofs of the geolouical anticj^uity of mai ii, 
 
 Assyria the results of the recent discoveries, so well known ough 
 many Icariied and popular works, strikingly coniirm the ilcbreA\- 
 chror.obigy." 
 
 If then you allow it I>r. to be correct as to the time ef tJie 
 creation of man, why not allow it to be right as to the time of the 
 creation of fishes and reptile.^, cattle, beasts, and birds, and all the 
 creations and divine works, recorded in thattii-st chapter of'txenesis ? 
 
ac 
 
 8? 
 
 61 
 
 The authofly is equal, and the sanu'. fitr oach aiul cveiy |»ortion(tt 
 the nai-rative given in the ehaplef. I'luler this head he I'urther 
 writes as iuUows : — 
 
 "The <lihivial eatasti'ophe niii>>t have constituted a ])hysieal 
 .,:'))arati()n hot ween historic man and pi-ehistoric ; since. >o far as 
 antideluvian ai:;es are concerned, all arc prehistoric or nnthical 
 everywhere, exct'itt in the sacivd history itselt. 
 
 Tiiere was no such scj)aration as hi^ has stated. Noah and hi.-« 
 famfly were the only human beings on the earth at the close of thi- 
 flood. The Dr. may. it' he pleases, call them both pn'hiMorlr and 
 historii'. He refers to Mr. Wilson wlio })uhlished a hook about pre 
 historic man. Xow. who can know any tiling aiight about num 
 caiUfd y>n7u",s^y//*', or before any history, or otlicr reliable account 
 concei'ning him. All writings abouts'.ieha being and a j»re-Adanute 
 earth and similar works, are framed from racro imaginary concep- 
 tioni*. They aie exhibitions of vanity and conceit, pretences of being 
 wise bevond what is written ; a waste of time and attetdion, and 
 only deserving of contemptuous rejection, \Vc have an //i,yiiri'(/ 
 and therefore authf/itic history of man, from his creation down to 
 the close of that scrii)ture history, about 1.800 years past; and sinci- 
 then, ids history has been given with abounding frequency and 
 .sufficient correctness. 
 
 In treating of language, in rolati<^>n to the subject oi' his chap- 
 ter, the Dr. writes as follows : — 
 
 "While, therefore, there is good gi'ound in jthilology for thv 
 belief of one primitive language, there seems no absolute necessity 
 to have recourse even to the confusion of tongues at liabel to ex- 
 plain the diversities of language.'" 
 
 It'would seem as if the Dr. at the clo.'<e of these woi'ds felt thai 
 he had put rather a slight on the Scriptui'c account of that confu- 
 sion, and therefore he adds the following in a foot note : — 
 
 " It is but fair, however, to observe that the Hible refers the 
 tirst great divergence of language to a divine intervention at thi- 
 tower of Babel. The precise nature of this we do not know." 
 
 You may not be able Dr. by your philology to know its natui'c. 
 but ])lain christian people and even children in Sunday-schools sec 
 its natui-e quite intelligently and sufficiently in these few words in 
 Gon. 11. ''And the Lord said, go to, let us go down and there 
 confound their language, that they may not understand one ano- 
 
62 
 
 
 ■ 
 
 (< 
 
 (■■> 
 
 
 ' w 
 
 » 
 
 u:^' 
 
 !■■ . 
 
 
 'K' 
 
 
 t*" ■ 
 
 thers speech. ^'^ ''- -^' Therefore is the name of it called Babel, 
 because the Lord did there confound the lan^ua^'e of all the earth." 
 Perhaps thi^- fui'thor explanation Dv. may help you out of your 
 difficulty as to its nature. It was as if you were set down in some 
 part of China, India, or Tartary, or even in Wales, or the highlands 
 of the country of your ancestors ; and thepeopU^ did not understand 
 your lan<'ini<>;e and vou did not understand thei'-'s. A volume on 
 philology could not make it ])lainer, but most likely Avould confuse 
 it. 
 
 In cha])ter 14, the Dr. treats ver}- largely concerjiing deposits 
 and human remains, found in caverns of France, Belgium, and other 
 countries, and especially in England, in a place called Kent's 
 Cavern, in Torquay, in which he says have been found in several 
 bods or floors, and galleries, numerous bones and teeth of various 
 animals, flint and bone implements, b'^is of stalagmite, del>i'is O]' 
 cookery, fragments of charcoal, and "a fragment of a human jaw 
 with teeth." He then says: — 
 
 ''Thei'e can be no doubt that this cave and the neighboring one 
 of Brixham, have done very much to im])ress the minds of British 
 geologists with ideas of the great antiquity of man. '•- ^" Of 
 precise data for determining time they have, however, given nothing. 
 The only measures which seem to have been applied, namely, the 
 rate of growth of stalagmite, and the rate of erosion of neighboring 
 valleys, are, from the very sequence of the deposits, obviously 
 Avortidess. * '•' AVe are, therefoi-e, quite uncertain as to the 
 number of centuries involved in the idling of this cave, and must 
 remain so, until some surer system of calculation can be devised." 
 
 I may here sta c that I have seen in the arches for cannon and 
 shot, in the dilapidated fortifications at Louisbourg, in the Island of 
 Cape Breton, stalagmites hanging fi'om the roofs, about a foot long, 
 which have been formed within about 150 years, since the siege and 
 taking of that town from the French, or perhaps much within that 
 time. 
 
 The Dr. proceeds further, as to deposits in caverns, by saying: — 
 
 '•Loose stones, fallen from the roof, as in the case of Kent's 
 Cave, would give a fair measure of time, if we could be sure that 
 the eilmate had eontinueil uniform, and that there had been no 
 violent earthquakes. Mr. Pengelly has, however, hopelessly given 
 up this kiira of evidence." * * And further, the Dr. says : — 
 •'Svhen we consider thnt the present rate of dejiosit in Kent's Hole 
 is probablj' very different from what it was in the former condition 
 of the country, stalagmite becomes a very unsafe measure of time. ' 
 
 
)onni!; 
 
 lously 
 
 o the 
 
 must 
 
 'iscd."" 
 
 cut's 
 
 tliJit 
 
 n no 
 
 rs :— 
 Hole 
 lition 
 mc. ' 
 
 63 
 
 lie eontimie.s us follows : — 
 
 " We have still renuiiuing the changes which have taken place 
 in the erosion of valleys, since the caverns were occupied. The 
 waters flowing in the channels near Brixham Cave, and Kent's Hole, 
 wci-e aj)pai'enlly about seventy feet higher in times of flood tl»an at 
 present; hut the time involved is subject to the same doubts as in 
 the case of the Belgian Caves. Hughes has well remarked that 
 elevations of the land, by causing rivers to foi-m waterfalls and 
 caseades. which they cut back", may greatly accelerate the rate of 
 erosion. •'- '•• -^- The time requiretl for the erosion of tlie v.alleys 
 and the deposit of the gravels, has been very variously estimate<l." 
 He says truly of a deepening by the flowing of a river: — '■ In times 
 of unusual flood i( may do, in one week, more than in many ])revi(jU8 
 years."" Again, ••if the clinuuein time past has been more exti-eme, 
 oi' the i-a'afall greater, the rutting action lias then i)een [)ro|)ortion- 
 ally j-ajud."' 
 
 In further treating of the human period, he writes as follows:-— 
 
 •'In short, if avc say that, hypothetically, the whole tirst- 
 k'uown human age occui-red within 4U00 years of the Chi-istian era, 
 no one can say that it is geologically impossible. Who can say 
 that 1G43 years is insufficient to comprise all the ])henomena that 
 occui-rcd during a period confessedly chai'actcrizod by moi'c rapid 
 and extensive action than at pi'csent — a period during which 
 ruptures in the earth's crust, oscillations, and permanent uprising 
 took place, and the intermittent action of violent floods caused the 
 de})osit and disturbance, and re-settlement of the gravels and brick 
 earth. -^ * * As a geologist, and as one who has been, in the 
 main, of the School of Lyell. and after having observed with mucii 
 care the deposits of the moi'c modern periods, on both sides of the 
 Atlantic, I have, from the first, dissented from those of my scientitie 
 bi-ethren, who have uiduvsjlatingly given their adhesion to the long- 
 periods elaimed for hunum history, and have maintained tliat their 
 hasty conclusions on this subject must bring geological i-easoning 
 into disreputi'. ami react injuriously on our noide science.'" 
 
 The last (.'hapter. \o. 15, is entitled, — "Comparisons and 
 Conclusions." 
 
 Wo now come to the most material and testing parts of the 
 Doctor's book, and although so ready and confident in assertions, 
 ho seems rather alarmed as to public opinion, regarding investiga- 
 tion and results, for ho says: — 
 
 " In the present chapter I pn^pose to enquire wliat the science 
 of the earth teaches on these same subjects, and to point out certain 
 manifest and remarkablo correspondences, between these teachings 
 and those of rcvclatioi:. Here, I know, that I enter on dangerous 
 
64 
 
 I ■. 
 
 t " 
 
 
 V ,» 
 
 I' ; .1' 
 
 Kin 
 
 gi-outul ; and that if T have been so fortunate as to carry the intel- 
 ligent reader with me thus far, I may ehancc to lose him now.'" 
 
 You have 7iou', Dr., no more cause foi- alarm than you had when 
 you first announced your anti-Sci"iptural and absurd theory. You 
 have been, all along, not merely on dangerous ground, but on that 
 of the nature of quirhsand, and everj' intelligent reader has clearly 
 seen your utterly frail and unteiuible ])osition. 
 
 The Dr. next makes the following i-ather otfensive assertions: — 
 
 "There are, as yet, but few even of ediu-ated men whose range 
 of study has included any thing that is practical or useful, cither in 
 Hebrew literatui-e oi* geological science." 
 
 Did the Dr. really comprehend the true meaning of what he 
 has here written? It must be p: vsumed that by • Hebrew litera. 
 tui'c " is meant 1 he Old Testament .Sci'ij)tures, for thei'O cannot be 
 said to be any Hebrew literature nmi\ but what is contained in 
 those divine oi'acles. Are there, then, •• but few. even of educated 
 men," — either ministei-s or laymen — whose studies, in these Scrip- 
 tures, '' have included any thing that is practical or uselul " ? This 
 defect is really the meaning of his offensive assertion. As to the 
 kind of ideological science in which the Dr. is such an ardent 
 enthusiast, all usefully educated and sensible men, and all Scriptural 
 (Christians, consider that siu'h merely speculative geology serves no 
 practical or useful purpose, and when, as in this woj-k of the Di*., it 
 comes in conflict with the ))lain truths of divine iwelation, they not 
 only neglect, reject it, with desei'ved contem])t. 
 
 The Dr. still proceeds, in an excited oi* offensive strain, as 
 f> Hows: — 
 
 " That slipshotl Christianity, which contents itself with supposing 
 tiiat conclusions which are false in natui-e may be true in theology, 
 is mere sujierstition, or |)rofessional ]»riestcraft, and has nothing in 
 common with the Bilile." 
 
 There is no real contradiction or inconsistency betweoi luiture 
 and true theology. It is only those who are Mipslwd, both in theoloijij 
 antl a knowledge of itaiure, who Ihiidc they see such an opj)osilioni 
 and as to validity of [)roof, give their ci'ude and .s//y;;s//o</ geology the 
 pi'eference. The following is the Jiext passage for lemark : — 
 
 " The geologist, fully aware of the substantial nature of the 
 foundations of the science of the earth. I'cgai'ds it as little less tl<a/i 
 altsurd to find parallels to its principles in an ancient theological 
 woi-k. Still there are possible meeting ]»oints of things so dissinulai' 
 as Bible lore and geological exj)lorati(uis." 
 
05 
 
 the intcl- 
 
 M(»\V.'' 
 
 had when 
 'ly. You 
 t on that 
 IS ch'ai'ly 
 
 M'tioiis; — 
 
 ose range 
 either in 
 
 what he 
 !W liter.'i- 
 •annot be 
 tained in 
 ediieated 
 'se Serip- 
 '? This 
 U to the 
 1 ardent 
 eriptunil 
 lerves no 
 le Dr., it 
 thev not 
 
 train, as 
 
 ipposing 
 heology. 
 'thing in 
 
 1 natui'e 
 tht'oloytj 
 )osition; 
 
 logy the 
 
 e of the 
 CHH Iha/i 
 ologieal 
 ^niniihir 
 
 The aneient theologieal wn-k to whieh he ullude.M is the Bible, 
 whicii eontains divine truth, praetieal as well a.s theologieal, which, 
 if he does n(»t rightly pereeive now, he certainly will in the next 
 life. Of eour>e ge )lngii'al e )nje!'tures and fictions, about which its 
 advocates ai-e constantly dilft.sing. ean find no parallels or cour>- 
 tennnce in tli:i( Hook of fSacred Truth, to which all those geological 
 .-i])i'eul:ition> iirc so entirely <lis.siniil;ir. The Dr.. himself, hits 
 (lecideil this p;iinl. foi'. as p!-»'viously sern. he has remarked: '-Tin' 
 (!;ib"i;ty to istoi- iind fraud, in boring operations, is very well 
 icnown."" .\nd a- to ciM'taiii remains ai.d dejiosits, he has said, tlic 
 snp]iose:l t'\i(l(Mic;'. as to tinu'. e:)n(H'rning them, is ••obvious|\ 
 worthless. ■■ 
 
 I'he Dr. [)roc('('.)..> in the followinu jiassages : — 
 
 ■• We have alreaoy found iiiat tln' Srrij)tui-es ciiiuiciate <listinct 
 'loi'i i-iut's on maiiy jtoiuls relating to the earth's cTivly histor\-, to 
 whieli ii will. \\k'\\\ l»e nece>sa;y merely to re!'er iit general tei'ins. 
 Let us, i:i the first ))la('e. siioi'tly eousiiU'r the conclusions of gxudogv 
 a< to the oi'igiii an-l progi'e-s oi' ci'L'aiion."' 
 
 Tile Scri])tuiH's have iuilcL',! given, and truly, all that was 
 iK'cdt'ul to be made k'liown to us j-eganling that earl\- history, but 
 thai; is not suifi'ieat or satisiaclory to the Dr.. his int'allible monitor, 
 'icologij. must be preterrv I to I lie insjiin-d Seript ures. and give the 
 sui'c infoi-mation and decision on those subjeets. lie says, '• the 
 conclusions of ge:)Iogy."' \Vc re(|ulre well authenticatc;d facts and 
 pi'oofs, not mere assertion- and unfounded conclusions. Jint these 
 last are the commodities in wliieli the Dr. has been all along dealing. 
 ;uid of wbieli bis wboU' boti<. with few exceptions, is eomposed. 
 lie commenced with maUing ilays with tivenings and moriungs. to 
 mean millions of years, wiiii evenings and moriungs; then he tells 
 lis about a vision ■)!' some old Seer, bat cannot gi\'t' either his name, 
 or the lime when be floiirj-bcd. but says jiei'haps be was tlu' lii'si 
 man. ,\ilam: and thai be i'eliearsi's tons in ibe tirsi Chapter of 
 (ienesis. die nari'ative of c'eal ion. an<l gives the previon> bislor\- of 
 tb' world. Xe.xt. tin.' vision come- down, by tradition, from mouth 
 to mouth, to the lim»'of .\bia!iani. and thence to thai ot' .Mosi's 
 who recoi'ds it in tiial sanu' lirsl ('lia[iier of (ieuie.-is, in which the 
 old .Seer (or .\dam) "has a so rehearse 1 it to us." Next, we hu\-e 
 the mar\-el!ou, and tVigbtfnl U'gemh. abuil making earlii. and. 
 water, and animals, and sundi'x- gods. ii'i\in:i' their name-; and how 
 
 \ 
 
 -•■-urhaniii; 
 
 -criin 
 
 ansacKed > 
 
 • un'li-v temji.e- a 
 
 nd lib;'ur!e 
 
« ft 
 
 ■ k 
 
 I » " ': , 
 
 
 ■I 
 
 66 
 
 various ciiii-s, ainl iiisi-riht'd (lu- K'-^ciKis on dav talilots; llial 
 AI»!'aliaiii. ill some wav or oilu'i'. uot a (•()i)\' of llu'.^i' ii-iioiids. und 
 revised and piirilicd (licin. ai-cui'dini;' to liis m-iiso dI' ]»!'(>]»i'i(.'ty ; ihat 
 Jie carried I lie ti'adi'ioiis ol" his jjeopK'. as huir Iodiiis, IVoni Clialdea 
 into Canaan; tliaL in the (•olll•^e' oi'tinic and I'vcnts. ijiii the Di'. noc'^. 
 not say huir these heir hioins raine into the jxissession of Moses, and 
 were; incoi-porated hy him in the L*enlateiieh. Hut llie most mai- 
 vi'lioiis pari of the story is that the Dr. .^ays ^- there can he little 
 (hiiihl th;it Ahraiiam. hefoi'e he iei't ( 'hiildea had read the same 
 creation legends tiial iiave been i-eeentlv translated \)\ Mi-. Smith."' 
 Yet the l>r. has said Ihat they wei-e inscribed on the tablets about;. 
 iJ. C. Cu'A, wliich \v:!s upwards of 1000 years at'tei- Abj-aliam's 
 death. 
 
 I rt'(-uest the I'cader to excuse this long digressive summary of 
 u'onderl'ul oveids, of which the worhl was entirely ignorant, until 
 1IOW tliat l.)r. Dawson has obtained the houoi* and distinction of 
 liaving revealed them. 
 
 As to the " conclusions ol geology concerning the earth's eai'ly 
 history," 1 repeat that facts and proofs must here, as on every other 
 subject, precede assertions and conclusions. What would be thoughiL 
 of a counsel in a court of law. a\ ho. in opening his case, gave all 
 its material ]»articulars and drew his conclusions trom th(;m ; and 
 then without ottering any pioofsat doNvn and asked for a vcidictin 
 favor of his client. lie would at once be greeted with laughter and 
 ridicule. Now this has been tlie course of the Dr. all along, in 
 Hubmitting his theories and arguments, lie has abounded in con- 
 jectures, suj)positions, probabilities, perhaps's and assertions, but 
 has not given a single ai»plicable or well founded fact or event, to 
 give a favoi-able color to his story. 
 
 His next statement for remai'k is as fcdlows : — 
 
 " Tlie most common rocks v)f our continents are conglomerates, 
 sandstones, shales an<l slates; all of which ai'e made up of the 
 <lehris of older rocks, l)roken down into gravel, sand or mud, and 
 I hen re-cemented." 
 
 Where is (lie proof oi' this breaking down and re-cementing ? 
 We.e \wu Di-. or anv of \-our aeolouic brethien iiresent and wit- 
 110 sed the proceedings, or did you get the inh)rmatioii -through the 
 old Si'cr. 1)1' tVou) the clay tablets of A--iii'liatnpars .Scribes, or the 
 Aiiieiican Imlian (diroiiicles ? It i> nieie invention, and that 
 
 
lots; thai 
 :oii(ls. and 
 el\-; llial 
 n ("lialdeii 
 L' J)i'. (iocs 
 loiscs, and 
 Host jiiar- 
 1 be little 
 the sanie 
 •. Smith/' 
 :Us about, 
 .Itj-aliam's 
 
 miliary of 
 uiit, until 
 net ion of 
 
 th's eai-iy 
 ery other 
 3 thought 
 gave all 
 em ; and 
 ^eidict in 
 jhtcr and 
 iilong, in 
 d in con- 
 ions, but 
 event, to 
 
 >mei-ate8, 
 p of the 
 iiud, and 
 
 1 en ting / 
 and wit- 
 )iigh tlie 
 's. or the 
 11(1 that 
 
 { <th'iy Oi' 
 
 (i7 
 
 pli'i"iy iiTaiioual aii-i abM,)>l. What inaniit-u-li!, ,t ot 
 i^liis.uare \v<miI.| n.akc- a vo.m.I and llu-n .(;i.|, i( lo .mcts ..ailu'i- 
 Ibc'iii upau.l throw '.hom-inlu i|„. cliaiil.lm,,. a)Hi \v!,ri, 7vrh,<\ 
 •l^'^V" l'"-n (he .a.M.. d..rnp(io,. ..f v..:-rl. Th. i.,Ji,;i,.|v wi^r 
 arenitect ..1 tlu' .ii.ivcrse at the (.rcatiun oft hocart h. rornic.i ■..;..,.. 
 ■•md layers and stratas o!' rork, Im .n.^tain and kco-, t(>..vt!,ri- ihr 
 ^•arthly or grauniar pans. iik.. bones in the bodies of anln.;,'. to 
 xni^Vnvi thotleshy portions; an.l they weiv of ditn-n-nl ..omiH.^if 
 ons and qualitio., a. there are various orders and sp.,-i.s ofbc-asts 
 I'Tds. fishes, and other creatures ; also diliercnt vc-clablc pro-h-ris' 
 :"ul all to show ibrfh His wisdom, powei- and goodne.s. an.l Ihv (he 
 >ise and eonitbrt or man. Doubtless, also, the lormation ot .|raf« 
 ot stone and other soli<l substance, has been eontinuallv o-oi,,,.. .„ 
 
 by water carrying d<Avn sand, pebbles, and various other smallMdid 
 substances, and in the co.irse of lime tluy have beeon.e eemented 
 the Dr. says lurlhci- on this stone subject :— 
 
 -It is commonly imagined that thev were created in their 
 |>resen forms and in their present i,ositions. The ^.oUn^l.t Z 
 c-omes to a ditleront conclusion, discoveiing proofs tlnU the">Mer • I 
 jmns o, the earth were no, all produced in /he beginning oM I" 
 he state m whtch we now behold then., nor in an^instant ^,f 
 
 time 
 
 Here are more conclusions. We have alivadv had nioie than 
 enough of these.- Where are the i.roois y JJeCdalion arni .ca- 
 sern demand tJiem. lie says •• the geologist has discovered ,1-cm - 
 heir presence is desired. Eut it cannot be atlordeel because ihev 
 do not exist, hut are merely >,^Y/o,/. like all therest of his fabulous 
 story. The Dv. himself is here the geologist an<I jnust be held •,.- 
 eountable ire says the rocks were not f >rmed '-in an instant'of 
 time. AVhy not l)r V Do you doubt the power of the (Visitor to 
 doit.^ ^our American Indian chronicler has taught vou l,etter 
 lor he says -The whole earl b was formed in an instant.'- and vou- 
 self has said:—' The Almighty might have called into ..xJstciM-e b^• 
 one single momentary act, a world coniplele in all iis part."' 
 nould It have been complete at first in all its parts without str-uns 
 and other portions of rock and stone ? A wav wilh su.d, hr>iinrl> 
 t'on, as rs here exd.ibite.l, and in so many other parts of ihj. tiditi 
 ous and absurd book. 
 
 Th 
 
 eoniimies his. mere assertion 
 
 as ( 
 
 ollow s 
 
fT 
 
 I , 
 
 I '- 
 
 
 
 k.r? 
 
 r 
 
 I- ,„ 
 
 68 
 
 '■The i;-e<>l(»<iist, (tliat is 1 my.sol), eai^ show thtil they (the ex- 
 ternal parts of'ihe I'ai-th) have aequired their actual condition and 
 con 111; lira t ion gradually at successive pericKls, tlurini^ each of which 
 distinct race.-. <>t' li\inii: hcin^'s liave flournislied on the hmd and in 
 tiie waters; the remains of these creatures lying hurled in the crust 
 of the earth." 
 
 Tnow here. !is in a lew otliei- i)arts of liisstorv. there is some fad 
 ami the I'csl yir^V;^ (.)iwv//(yV(7///T and (is^ertioi) thereon. That there 
 have lieeii (ocdi and //(.nini! changes in the external ])ai'ts of the 
 earth during the ages of its diirat'on is fully admitted. l»ut there 
 has heei. no such universal change of condition and configuration as 
 is here asserted. He says only the geologist can show it. Again, 
 proof is altogi>ther wanting. It does not exist and therefore cannot 
 he produced. That remains ol' aidmals, such as skid Is and hones, 
 and in some places impressions oi' thein, and also of vegetahle 
 suhstanccs have heen found in tlie crust of the eai-th ; and that they 
 came there at vai-ioiis times dui'ing the present nearly six thousand 
 years of the age of the world is also true. It may also be admitted 
 that some of these hom^-; are somewhat larger than those of men 
 and animals in the |(resent day. AVc have ins])ircd Scri[)tiire ])roof 
 that there were giants in the antedeluvian times, and tlnit thei-e 
 Avere gigantic AnaUims and a giant king Og in the time of ^foses, 
 and a (Joliah in the time of J)avid; also that before, and for some- 
 time after the flood, men lived hundreds of years longer than they 
 do now. Also the behemoth and leviathan in the time of Job. 
 Avere doul)tless mucli larger than any animals of the present day. 
 But none, or all of these facts and admissions, will, in the least 
 degree help the Doctor's story of successive periods of civation dur- 
 ing successive millions of years. As to the "flourishing" of those, 
 ancient animals, as lie says, the ])r. among the rest of his singulai- 
 literary effusions, deals iny7oi//vV7/r.s and therefore that may pass 
 without any special comment. 
 
 AVe luive seen that the Dr. in reasoning against llu' vast 
 untiquity of man claimed l»y some, has written :— 
 
 '• AVho can sav that KJ-fo vears. ( meaning as presumed, tlie 
 time before the flootl) is insullicient to cronijU'ise all tlie i>heni)mena 
 that occurred during a period, confesse<lly characterized by more 
 I'apid and extensive action than at present — a ])eriod, during which 
 ruptures in the earth's (.'rtr-t. oscillalioiis and permanent uprising 
 
 :-^;..;i.w:ri.;f«r_i 
 
 .-ffi^ra'iSir^-Sir-ssrya 
 
69 
 
 iV (the ex- 
 iditioii and 
 li of which 
 iiK.l and in 
 n the crust 
 
 ssoinciiicl 
 rhat theic 
 r(s ol" tlio 
 
 itiit thci'c 
 i;uratiou as 
 1. Again, 
 ore cannot 
 uid hones, 
 
 vetielahle 
 i that tliey 
 V tlioiisand 
 L' admitted 
 •so of men 
 ture proof 
 liat there 
 
 of .Moses. 
 
 for some- 
 than they 
 \c of Jol'. 
 .\sent (hty. 
 
 tlie least 
 at ion diii'- 
 
 ' of those 
 - sing'idai' 
 may i>ass 
 
 the vast 
 
 med, tlie 
 lenomena 
 hy more 
 in" whieli 
 npris'ni;- 
 
 took place; an<I the intermittent action of violent lloods eau-e<l the 
 dej)osit and disturhance and i-e-settlement of the grawls and brick 
 earth." 
 
 But the calctUatious and estimates on the>e jioints of stratas 
 and bones and other fos.sils. and impressions of j»lants and other 
 jiliei.omena, mtist be made, not within the limited period of I(!4.'{ 
 yeai's mentioned by the Dr. as snlKcient to produce them, but on 
 the 5,H00 yeai'S since the creation of the' earth, or. to limit it since 
 the flood, about 4,150 A'cars. If, as he thinks, ll>4."J y(>ars would 
 sufHce, surely he must allow that either "j.StlO or 4.ir)t> ai-e abun- 
 dantly sufficient for ])roducing all those results. The Dr. ]ii-oceeds 
 with _ti;ivinir the estimates of several of his ii;eolou-:cal bretlu'en, as 
 to the rates of erosions, by rivers, and says : — 
 
 "Ci'oll has estimated that of the .Mis>issi]i[)i at one loot in f!000 
 years; and that of the (Janii,cs at one toot in '2i>7^H years. "" He 
 says: — '• Reade, of Liver])Ool, lias y-iven (he estimate for the Miss- 
 issi|)])i at one foot in 1I>,()(>0.'" Oidy 7<*<"> nioif than that of (Voll. 
 ()f the calculation of the hitter the Dr. says :— •• If we estimate tlie 
 projiortion of land to water as oT'i to I'.VMK this will aive. for the 
 (■ntire aiea of the ocean, a i-ate oi' dej)osition of one foot in 14,4<M) 
 years. Now the entire thickness n| all the stratified rocks is esti- 
 mated at 72.0tH) feet (over l.'l miles in I'.iicknessj, and at this rate 
 the enormous time of l,(i;j(I,SOO,OOI) would lie nece.»ary. JJiit we 
 have no I'ight to assume that (U^position has lieen n'oin^ on unifoi-mly 
 over the entire sea-bottom. On the contraiy. the ^-rcater part of it 
 lakes place within a belt of about f)ne hundred miles iVoni the coasts, 
 and thedeposits of calcareous and othe:' inaltei's over tin- remaindei' 
 will scarcely mak(> up for tlu^ portions of this belt, on which no 
 dei)osit is takiiii;- |)lace. This will i^ivc an area of deijo^jt of about 
 n, (15(1, 0(10 sf[uare miles, conM'([Uently onl_\' one twelfth, or about 
 8(j, 400 years would \)v i'e(piii'e<!." lie s;iys:— ••.Sjr William Thompson 
 limits the ])Ossible existence ol' the earths solid ciii>t to one 
 hundi'e(l millions of years. -■• -^' ('lojl's in;.;i'nioiis tiieoiy of 
 li'lacial pe.'iods would a'ivt\ accoi'dinu" to him. about so.OdO years 
 ai;'o for the date ol the (ilaeial pei'iod. and foi- the beii'innin;r of the 
 Tcrtiar_\' j)eriod al)out l{, 000. 000 years au'o. " The Dr. >ays of llie^e 
 N'arious calculations ami e-limates ;— •• 'fhey a^;/ee in re>t rictiui;- 
 the au'cs that have elapsed since the inti-odiiction of life within one 
 hundred millioiis of years."' 
 
 It is evident that the Dr. hitnself has no faith in any of the>e 
 monstrous caU'ulations and numbers, tor he immediately says: — 
 
 " I. coidess. howevei', that a i-onsideration of the fact that all 
 our geolo^'ical measui'cs ol erosion and d(>j)osition seem to be base<l 
 
70 
 
 It 
 
 ' ; .! '•>1 
 
 i ).lli 
 
 ;'■■• ■; 
 
 
 M- 
 
 Oil ca^i". \'.!ilc!i ,'vlri' 1(1 wiiti! may 1^' li'i'iin"! tiiiniinmii ii/ii'iii. U':iil> 
 IDC to liciii'Vi' tli:;! I In- arliial liinc will fall NCiy lai" uitjiiii tlii-> 
 limit. ■■ 
 
 licfl'i'i'iiiu' !i) tlic i'o:'('ni>inij" cahMilalidiis aiw! i'>l'mat(s, ('\c(']it 
 Ills own, \iv r-ays : — 
 
 "Ii would t1in> ai)]i('ai* that jiliysica! aii'l uo!)|n;.;,ical sricnci' 
 <'i>iis]>irt' in a.-.:~ii;";ii!ii;' a. ^a'cal auliquily ;-» the earth." 
 
 Now ]!!,'!>■ We lia\'>' a iaa;'!<'.l aii'l frsf spcrinfm of llic maimt.-r 
 ill wliicli till' hi", so ccii^taiil ly (jcals with ///v////nc>; and r'///r///.s/o/(>-. 
 ! iiave ua'.cii tlu'-^c rxtmivivc extracts tjiat the reudci- may see the 
 utl(S' micertaiiily a> to any (hiuL'; lilce ]»i'oot on the siihject (>!' tho 
 v.oyjd's aiiti'jiiity. .\ 1 1 the Wi'il<'i'.- cited, like the I),-. Iiim-elt. «:ive 
 iiothii!'.',' hnt cwii_icct iires. all of tiieni wiid a.iid, ext ra\a:;'a.iit . for 
 disreu'ardin^' iiisoii'ed Scriptir/e a.ut iiority. they could ifiNc no 
 other. it i.-. al.-o seen tlail oi' the lour, iiududini;' tlie 1'/'.. eacdi one 
 lia-> an c-.l ima.te o!' his own. no 1 wo of i jiciii comiu'j; near eatdi o1 her. 
 .\iid they dilici- no; a- to any liioderale sum. hut as io a hillion. 
 millions, and hui'.dicils oi' I'loiisands. as to tlie same poiii; of the 
 ea.rtii's anti(|uity. And yet the hr. is so iniatualed and indiscreet 
 a> to call tlu'>e ext rasauant and discoi'dant conjee! ures •• iihy.-.ieal 
 and u'coloii'ieal science. This last is a word of the same meaninii' 
 as kiiowledc\>. ^\'ow what kiio\\ded,i;e on tlii' suhjeel can [xissihly 
 he ohiained from those va,i!,'aries uf calciilali(ur.'' lie says those 
 .scdences Ciin^p'n'i'. It is a conspiracy most readily discovered, and 
 its folly and ahsiirdity exposed to ridicule and conti'tnpl. Pxil 
 (hose i;'eolo<;'iea.l i;'eiilry !ia\e noiiiinn' hetter to offer for \.\\\\ of their 
 fn'tious (hoorio's. As lo striitilit-d ro(d<s upwards of \'.\ miles thicds. 
 remark is needlo.'--. Aiiothia' ex! ra\au'ance on t'le sul»iect is (jiat 
 relalini;' lo the deposits on the eiiiiic si'a-hot 1(Mii. lias the l)r. or 
 an_\' (K his hrelliren heen down and roamed over the whole hottom 
 <.)f lhe<;reat deep, so lh:U ihey can make ae'curalc calculations as 
 to tho length of time, tlu' millions or billions of yctirs ro(]uii-ed for 
 {'ui'minj.'' those dejiosits. or lia\\' they (Uily ^'one down and explored 
 Avithin ;i hundred miles from the coa-^t. Let us liave the narrative, 
 if any, and somethini!; like a correct estimate. 'I'he Dr. says only 
 SG. 41)0. (MM) years would he requireil. ac(-ordini;' to ('I'oH's mode of 
 calculation; hut [lossihiy the Di'. nia_\' he niistaK'en as to a few 
 millions of lii.s own supjiositions, and Ci'olh after all. be nearer the 
 mark. But to sjteak seriously and plaiidy. the putting forth .such 
 extravagtuii fictions is an outrage on the word sfienec. and on 
 
 iJ- 
 
 r^imm 
 
illiiii this 
 
 l( 
 
 ■s, cxcrji 
 
 .11 sriciict' 
 IC nilMllKM- 
 
 I'IkI IISHlllS, 
 
 !ty SCO the 
 cct (>r tlio 
 \-v\ t. s^'ivc 
 :!,';n)t. foi- 
 ,ii'i\(' no 
 , (■•idi (iiic 
 ii'Ji ()1 licr. 
 :t Killioii. 
 Mt of llic 
 iiidiscrucl 
 ' plivsii'al 
 iiicniiiiiii' 
 [.'ossihly 
 lys those 
 *'i'c(l. and 
 i|it. 1)111 
 \ <»!' t hcii' 
 les thick, 
 •t is tlial 
 IC I )i'. or 
 e bottom 
 iitioiis as 
 m\\\\ for 
 cxph)i-c(l 
 irrativc. 
 ivs oiilv 
 mode ol' 
 o a t'e^\■ 
 aicr the 
 'th .such 
 and on 
 
 ordinary scno :md inl,.llio:cncc. and an In.pntn.nnr to ,.v,„.,.| ,., 
 '■*''l"""'' ^'">' '•^'''""^'' i»"-->.' to l.r!h-v. ih.Mu. h is ov.M ti.r worse 
 foi'itis ,nd;rtH-( opposition to inspired revelation. H.-ivin- lhn^ 
 given, n, ai.lor his story, n,.! prooi; hut udhl spccuh.tions' as i,, 
 dcpoHisa: thchoitonisof the oceans, he turns to ai.in.als. phiuu 
 and i-ncks. and says ; — 
 
 •• In like n.aniier the auinuiU and p!aut., ofthe oldest roeks av 
 construeled on the san.e phy..ioh,i,ieal and anaton.ical orinci, h ' 
 ^vi i. cxi.tin;, tr.hcs and they can he arran^<.d in the san' "'en ". 
 orders, or (dasscs. thou-ii spcciiically disiine;." " ' ' 
 
 JU-re, again, is mere nnloun.dcd conjecture and asse -(Ion Ti- 
 ivniains ofaniniah, in th<. slrati.ied rocks, are onlv ,.etriiicd' scpar- 
 ^dc hones, or a h.u- eoiu.eclcd. They canno, po-.ihlv ahord an. 
 ivhahh> ground ti.r a helief o,' tlie iUcnvy of diHeren: j.e, iods of 
 f.vation;orthal they can. as , he IV. anirn.s. he arranrH - in the 
 .ame genera, orders, <,r ch.ssc. with exiting trihes.ai.d are per- 
 fectly dislnicl tronuhen,.- A lllhis is n.ere assert ion and sin.plv 
 u.crcdd.ie in the y.vy nature and eireun.Manee. ol t'.e n.atle:. 
 there can he no such arrangement and .liscriiuination. lor aeeordin '<■ 
 " ^'V ^'''"'^■- '^'^'>' '••^''■^^ '•*'^'" *-'■ '"iili""^ ..f vears deep in (he 
 l-wcls of the earth, and ti.erotWrc having heen uiuler all the variou. 
 ndlueiu;es and changes neeessarily ineiden! to (hat siluaoon it is 
 UU.t. nupossihle to aseerlain and verity any of tho.e particulars 
 asse, ed_ iy- the l)r. Sueh hones .een in .nn -.eunr. h. 'e entirel v 
 n-t then- or.g.nol vl.fmrss and poi|>h: or c.nan.el. a:c. of ; ,],ri< 
 <-olour. aiid more or les> corn, led and irre-uho- on the .ur^.ee -nd 
 I'H^'viore ,t IS impossihie even to eonelude io what aiu.nals thev 
 belonged much less to show that ,hey are ditlerent Iron, the hon^s 
 of annnals now existing. Moreover, some hones of certain animals 
 uro simdar to those in parts of the hunmn hodv.and this will m-ikc 
 any positive identitications rpiite impracticable. Ih.i it was not 
 mdlyncedtul to submit those rcnmrks, for T can here again make 
 ho Dr. a witness against himself by his expros ..ontradictionH on 
 the subject, wh.eh Avill serve to nullity all that he has saM concern 
 uig It. It IS a just rule of law in courts of -ustiee. that if a wine<v 
 makes wo dn-oct^iy contradictory statements on any point, he i, 
 not to be believed in either of them, and Jus wl.ole testimonv will 
 be set aside as invalid. Thi. rule will here justlv appiv as to the 
 statem^ents of the Dr. on this sul.,iect. On a former U.-e as ha. 
 been shown, lie wrote as follows concernim.- it.— 
 
12 
 
 
 
 '-ii 
 
 ■ ' . if 
 
 
 " Tliose oldest fossiliti'mMis rocks niiiy mark the coinineiice 
 iiiont ot' Jinniinal liib, hut tliey testify iiotliiii;;- as to the existeneo 
 or non-existeiicc of a pi'evioiis jiei-iod of vegetation ah)iie. Fartlioi*, 
 the ro(!ks which contain tlie oldest remains of life, exist as far as 
 yot known, in a C(Midition so lii^hly metamorj)hic as almost to ex- 
 clude th(^ possihilily of their conlaininii; any distinnMiish'ahle 
 ve;i;otahl fossils.' 
 
 Now it is seen that this is dirt'ctly contrary to the statements 
 in the extract Just reviewed. whi(di says: — "The animals and 
 plants of these oldest ro(d<s can lie arrain<j;ed in the same genera, 
 ()i-(U>i's, or classes, with existin<^ trihes. tliounh >p('cilicaily distincl.'' 
 
 The same oldest i'o(d<s. animals, and plants are mentioned in 
 l)oth. This contradiction is, alone, sntlicient to destroy the whole 
 of his wi'iting regai'dinsz; those remains as to ]»lants and vegetables, 
 and animals; also, the rocks heini;- so inctdfi'orj'Jiii- ov li-anslbrmed. 
 Jt is true the contradiction is not juijurif. Imt it is cle:irly damag- 
 ing as to literary repiitation. especially that of the Head of a 
 (Tnivcrsitv. 
 
 » 
 
 The next suhjects !or renuirk aic contained in the t'ollowing 
 passages : — 
 
 "' It ap])eai's from (lie aliovc facl> and reasoiungs that geology 
 informs us.'' 
 
 The above /7/*7.s. as he calls them, aio mci-o!y v,-i!d and lictiti- 
 ous speculations of a numlfer of writei's, who. as to time, differ by 
 millions and hundreds of thousands of }'ears, not one of them com- 
 ing within vast j)eriods of any one of tin- othei's. Tlie reasonings 
 therefori', having no cei'tain oi' tiuihful foundation, ai'c mcre/w//«- 
 lies. indeed the J)r. himself lias given testimony ;igainst tjic 
 (sup|)osed) facts, by saying that water ei'osious and stahigmitc.s, 
 and lemains in the caves, are. ;is to evidence of time irnrt/dess, and 
 further as we have just seen, ln' has said as lo all vegetable ])r()- 
 ducts, "the fossil itt'erous rocivs are in a c^nliLion so highly 
 metam()!'j)hic as almost to exclude the possi!.>ility of their contain 
 ing any distinguishable vegetable fossils." The real fact, oi- 
 conclusion, therefore is that his f;icts and reasonings ai-e iMiuaily 
 false and fallacious, metamorphic and utterly irorfhkw^. 
 
 The information from geology, he states as follows: — 
 
 1. "That the tnatei-ials of our existing continents ai'e of 
 secondary origin, as distinguished from ])rimiiive or coeval wdtli the 
 beginning." 
 
 ■I ■tt—^jrt tm*^ 
 
Diiinu'iu't' 
 
 oxisloiico 
 
 FartlicM', 
 
 SIS far as 
 
 ost to (*X- 
 
 miishaliK' 
 
 atements 
 inals and 
 e goiiera, 
 
 • listiiu-l." 
 
 tioiK'd ill 
 lie wliole 
 L\i;x'lables, 
 (i.stin'ined. 
 y (lamag- 
 nul of a 
 
 {'ollowiiiif 
 
 1, g-cology 
 
 kI tictiti- 
 (litlVr l)v 
 K'ln coin- 
 age >iiiiigs 
 '\c ftilla- 
 
 iist (lie 
 aginiies, 
 l(s>!^ and 
 Ilk' ])!■<)- 
 
 1 1 i "• 1 1 1 \' 
 coiilaiii 
 tact, oc 
 
 I'duaih' 
 
 ai'o oi 
 Ailli llie 
 
 T8 
 
 This is more assertion, lie has not given the slightest seinl)- 
 hmco of proof to support it, and it is directly at varianee with 
 Scripture. 
 
 2. "That a chronological ordei" of formation ol" these rock?* 
 can be made out." 
 
 Again, mere assertion. If he has any ]>rt)of. \vh\- did he not 
 produce it ? Just because there is none, lie has said they are 
 nietamorphif, therefore, by his own showing, they cannot ]v)ssibly 
 give any chronological order of formation. 
 
 3. "'Thai the fossil remains contained in the rocks constitute 
 a chronoloijv of animal and vcwtablc existence." 
 
 Here, the third time, the Doctor's old metamorjihic rocks 
 destroy his assertion, for he has said that they are in su(di a condition 
 as to almost preclude the possibility of their containiiiij: any distin- 
 guishable vegetable fossils." AV^liat kind ol" (dironology. then, can 
 these undisiiniiui.shahle vegetal)le i'ossils atford ? («o on Dr., you ar<j 
 last destroying your whole story.- 
 
 4. " That the history of the earth nv-w be dividrd. in Ibis wav, 
 into distinct periods, all pre-Adamite." 
 
 This is only the Doctor's ticlion of ])eriods. already shown b. 
 be contrary both to Scripture ami fact. The ]tre Adamite earth 
 was just /?rc days old when ho was created, and therefore its history 
 t'ould be very readily and briefly written. 
 
 5. ''That the pre-Adamite periods were of ciioi-iiK. us duration." 
 
 This is a pari of the preceding fictions invent i(jn. and as already 
 shown, the geologic brethren only come within millions, or «jther 
 vast ages of each other as tf) the cxleiit of that duration. 
 
 0. ''That (luring these jjcriods tlu' cNistiiig general laws of 
 iiatui'c were in force, though the dispositions of inorganic nature 
 wei'e ditfereiit in dilTerent jieriods ; and the animals and jtlants of 
 successive [)eriods were also dillereiit IVom eavb othei"." 
 
 !None of such asserted dilTereiices have been shown, or evei' 
 existed. He has already contradicted it as to plants, by the state- 
 ment (^f the undhtnujuhhahle vegetable fossils on the nu'tamor])hic 
 rocks, lie proceeds by saying : — 
 
 " The origin of species is a mystery, and belongs to no naliira! 
 law that has Act been established." 
 
71 
 
 
 w! 
 
 V'- 
 
 
 t''^ 
 
 ITow (lislrt'ssiiii;- this imis( he fo tlic Dr. jukI all the y-oolot^ical 
 Irilii'. th:i< llu'V ciimiot pciirti'iifc this mvslcry. and ihcrcCoiv ,i;aiii 
 cclchrity itiiil ;ij»j»huist' hv cxphiiiiiiii,^ :ni'l tcllinu' tli<' wcfl'l all 
 ahoiil i(. 1)111 thrn- i> iii> mice m_\-slc;-v I h::ii tliciris cijim crniiiu- 
 ihc rv-\ oi' citation. He proi-ccils hv saN'ini;' >- 
 
 ■■ '^rhis ii;t'(»l(ii;-ical onU-r of animal lili". it is scarcrlx' ncccssarx' 
 to add. aji'i'i'i'S |u'itL'ftly with thai sketched liy .Mov(.<. in \v|ii<-h the 
 lower ty|tes are coniitjeted al once, and the j)I'u:;tcs> is \\lioll\- in 
 llu' higher." 
 
 Thei'e i.> nolhini;' whatever in Scii|»!Mre as lo liii;liei' oi' lower 
 type-, ol' animal lit';.', and "iif hein:;' al once initinlcfiil'Aw^l tiie otlur 
 lii'itji'i ssir,\ hill the {(Id unknown S(^ei' inform him of. t hest" part i- 
 CMiiai's. ami did Moses i'orii'e! to reeordthemy All that theSeripture 
 says ahout these ei'eatiires is. that (lo(| created "u'real whale-; and 
 othei' li\in<j,' creatures I'oi' ilu' watei.>. and win;i,ed tliwl." on the 
 '• fil'lh day"; and '• heasts and cattle, and v\<n-\ ei'eepin_ii' thin:^," on 
 the •• sixth day.'" lie has wi-iil'-n directly contrary to the ahove 
 extract, as to the lowei- types of animals, hy sayini;'. on ]). iJ^**. 
 when treatiiii'; ofthe •■ /<>)r,'r ti/ii/ini'/s," ••e;udi successive rock' ioiana 
 tion presents new ^'roups ol' spv'cies. eaidi /•isi/uj [w ntimhers ami 
 pcrfcifiii/i alii)\e the last. " In the ahox'e he says. •• the lower types 
 are com[)leted at oner, and the /)ro(/rt'ys is irlinllij in tlu' hiu'her.'' 
 Both are futile a^; to all'ordinu; proof on any [)art of the suhjecls. 
 On a suhsi>(pu'iiL |iat;'c the l)r. says: — 
 
 •• in horh rccoi'ds (meaniiii;' Scri])lui'e and <ieolo<>-y) the ocean 
 ii'ives hirth to tlie fii'st dry land : and it is tlu^ sea that is tirst 
 inhahited. ytd hoth lead at least to the suspicion that a state of 
 i_i;'ne()us lluidity precetie(l t ln' ])rimitivc nnivorsal octan. -•■ -i^ -•' 
 Here, however, hoth recoitls heeoine dim and ohscure. thouii,'h it is 
 evident that hoth ])oiiit in the same direction." 
 
 As to '• the oceau 'J't''ii<j l>ii'th to the ilrij htnd," it is mertdy one 
 of the Doctor's marvellous conceptions. Sci'ipture declares, -'(Jod 
 said, Let the waters under the heaven he leathered together, and let 
 the dry land a[)poar; and it was so." Thei-e is not the least word 
 or slightest intimation in the first Ch. of (iencsis, or in any other 
 part ot Scripture, to give rise to an opinion or suspicion that a state 
 of igneous fluidity |)reee(leil the primitive ocean. This is one 
 among the numerous utterly unfounded conceptions of the W'. As 
 to the geologic record, as he and his brethren frame and exhibit it. 
 in relation to the Scripture account of creation, it is a mere congeries. 
 
•fore M'liiii 
 ivcrM Mil 
 'iKi-riiiiiu' 
 
 ii'f'cssjirv 
 ■liicli iUv 
 vliolJv ill 
 
 or iowci- 
 
 tilC nf/,1 /■ 
 
 .'iU'> and 
 on (lie 
 inii,'" i,\\ 
 (' aliovc 
 1 ]». L'2(t, 
 V iornui 
 'I'l's and 
 I' (ypos 
 
 i.U'luT." 
 lliJ»'ClS. 
 
 ■ ocean 
 is (ii'st 
 
 ■ la to ())■ 
 
 h i( is 
 
 |l.\' Olio 
 
 Ind let 
 word 
 lothei- 
 state 
 one 
 As 
 hit it, 
 iries. 
 
 76 
 
 <»r CDinp'MlMd ot" s^ti i'illilfii,it\, I'liHli/indl'l/ i-fi/iri iifi'ins. ji/'iift,l/i,'/ifi'cs. 
 
 /i(!r/i(ij)s's. pDsslltilififs. ranjii ftiri'<. and last of all snspidun.^. on all 
 wlii(di tiirv loiniil llii'ir wiM and |ii'('>uiu]>luoii- flieoi-je-;. without a 
 single appropriate I'ael lo --npport ilicni. and llicn nio.d positively 
 assert their Inith. and ea!! loi- thei!- i^'encral hclief. 
 
 The next siihjeels tur ri'nia!-i<. are as lujlow^ : — 
 
 " V \\ to the int rod net ion of man, the carnivorous tishcv. ifjitiles, 
 and quadiaijteds weio the lo;-ds an<l tyrants ol the earth. ='■ '■'•■ -i- 
 On the important |)oint of the original pi'cvalcnce of dcaiji aiiii'nL!: 
 tin- lower a.ninials. Itoih records are at one."" 
 
 '^i'here is \\{)\ a jiai't iide of t ruth in either of t he-e j>o->it!\c a---er- 
 tioiis oftlu' l)i'. NVhere i^ his proof a-- to tlio-«e |(.rd> anil !\ianis "/ 
 lie has otfcrcd none fiMui any (piarlcr. Inspired Sc-ipnire says 
 thai lishe> and reptiles. were I'reated omIn' oiu <U{]j In-foi'e man; and 
 hearts and ca! lie on the same day with him : and the hiviric < '.eatoi' 
 made all those crealures snhjeci Ionian. Tlici-e is nothing wlia!- 
 fv<>:' in Scriptare to intimate that death pre\aih'd. a.inong any (»l 
 the ci'i'atui'cs hefoi-e tin- sin and fall of man. J regret hi'ing oiiliged 
 to s]»eak so plaiidy and shai'ply ot' those assei'tions. hut heiiiu- in 
 direct opjxisilion to Scripture Irntli. it is not only ju-tifialile. Imt a 
 l•eligiou-^ iliily lo call them what they I'eally are. nn'rf f<ilsltii-^. 
 
 1 ha\e now conK' to tlu' last j)ages of the l)octor"s hook, except 
 the very exieiuled A])pendix. in wliifdi I <lo not see any slatcnienl 
 or ojiiiiion a^' to dix'ine i-ovelation. in relation to the suhjects thcicin 
 treati'l of \vhi(di I'eipiiie remarlc. And now. I feel fully warranteil 
 in asserting that the l>i'. has not given a solitary fact or any leli 
 jihU; authority to sup])ort his utterly unseriptiiral and ah>urd 
 theor\' of this wtjrkFs creation: and lam e(iuall\' conlident that 
 every unprejudiced and candid person who ha.s read his hook, will 
 come to the same conclusion, lie might Jiavo produced, as some of 
 his speculative geological hrotlireri have done, some specious or 
 plausihle facts and special descrijjtious coiieerning stratas of stone 
 and other sul)stances below the eai'ths surface, and ol" the im])res- 
 .sions on or within them, and where fotind. and at what depths; and 
 given references to ])articular specimens of hones, skeletons, and 
 other fossillift'erous reuiains, with ])articular descri])tious and other 
 circumstances concerning them. Such of them as he has mentioned, 
 in general terms, he lias himself///.s''Vt'<//'f^/as not affording ])i"oof r>f' 
 iititiqyi'dij, or on other points, as instanced in the remains in Kents 
 
r' !■■ 
 
 ^.» 
 
 1^^ 
 
 ::f:^ 
 
 and ()tlier cjucs; and xha undistin'/ui.'ihahle lnij)i'cs!sion8 on all the old 
 inetamor}iliic i-oc-ks. He lias dealt almost entii-ely in speculations, 
 eonjoctni'es and inventions, and nuire mrmiat'S and asnertioM,' i\\v\ 
 has manifested a want ofloi^ical Jtld^•mcnt and ])rndcncc in di'awini;* 
 conchisions from these foi- the support of his wild and extrava_<2^ant 
 o[)inions and theories. 
 
 V>\]\ al(hou<i;li lie has not aftbrded anything like evidence in 
 their lavor. yet as he and his <^eolo,<i;ieal and speculative l»rGthreJi 
 have so continimlly hoen presenting those sti-atas i»f roclc and fossi- 
 iifl'eious i-eniains, and wgelahle and otlier impressions as the chief 
 evidence oi- pilhirs of their theories, I think it may he satisfactoiy 
 and useful to olVer some facts and explanations i-enardinii; those 
 supposed j)i'onf^, whicji will he seen to be reasonahle and consistent 
 with Scripture truth. 
 
 \nd first I assort, and will give the most satisfactory facts and 
 reasons lo maintain tln^ position, that the disrui)ting and destruc- 
 tive nature of the uuircrsdl (hbi<jc and its obvious and certain results 
 and t'll'ects are alone (juite snlUcient to account satisfactorily foi- the 
 formation of all those stratas of rock and other substances, and for 
 the real or sup])Ose<l bones, oi' parts (.)f animals, and other fossil 
 I'omaiiis and im[)re.>si()iis found on those stratas, or elsi'whei'c. in 
 dej)ths of ilic ('•ti-lli. 
 
 There is Scrip! ui'c and oilier evidence fully sutheimt to gro'ind 
 ihe belit'f thai all f!i(> solid pai'ts of our globe I'est n[)on internal 
 seas. ;uid when, as in.-jiired tiulli has informed us. •■all the foun- 
 tains of the gi'cal (h.M'p vH'i'i' broken u]»,"" all those solid parts would, 
 of coui'se, be I'iven and shattt'red asunder in innumeralile jilaci's, 
 ;!nd then these sea- came foiMh and (lowed over the whole globe, 
 .iiid the waters iVom llie openi'd windows of heaven and those iVoni 
 • tin- great (b'eii," h;i\ini^ as deelareil in Serii)ture. •• prevailed on 
 the earth an hundrc-d ;ind lilty days in constant and tuibulent 
 niolio!!. and aho having a> -stated, continued ■• (MU' hundred days" 
 moi'" beloi'i' llu'y weiv so ab;ile(l that '•the lops ol' the mountains 
 were seen "' it is jiei-feet ly evident that the incalculable multitudes 
 of carcases of all the v:irii'ties of animals and olluu- living creatui-es, 
 with the multitudinous remains of vegetable tnatlei", ami all otlu'i- 
 snl)stanci's Vvhieh had b( en on the sufaceofthe earth, would, of 
 course, by the constant and vioU'nt movements of Ihe waters, l»e car- 
 rii'<l in all direeiion^^. am! to all <|Uarlers. in the nlniost eonfu>^ion 
 
As the waters subsided aiul •• returned from ctl' tlu' t-nrili, ' a^ 
 8cri])ture deelaros, all that eonfu.xed mass of cairaNes, and (tihrr 
 sul)stanees. would aeeording to their wci^-ht. resjtcctivriy. descnid 
 with the waters and \)(} eonve^'ed and sink down into ^rratrr or 
 lesser depths oi' the innumerable eavities of the earth, uiiulc I y that 
 previous rending* asundei' of il-> solid j)arts: and thas tin- \aiiou^ 
 stratas of roidc and other substances, woiilij, 1>\' di\in(.' \\i-(!<>i!i an'! 
 power. I>e formed anew ami (■on^oli(latf'l. This icaso.ialiU' vhw (tf 
 the subjoet is in no way opposed t(^ Script lire, and wi!l iiilly 
 aeeount for all the geolon'ieal stratas, and for the \arioii-. sii!i-lan- 
 ees, forms and remains in diil'erent depths of the earth. n!:iii\' of 
 tlu'm in reu'ions to which Ihey did not orin'inally iielonu : ::!iil il)r 
 shells and other inari/ic siilistances bi'ini;- found in the !(0.> oT !iii;ji 
 mountains: and the carcases of the ch'phant anil rliiiioee:-o<. oi' 
 j)arts thereof, in i;'reat masses in Siberia, ini-xed wiili iiK'.i'ine -iih- 
 stances. It was a most merciful arran^-emenl of ihc \\i>e aiul 
 bene\olent Creatsr. tocoii\fy fiunii t he .v'//'/'(/'(()t thccarlh liir re- 
 
 • 
 
 luainilli;" |)ot'tions of the objects of t hat de-t met i'Mi. h,(» t !|;;! \-, hen 
 numkiiul aiiain a])pcaii-d upon it. they would imt \.v di---'u-i.'d i-r jn 
 anv w:;\- injiiriousU- aU'ectcd b\- the iii-esence ot' tho>e iX'\'oll ini;- 
 ohjects. 
 
 ro'ind 
 
 ifernal 
 
 foun- 
 
 vould. 
 
 aces, 
 
 ;doi)e. 
 
 from 
 
 ed on 
 
 ulelll 
 
 'ays'- 
 
 tains 
 
 udes 
 
 II res. 
 
 ilher 
 
 d. (»f 
 
 car 
 
 ion 
 
 As regards the \arioiis st I'atas of v(,rk and oi her solid siib.-tanccs 
 in tlie intcu'ual ])arts of the eai'lh. they are e>seir.ially i'C'jui.-iie to 
 sustain the earthy poi'tion^, to jtre\eiit their falliiii;- into a shapeless 
 mas-;. 'J'hey were as needful at tin.' creation as now. and were then 
 formed, and wiscdy and orderly deposited ihiouuhout the :;!ol,e t'or 
 those purposes and othci's, aecordini;' to tin,- arranu'einents of divine 
 wisdom. .\ ( the (do^e of the d(duL!,'e. as he tor*- ohserxcil. the\' would, 
 fortius same wise and es>ential pur]>oses, be ibrined and iirran^'cd 
 anew; and this will ^o t'ai' to account lor lo>>iU of animals and 
 impi'essions of jilants beiiii!," found in some of the stone and otiua' 
 solid sti-atas. Moi'eovei'. we all know that by ri\ ers, lakes, brooks, 
 andotln'r (dianmds aii<l means, water is continually i;'oinn' down 
 into the earth, and eariio down sand, iiehhles. c;irt h. dee;i\-eii nlants 
 
 V 
 ainI vei^etahle-. and other siili.^taiices, whicdi 
 
 to increase the depth of iju' several stratas. am! therdoic the tii 
 
 I'e.plired l(»rthat inci'ease caniiol po^sihly be asecrta.iiicd. or at 
 
 s.atisliudoriU' i-stimated. liiit niiisi dejiciiil on 
 
 a.ualU- c(»nlr.liiite 
 
 lie 
 
 all 
 
 a li'rt'al variety of 
 
 circiimstani'cs and particular^ not known, and var\'in,'j,- in diU'crt'iit 
 
■i&^ 
 
 7K 
 
 t 
 
 m 
 
 M'ir 
 
 it^ 
 
 pari.-, ci' ihc WMi'ld. |)f. llitflicuck. of A iiilu'iM ( 'olIi-^X'. lias w rilU-ii 
 ilia! a .strata, oi- vast iidov !)0(> I'cot in (U-jttli. and two inilt's in 
 l('iii;ili. lias lu'ca tWniic(l in a j)ai't ol' S\vil/A'ilan<l. in onlv alioiit 800 
 \ ca-.'s. Srvt'ral \i.'a;'s ivj-o \iv\. .Idsenli Townsond. a (dtTu'vnian ol' 
 tlu' i-lni;-li<li ('!>iii-c!i. |)ul)lislu'd a woi-K'. cntitlcil •• (uMilon-icul and 
 .Min>M';il<)<;-ical K'c.-ea.'clics," in \vhi(di he was cMi^'an-cij dm-ini-; ntore 
 liiaii liflv _vc'a;-s. in JMi^'landj livland. Switzi'riadd. Jlolland. France. 
 vVr. In that work \iv tfaccd the ellVi'ls of the deluge, and maintains 
 the vei'acit y oj" the Mo.siiic iieeount ol" it, and comes to the eonclusion 
 that oui- (•ontinenls arc not of a greater anti(|uity than is assigned 
 to tln'm in the eai'l\' part ol' the Pentateuch. Durinii' those man\' 
 years he must have ascei'tained a vast ininiber aiul variety ot facts 
 and circumstances connected with the whole sultject, in all its 
 particulars and asj)ccts; and doubtless from the |)rools he thus 
 obtained, he formed his .sovoral conclusions. And what is most 
 satistiu'loiy, his opinicjns and conclu.sions aro not in oj)])<')sition to 
 divine revelation. Moreover, his sacred otiice affords a guarantee, 
 or seeuritv, for the truth of tiio facts and statements i;iven in iiis 
 work. Several oilier writers have come to the like decisions on tlu; 
 bubjects as Mr. Townsend. 
 
 The various stratas r.nd fossil bones, and other substances and 
 remains, cannot possibly allord any relialde ground or proof for the 
 beliei'of separate and long periods ot creation, and that there were- 
 wilhin those periods dillerent ordor.s and species of animals and 
 |)lan(s. and rari((nt from tiiose now existing. The 5,877 j^'ars of 
 the world's duration is a long j)ei-iod, <|ui(esui!icient for the increase 
 ot'all those stone stratas. Many, or most of those fossil bones, and 
 other remains, having for the greater |)oi"tion, and some of them 
 nearly the whob; of that time, been in the depths of the earth, and 
 Hubject to all the various inlluences, changes and circumstances 
 iiecossai'ily incident to such a situation, it is (piite impossil)le to 
 ascertain that they do not corres|)on(l with the bones of man, or 
 beast, or other creatures now on the earth. 
 
 .Vs lo the iini)re6iiion.< of jtlants and other vegetable prf)ducfs on 
 the st(»n(^ and other stratas, it is just as impossible, as with the 
 />o//e.s, to make any comiiarison which will show ditferences between 
 those iiii/H-i'ssiiiiis and the vegetable products noir on the earth, llave 
 anv of tbesi' gi'ologists. or other nattiralists, seen all the ininimer- 
 al'le varietii's of such pi'cjducls, not oniy in all the cultiratcd. but 
 
s on 
 ji tho 
 lv(>on 
 llavo 
 
 Iner- 
 
 in all iIm' iriliLrm s.< \);w'\> of the wIidIc <;i!)ln'. and mailc a i'ull 
 cNainiiialiiin and cuinjtari^on. anil. Id a ccriainlw a^ccitainrd >\\v\\ 
 (liti'crc'iH'os '.•' 'riii> tlioy must do liet'oro tlirycan s]u'ak |t()sitivt'ly 
 and (ridy on llic jminl. ll cannot be done. 'I'lu'ir wlioK' >t<)ry 
 concci'ning tin.' iiuitti'i- is uttei'ly inci'odibK'. It i> one oi llu' \rv\ 
 nuMiefoiis ('Xtravaii;anci('s ot tlmsr s|)ecid;, ,i\"{' i^foloi^ists and 
 naturalists. 1 have seen many oj' tlic-c irnhfcssiniix ow stoiu's, and 
 know that they are jtreci^ely siniU'ir in -d/c and appearance to 
 jilantx. ■•ipri</s and /ry/(N now in this I'rovince and otlici' countries. 
 
 Tu closing- his last (dia])tei', t!u> l>r. lia< uiven' the t'ollowinii; 
 remark ami e.xhoidation : — 
 
 "The reader has, I trust, found in tji(> ]»reeediiiii* pa^es. suffici- 
 ent evidence tha the liihh; hss notiiinii" todi'ead from the revelations 
 of ^-eoloii'v. itut mu(di to hope in tlie way of elucidation of its mean- 
 iuii; and eiuifiianalion of its trutii. If eonvineed of this, 1 tru>t that 
 he will allow iiio now to ask for the wartnnu,s. promises, and jii'edic- 
 tious of tlie Hook of God, his entire eontidciici' : and in con(dusion to 
 ilircet his attention to the i;doi'ious |)i'ospi'ets whi(di it holds forth 
 to the hunum race." 
 
 Now, T must confess, that T aia rutlier at a lo-s what to say of 
 these most extraordinary und inconsistent utterances of the Dr. It 
 is certain that the Bible can never havi" anythini^ to di'ead. either 
 from real science or from th(i fictions and fallacies tlie Di-. has put 
 forth, or from any other quarter. But, if tin- l)elicf of its veracity 
 and authority (lc])endc(l, in any degree, on the contents of his book, 
 that truth and authority \vould, with many. l>e very ([Uestionable. 
 I feel quite satisfied tliat he had no thought or intention of impeach- 
 ing or impairing that authority. But 1 must say. tljat after his 
 having ])ublishcd such a fictitious and distoi-tcd theory of c]'eati(»n. 
 and given such numerous statements and ai-gunients. all so diiccily 
 conti-ary to the plain letter and meaning of Scrij)fui'e, on that sub- 
 ject, this exhortation on behalf ol the iJiblc. is. to mc. after a long 
 life observation and experience, and most cxtcU'-ivc reading on A 
 great variety of subject, the most extraordinary instance i>{' tlchisiofi 
 of a literary nature -which ever came to my knowledge or can be 
 inuigined. The exhortation is good, in itself, but in connection 
 witli his unscriptural and fictitious l)ook. it is cntindy nut of place. 
 It aH'oi'ds, in the highest degree, a specimen of tlic ojiposiiion 
 l>elwcen profession and lyraetiee. 
 
80 
 
 
 
 - •■ It 
 
 ^■:i 
 
 •t'l 
 
 111 ivi^'iird to tlic book, us to real scculai- in.struction or eliticji- 
 tion of any kind, it is utterly u?^elcss to nearly every class and 
 description of persons. It would not answer as a story-liook foi' 
 chikii-en, for it is too voluminous, and contains too many hai-d 
 icrooked words and long- names to suit them. The lawyer, the l)hy- 
 sician, the merchat, the manufacturer, the eng-incer, the artizan. 
 and all the rest of the active and Inisy j)opulatioii will, if it comes 
 ]n their way, after rcadina; tw(» oi- three of its ])ai;es, consider it as 
 fictitious and a]»surd, and unworthy of their furlhci" attention. '^Fiu' 
 true spiritual christian of every denomination, ^viil. at once, see its 
 ]u*ofane contrariety- to Saci-ed Scripture, and will east it ;isi(le with 
 disL!;ust and contempt I'A-en the J)octoi'"s ij;e;)lou-ieal and other 
 speculative brethren of the naturalist classes, will not he mueli 
 taken with the book', foi- they ha\'e ofti'ti heai'd and known of all 
 \\\v. subjects ami points of science, so called, of wliich it tienls. 
 
 There is. howeve:-. a nun-e serious view to be taken of the booh. 
 Youn<^ men. especi:dly llio<e in collei;'es, and others enii;a_L!;c(l in 
 literary jiursuits and occupations, and who aie but sliii;htly 
 ac(|u:iinted with the Scri]ilures, and but litt le. if at all. intluenced 
 by relig'ious ju'inciplcs. and are inclinc<l to be independent thiidvcrs. 
 and and)itious of a))i)earini;- above ordinary oj)ini(»ns on liierury oi' 
 scientitic subjects, will, on looking; throui^'h the book, be vei-y 
 probably ijiclined so far toi^ive credit to its contents, as to discredit 
 or j-eject the truths and teachings ot' the ins])ire(l Scriptures. 
 
 The enquiry nniy fairly be suggested from what motive, oi- 
 with what intention or design did the Dr. prepaie and jnd)lish the 
 book. Siu'cly it was not needed for any relii/ious, moral or bencvolenf 
 pur[)ose, or even one ot a speculative geological desci'ijition, for 
 there have alretidy bei-n more than enough of ))ublications of this 
 nature, and his book- is not much more than a rejjetition of the 
 contents of many of the others. What, then, could have prom})ted 
 him to sj)t'nd so much time and attention as he nnist have emj^loyed 
 in com.})osing this utterly useless and unworthy book. Whatever 
 he mtiy think of it. as to public rei-eptiiui and estimation, it will, in 
 the view of all '•ight-lhiidving })ersons. be veiy far fj-oni adding i.. 
 his literary leputalion. to say nothing of i-eligious considerations. 
 
 It would really seem as it' the specul.-itive literaiy characters 
 of the present <lay. in tlu'ir writings and lecturings on geological 
 an', itjuai'ian. aji<l various other sui/|ects. were, by their wild and 
 
 W 
 
>r e'lifiea- 
 ■!ass and 
 -book for 
 ai\y hanl 
 , the phy- 
 3 artizaii. 
 I' it coincs 
 Mcloi' it as 
 
 ion. Tiif 
 (•('. SCO its 
 iside witli 
 md other 
 
 hr much 
 wii of all 
 i cats. 
 
 the Ijoo!;. 
 
 nii;:»_<;'cd in 
 
 sli,-;-htly 
 
 inlhicnec'd 
 
 thinkers. 
 
 lU'i'iiry 01' 
 
 he vei'V 
 
 discredit 
 
 es. 
 
 notive. or 
 i))lish the 
 vi'itcroletit 
 |)tion, for 
 s of this 
 n of the 
 l)roini)teil 
 |niph)yed 
 ^hatcver 
 will, ill 
 id<lini;' I" 
 litions. 
 
 |aractei"s 
 
 '(>]i)i>'ic;il 
 I'ild :ind 
 
 81 
 
 iniai;M native notions and theories, chiefly, ii' not solely, influenrod 
 l)y Llic^ desii'o of gaining" notoriety and ]iuhlic distinction lor posses- 
 wing suj»erior (jenius, and natni'al, as well as acquired endowments. 
 This dispodtion or desire does indeed Ijeloiiii; lo unicersal humanity, 
 in its natural state, i\\\(\ is nuuufested in greatei' oi' lesser degrees 
 hy eveiy individual, and in all the stages of life, and can only he 
 fully overcome and ei-adicated hy a divine pr)wer. 1 have often 
 thouglit of a puem I i-i'ad in vei'y early life, composed by the 
 celebrated Dr. Kdwaid Young, undei' the title, — '' The love of Fame 
 tjie Universal Passion.'" l-'roni long obseivation and exj)ei'ienoe of 
 the (pialilies and ])r((|)ensities ot oui" common humanity, I have 
 boco;ao convince I that this dodns of aitracting pul)lic notice, or in 
 other words. )iotorietij, <lli<tinction, or superiority in some physical or 
 menial (piality oi" occu]>ation, or species of conduct, or in some 
 olhei' mode or manner, is indeed by natui'e universal. It is mani- 
 fested in childhood, in youth, aiul in middle and I'ipened age, ami 
 th.'oughoui all the ranks, jn-ofessions and occuj)atioMs ot' life, from 
 the peasant uj) to the throne. 
 
 The little gii-l who got on a cliair and put her feet out ol' the 
 frruil wimlow. that tlie passer.^ b\' might see and admire the red 
 morocco boots her ma had given her; the boy who strives to exctd 
 witli marbles or (juoils, Jumping or leajting, swimming or skating, 
 OI- in their various other amusements and exploits ; the young men 
 at bat and ball, and other athletic sports; the horse-racers and 
 boat-raeei's ; the gamestei-s, showmen, butfoons, ])idilic singers, 
 stage actors, neci'omancei-s and s[)iritualists ; manufacturers, 
 artizans and traders, lawyers and doctors; the wari-iors by sea and 
 land; the pcditical statesmen; the exjdorers by land and sea; the 
 romance writers; tiie inventors of new and extiavagant theoi-ies, 
 such as siiontaneous 'jeneration, transmutation hy evolution, antiipiarians. 
 and the great variety of other speculative (diaraclers, and even 
 down lo the |)rivate thieves and puljlic robbers, and proficients in 
 inventing and retailing lies, are all. more or less, influenced by the 
 desire of fame or notoriety, for sujierior skill, or other attainments 
 in their ))rofe!ssional or other employments or performanees. We 
 have had souie of such charact<'rs in this city and Province, as in 
 all other lands; and they are both in town and country. 
 
 I have included ]>r()ticients in /'nr(^nf/nr/ and retailinfj //^.s.'forl 
 i-emember. that in mv bovhood, I was crediblv infoi-med of an old 
 
82 
 
 '!'■ 
 
 tishei-man, who had, by iVoquent pi'Jictice, olttiiiiu-d siicli a i'aine or 
 notoritty in that lino, that tishernieii and others around him, and 
 fsonie i'rom distant quarters, visi.ed him i'roin time to time to hear 
 the mai'vellous lying' tales ho invented tor theii' amusement. Hut 
 in the lii^ht <)[' truth and reason and juat repute, he was not at all 
 more culpable, it' so mueh s<j, as those in higher I'anks, who invent 
 and publish written romanees I'or the amusement ol' iha frivolous, the 
 idle and dissijjcifed. 
 
 1 cannot know, and therefore cannot say, wlietlu'r Dr. Dawson 
 was, or was not induced to ]»ro])are aii<l publish this worse than 
 useless book, from any desire ot fdine or iiotorieti/, but I will ctuli- 
 dently assort that it cannot ])ossibly pi'omoti- t\\\y ntortil ov bcucco- 
 (ent purposes, oi- even any of a really usotul liti'i-ary nalure, iioi- can 
 it, in any way, subserve the pi-actical interests or (luiie> of civil 
 life. And further, T maintain that its manifot tendency :s t(» 
 impair the belief and authority of divine revelation. 
 
 M 
 
 
 ) 
 
 I- -m 
 
 -b- 
 
a tamo oj* 
 Iiiiiu and 
 L' If) hear 
 Mlt. But 
 lot at all 
 'lo invent 
 oloxiti, the 
 
 Dawson 
 I'se than 
 ill cdmH- 
 " bcnevo- 
 \\()v can 
 of civil 
 :t is to