Weekly national intelligencer., 1851-04-19


msgnesm ss.anirm and other active agents, only recently
known TO u.s. but always setting from the beginning.
may now presume to interpret the meaning Of the original
In accordance with the improvements Of age.
And is very striking proof Of the advancement Of nsu-
raj science in former ages thought to be exceedingly prmi
tive compared with own, that we gain natural SCI
enti6c knowledge to explain such histories find they
daily become more Ineligible rs if In fact, they had
been ,ortea By scientific man. IN PLAIN terms, to inform
people tco not scientific in the wonderful arrange
Of the God in order to divert their attention from
ridiculous or frivolous observsnee altogether variance with
proper comprehension of His attributes, and Of those He
has endowed as with.
We cannot believe that these ancient Scriptures writ
ten solely to encourage theological dispuaons and contro
versy to which they have aen withou. having
practical active and ineligible bearing upon the history,
morals customs and Institutions Of social life, designed for
the instruction Of g the sons of men,"
The examinations Of physicians geometcians nauraists
and geoogss prore the upersal deuge which has been
taught us by mistranslaon msconcepon, the only
ner in which these truthful and extraordinary records be
ansgonized and by which they often prove be pever
edan occurrence early toressen by the original writer.
There have been different instances Of diluviaf action
our globe Of dsren. ages and of than local
extent All the evidences Of the results Of such action
main and proofs thus multiplied that II such general
deluge had occurred since inhabited the earth, certain
absolute results have ensued which not apparent
An eminent clerical writer, of modern accomplishments
declares If we suppose the food to have been mraeu
ousy Cor supenauraly) produced, and all the difficulties
thus overcome must also suppose that it was miracu-
ousy terminated, and every trace and mark of it super
naturally efisced and destroyed;" although the date
commonly assigned to this is recent as $50 years
from present writing, age less than that claimed BY
some existing civilized nations.
We are informed that the Jesuit missionaries in China
impressed by the high antiquity in the records OF
that people, that they applied for change in our chronology
The Hebrew Scripture affords too many evidences OF the
preparation and arrangements attending the heren-descnbed
deuge authorize the Interpretation in our present version
of that limited and very natural No new era in
the distribution Of mankind need therefore be calculated from
this flood.
We have "miraces and "wonders" enough in the ma
tura world which we do kno~ God has created, to satisfy
every rational nqung mind of the character of the Creator
He does not require ridiculous interpretations Of his acts to
influence the belief the behavior Of his creatures If we
had records of the impressions made upon
the aboIignes of this continent when they first the ships
of the stranger Of distant tribes and people who first view
ed steamboat could approach somewhat to the
history of the deuge, which recorded in writing
long while after the time Of Noah and his Within the
present century intelligent Indian would describe what be
saw, "in pillar Of fire by night and cloud by day.,
the great Father Of Rivers the Missspp and, if desrous
Of showing accuracy in DETAIL he would give the literal size
shape different stories and various contents of Of the
massive vessels, with its inhabitants and
supplies, in nearly the Of the Hebrew writer In
moral point of view the history, ordinarily insisted upon
gives very little insight into the providence Of God for
which purpose It is confessedt to be written.
We are informed by the text that the wickedness of
great upon the earth, and every imagination of the
thoughts of his heart only evil continually y therefore all
to be destroyed except the members Of family upon
the ea "and two of every sort of living thing Of all fesh
and all food that required for such. These all
be gathered and placed in ark, floating vessel de-
scrbed be Of limited dimensions, which UNDER
stand The poetry of the language requires attentions and
the pbraseoogy Of the people who the history needs
limitation render their intention correctly to ideas and
understandings The size Of the vessel dspropooned
the required by all existing species of animals insects
fowls and creeping hings with the diversified food necessary
during the space Of their confinement which is men,
toned. Besides, provision would have been required
for fishes and shell animals, many Of which cannot live in
fresh water, while Others cannot live in salt The history
itself affords too many data to confirm the fictitious nerpre
taton attempted to be imposed upon by some as an i'm
portant point Of beef while is acknowledged by others
thought be better informed " that hesitation upon this
point will not involve the deecon Of any material religious
doctrine" If the generally true, it
would involve important matter but proves to be
very doubtful feel easy in criticism Of avowed
error. a.#. .......
Do we perceive that after the destruction of every living
thing upon the dry land mankind described in the
Scriptures have become any better than they before
Were not sodom and Gomorrah destroyed after that time,
and since that time Pompe and Herculaneum, by the action
Of the natural created the God who preserved
Noah and his family We should need frequent deuges by
false interpretations.
Whenever in distress encounter misfortune,
conscience necessarily and naturally refers them to their
oDsnces To destroy their hopes their offspring properly
brings their sins remembrance In this light the Scrip
lures offer US an important lesson, which restricted by
false Interpretation Of intentions Why an especial
moral law long afterwards given regulate mems actions
wards each Other unless show by actual observation and
experience the tendencies and results of contrary conduct
The modern preceP is good I is better to talk to
men Of what they ought know than Of what they cannot
: know"
That floods have destroyed numbers in different parts Of
this earth, we do know but according the Scripture there
must have been large population existing in other portions
of the world when Noah prepared for the flood and we can
not consider ourselves all authorized BY the Scriptures to
refer the settlement" of all parts Of the earth to the mia
ton Of his family although there had already been an
tuniy for the intermngng of different of men in his
family the number of which, however, is left very indisnc
these writings. We perceive for the active