The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-02-13

Geological Lectures and their Teachings.
We feel convinced that the amount of lectures
spread before the community On the subject Of geol
ogy, must satisfy even those who are most inordi
nately thirsty for information that prolific topic,
whose insxhaustible variety is only equaled by its
duetility, which is so great that it has been ham,
mered and twisted into the most absurd shapes, to
suit the ideas OF the operator.
In yesterdays HERALD we presented to our read
ers not less than four lectures this subject, two
of them given IN Washington, by Professor Sill.
man, and two in this city, by Dr. Antisell and Pro-
lessor Guyon. DR.. Antiseu is q gentleman who
has cultivated the science of geology with great as
siduity, and brought to the performance Of the
task . comprehensive intellect and mind highly
enlightened in the kindred branches Of natural
science and HE lectures arc, therefore, interesting,
from the lucid and simple manner in Y hch he pre-.
sens the repertory Of facts, and demonstrates their
proofs, leaving the deductions to be inferred by his
auditory. Previous to the commencement of his
sories We called the heologians and stcklersfor
orthodoxy to look out and be ready to throw the
agis Of their learning over the Mosaic history Of
creation which we conceived to be in danger from
the assaults Of geological science. Oar warning
was responded to, and we have, consequently in the
field Professor Guyon, Of Cambridge, German
sacan, who processes to defend "the literal cancor
darce Of the Mosaic account Of the creation with
modern science He gave his first lee ure in Hope
Chapel on Wednesday evening, q report Of whi,S
appeared in Thursdays HERALD.
This new scientif, champion, Mr.. Guyon, how
ever, seems to have mistaken his party and turned
his lance against his friends. He deals most mer
CHESS knocks against the sacred historian, and con.
Pounds his simple, poetic, and oriental narration
into an undergraduate mflange Of modern
geology, shows him to have used ambiguous
language, as If for the purpose Of. concealing
his thoughts, and gives no less than four distinct
signifcations to the word day., as used in tho first
chapter Of Genesis. The Elk days he takes to be
cycles periods Of time, Of ineatimabe duration;
and he assumes that the chaos in which the world
was described TO be, before duration. was gaseous
matter, which, by chemical combination, became
seidiied into the form Of tie globe, attributng is
formation, therefore, to the operation Of natural
laws not TO the simple creative act of the Supreme
Voltaire and the French encyclopedias could not
have furnished stronger more sarcastic arguments
against the Church, and in support Of their atheist
zeal theories, and even Shelley coald not have
more completely thro wn overheard divine revela-
ton, WHOM RI said ETERNITY within, eternity wish.
out, bellies creation" If Professor Guyon is to be
taken as authority, sll tho holy fathers Of the
church and the Jewish Sintoirim wero a. logger
heads and their chronology is all N aonshiue; and
less inevitable consequence results from l., that
Il observance Of the Sabb ath is but ridiculous
ceremony, as the six days Of creation and the
seventh Off we're not astronomical days at all,
but periods Of immense and undeter niaed duration.
We think that the learned Professor GuyoI has
run his head against the pillars Of orthodox faith.
lis attenp. to dress up the grand and beautiful
and exquisitely oriental ideas ard EXPRESSIONS Of
Moses to suit the modern principles and nomen-
catuTe Of geological science, is about as ridiculous
as If he had procured the mummy Of Moses out OF
its concealed sepIlchrc in the valley OF Moab, and
attred il in French pants, vest, zephyr, aud chapeau
a Ia mode. He seems to be Mephis.o ohiles turned
professor in geology and doctor in divinity in one
breath.
TIE Arr UNION LoTTERY--THE DRAWING
DAYAT LAsT.-The Committee of Arrangement
for ne American Art Union lottery have Just an
noupced that the drawing will positively take place
on the 30th Of March, next month. With an
equally solemn assurance they announcedlast year,
on any occasions, that TIE lottery and distribu.
tion would take place the 30th of last December.
They violated their public pledge on that occasion,
and what rccuri.y have tbose who paid tteir money
that these managers will not violate their pledge
sesoEd time Be this as i: may. they make a
p:teous appeal to the pubc and the friends Of art
10 purchase a few more Of their lottery tickets,
during the interval betgeen this and the day Of
drawing.
This sp peal seems to be made from a conscious.
nes Of deep distress, existing somewhere in the
management of the institution. According TO some
OF the statements made, they based their cal
cuaton sale OF Il, 600 lottery tickets for ISL;
but at the close Of the year they had only sold
1000 They had no RICH. whatever to ostpone
the distribution merely because they wished 10 sell
3 600 more lottery tickets. This reason twill not
hold water" II is utterly futile. We sus poet, from
their own showing, that some grave mismasage-
ment m 1st have characterized the arrang ements OF
the managers heretofore, to render it necessary for
them to break their promises, and mend Thorn no v
with fresh batch. 1t seems their promises ere
like pie crust, and their "good intentions /" bear
most remarkable resemblance to those with which,
it IL said, pandomonium Ia paved.
The appeal to the public TO buy moro lottery
tickets Of this description will, we hope, receive
q proper notice from the Grand Jury, instead Of
the public. Livery one possessed Of intellec; and
right moral principle is in favor Of encouraging the
fine arts and aiding and assisting American artists
but we are not called on to violate the laws and
constitution of the state, and moral rectitudc alss
by encouraging lotteries and gambling, merely
to serve any such purpose. Lot the Grand
Jury, therefore, do its duty The managers havo
already received money enough from humbugged
community. They have got S6o,o00 Tor 1851 but
they are still unsatsfsd. Instead, however, of
giving them more money, upon doubtful promise
ofa drawing on the Both Of March, 1852, they ought
to re compelled to dsg 1rge what they have already
received under the false promise of a drawing on
the S0th Of December, 1sji. Again we say, let the
Grand jury do lite duty.
Political Intelligence.
NJ Trt X