Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-10-21
COMMUNICATIONS.
THE ORIGIN OF THE DELUGE AS CONNECTED
WITH GEOLOGY"

MEssRs. EDIToRs A communication with the above
caption appeared in the Inelligencer of Monday last
signed ROBERT MILLS, Washington" 1t seems that
previous article Of his the subject called forth
reply from SUSSEX" to which Mr.. Mlss communica-
tion of Monday is reoinder The first article Of this
series did see and consequently know the views Of
the parties from the two latter only. presume how
ever that the rejonder of Mr. Mills presents fair view
of his argument at least Of his main positions as he
writes "confrmatory Of what was before remarked"
have acquaintance with either of these gentle
men, but my attention has been drawn to their articles
from the high Importance Of the subject discussed and
PROPOSE Messrs. Editors with your permission, to ex-
anime the points raised Mr.. Mills expresses the hope
that this interesting subject Sussex viii be salts
fed with his po, confrmatory," sc. doubt whether
he win be SO easily satisfied the confirmation here
given appears to be assertion and judge from the
article s. that the first of the series nothing more
At all events know Of who not satisfied and
while for one entirely dissent from Mr.. Ms main
points, understand them will endeavor to express
that dissent respectfully and in spirit Of fairness and
csndor
understand Mr.. Mills to maintain as follows:
/. That the Mosaic Deuge brought about by "na-
tural causes"
q That these causes were the internal fires of the
EARTH which produced the uprising of the Western
continent from the waters which had hitherto covered
it," that this uprising caused the waters of the ocean to
fowover the Eastern hemisphere, and thus occasioned
the deluge.
5. That consequently the Western or American CONT
part of the original creation, had exist
prior to the Deuge and then evolved from the
deep the expeden for submcging the Eastern world
or rather the world.
These may be regarded the chief positions taken.
That do not msstate them viii clearly appear. He
saws fhe italics the authors:l must be admitted
that the change manifest the surface of earth
have been caused by natural means" " Thus he (God)
caused continent to rise to execute his sentence and
commissioned the internal of earth to action in
junction with the waters" " When the fountains of
the great deep broken up by the action of the in
terna fires there the creation, the Western con-
tincnt, and effected the design of Deity sat the cred
lion the Eastern continent only raised above the
tiers The rising of the American or Western continent
was as before stated the effect of internal fires
When such positions are laid down wemight fairly ask
their author for the proof Sussex" to have
done but search in vain for it. The conhrmatory
reondsr contains neither geological facts geological
authorities unless the assertions Of Mr. Mills be
deemed to contain them In relating the whole process
the action Of the internal fires, the rising of the new
continent the of the waters to the East and
West their place Of meeting, the ratification OF the at
mosphere the evaporation the and force Of the
Winds and the specific results of the whole CONFUSION as
to time place. and circumstancehe speaks without even
probable but with the confidence and particularly Of
actual observer, giving narrative OF that which had
transpired under his own eye.
Lei US notice our authors positions in their order.
/. That the Deuge the result of natural causes
He evidently does not natural causes in dis
tincton from moral He freely admits that the immoral
state Of mankind, the vcs Of the human race, con-
stituted the great moral which led the Almighty
:" to execute his sentence" of destruction. He means
natural in distinction from supernatural that God did
not work q miracle but made Of natural means
already in action to accomplish his purpose Upon this
point have special obectioto urge further than
to say that think any person reading the sacred
he cd hat
all the arrangements and agencies for producing the flood
indicated the action Of supernatural power provided
the reader willing to admit that God ever has exer
csed such power earth We will not detain the reader
by citing any part of the narrative in proof the Bible
is open book. Mr. Mills doubt credits the Divine
record he quotes it in his article. And this point
to the of the Deluge being natural or superna
tural, there may be difference of opinion without i'm
peaching any ones for Divine truth The great
thing is to admit Gods agency, as Mr. NJ freely does
Whether by miraculous power he caused the waters to
ubmerge the earth made Of natural agencies for
this end is immateria provided admit what is the
only rational vew that all natural created and
controlled by the Almighty, and do not into the wild
vagary that "natura causes something entirely dis
tnet from and independent of the power and agency of
God. Men sometimes talk about Nature and natural
though they equally shared the throne with the
Deity separate Deity entirely This is as alb
horreDt to to revelation We do not suppose
Mr.. Mills entertains any such idea Of natural causes
The sign given to Noah, the bow in the cloud, that
the world should not again be destroyed by food be-
ieved by some to have then appeared for the first time
by others have been familiar to the people long before,
and that God merely referred to that we'll known object
and then deagnated it to be standing memorial. In
either Gods agency is recognised and either view
is consistent with the design. Now, if Mr.. Mills, in
sscrbng the Deluge to natural causes recognises the
agency of God in employing these causes in the same
sense he may have employed the bow in the cloud
for the purpose designed, let pass still remarking,
however that deem the fair construction of the record
to indicate more than natural agency
But to the next two positions of Mr. Mills, which may
be examined together have serious objections
We believe they in conflict with the highest authori-
that they equally in conflict with scripture far
any thing the Divine record bears upon the question
We do not by this that the Deluge may not have
been caused by internal fires (either already IN ac-
ton aud employed systematically brought into
ton by the Deity raising the earth and causing the
waters ow, though think that there is nothing in
scripture geology to countenanee this idea and not
only but that there is much in the latter both in its
facts and authorities warrant the contrary. But,
though we admit for arguments sake that the Deuge
was caused in this way what is the evidence that these
internal fires raised thus Western continent and that 1t then
sprang into being creation? We insist that geo.
logical facts attest the contrary, will be seen in the
sequel.
To make out our case, then, against Mr. Mlss theory
it only necessary to show, lst that judging from the
only written record have the fair inference is that
the Deuye was not that character warrant its having
been produced by the violence Of "nternal fires up
heaving whole continents ID that from its recorded
character it could not have produced those changes in
the organic structure of the earth which Mr. NJ. seems
to suppose but that those changes Of much earlier
date 3D. and that the Western continent was not first
brought light at the period of the Deluge but
doubt much part Of the original creation the