Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1856-04-02
ORIGINAL PAPERS,
Written for the Spirit Of the Age.
ne Noachian Deluge. lot Universal.

The proposition which forms the cap
tion Of this article may occasion surprise
in the minds Of those who have never ex-
amincd any Of the records of science. To
others it may be q source of fear for the
truth and honor of Gods holy word
while others from dcep-seated and un-
compromising old fogyism, desperate de-
termination to oppose every new idea, and
adhere with deathlike tenacity to the /
customs, opinions, and practices Of our
fathers" will rcpuiiate with holy horror
this new doctrine, without giving it mo-
ments attention, considering it only as
another and more fearful encroachment on
their loved and timc-honored faith But
to one and all we say, fear not for scien-
tilic truths rightly understood and cor
rcctly applied, haze never, and acW never
conflict with correct interpretations of the
Bible. On the other hand, these truths
unyeil the mystery Of many passages of
the sacred volume, shed a radiant light
where all before was darkness, and I'LL our
minds and elevate our souls with brighter
views and nobler conceptions of the wis
dom, love, grandeur, and glory of the
The time was when our earth was con-
sidered the centre Of the universe, around
which the sun and stars revolyc, and for
which alone they were created while over
head solid concave armament was estab-
lished to divide the waters above from the
waters below But this fanciful frma-
ment has long since melted away before
the astronomers burning gaze, and our
boasted earth is demonstrated to be a mere
speck on the boundless map of creation
and among the smallest of great number
of worlds all revolving in beautiful and
sublime harmony around the sun, the
great centre and source of light and life
And this truth, though prosecuted as he
retical when first announced, is now admit
ted by the merest tyrO, and is fully and
triumphantly vindicated from all charges
of contradicting the teachings of Scrip
ture. And thus admitted, what lofty
ideas does it give us of the magnificent
creations and the vast plans Of Jehovah.
And thus it has always proved and will
ever prove in regard to every scientific
truth. For both Scripture and Science
are revelations from God, aud as such
they cannot be otherwise than perfectly
consistent.
's'~ klfother Important idea is, that the Bi-
bic was not intended as a text book Of nat
ural science. Its object is to teach moral
truth, to develop the laws which govern
the moral world, to reveal the character
and attributes Of God, and to point MAJ
to that high aud noble destiny which
awaits him as the reward of obedience ant
faith And hence we find that when tn
sacred writer's had occasion to refer to an,
natural phenomenon, they spoke of it ac
cording to appearances and not accordin
to reality. For those to whom they the
addressed thems elves, were but slight
removed from barbarism, and knew moth
ing of the developments Of modern SC
ence, and hence were entirely unable
comprehend the reality, had it been pr'
sented to them.
But let us come to the proposition t
be considered. And first, we premis,
that the deluge was the result or effet
of natural causes. Indeed we are led I
this conclusion by the narrative Of Moses
he tells us that there was rain of fort
days duration, and that the fountains
the deep were broken up. This rain, "
must admit to be in accordance with ma
ural law and if We understand by I'll
breaking up of the fountains of the dee
au overflow of the ocean, which is tt
adopted Interpretation of the passage, th
portion of the narrative is likewise refer
Die to physical causes. The subsiden,
of the waters, also, which is ascribed to
wind, is cxplainable by laws long since d
termned and admitted But while v
thus deny the exercise Of any miraeulo,
agency, and attribute the deluge Who'll
to natural causes, we must say that un
sual energy and power were given to the
causes, thus occasoning uncommon effect
The first argument which we offer
favor Of limited deluge, is derived fro
a consideration of its object We lea
from the sacred historian that it was a
- mai infection upon man for his gross vie
cdness " And God saw that the wicke
ness of man was great in the earth, a
that every imagination of the thoughts
his heart was only evil continually. Al
the Lord said, | will destroy man, who
/ have created, from the face of the earth
Man had gone to such lengths in sin, h
sunk so deep in deprayity, and had be
so forgetful of everything but the graf
cation Of his depraved aud degrading lus
that it repented God that lie had ma
him, and He determined to destroy h
" from the face of the earth" by or
deluge. Now, as only sixteen hundl
and fifty years had elapsed since the or
tion, we cannot suppose that the race
spread over the whole earth. And WI
VIC rccolect that the fecundity of the
man race was even less than at prese
and, moreover that depravity and vi
such as must have existed at that tn
are opposed to rapid propagation of
species, We cannot believe otherwise Il
that 1t was confined to a comparativ
small portion Of central or western A
Then, whence could have arisen the
cessity of universal deluge the avo,
object of which was to destroy Great
which inhabited only a small district
Is characteristic feature and set
principle in Gods government, that me
are adapted to the ends to be accomplish
and the universality of the deluge W,
not only be departure from this p1