Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-11-17
TO CORRESPONDENrs
sn.enln,len. Not PoImleal.

work bv Rev W. n PendletOn d. D., Of Lexington, a.
bearing the title "ScIEScE WIrSEss FOR Tux BIBLK
Il evnces extensive investigation and FINISHES the re-
Elections and conclusions Of vigorous and ueldiscpln-
ed intellect The author Vlrgnan by birth and long
hereditary tide having had the advantage Of the tho
rough scienfs instruction West Point has, in the pre-
marathon Of this volume ayaed himself OF vide research
in the 6eds Of Science and Discovery, and displays
large acquaintance with philosophers authors and teach
era of al times and lands. On fsubiect which so many
able writers have preceded him. t would be exceeding
'Iy Difficult, to advance anything or original and,
accordingly our authors arguments consist chiefly Of
the discoveries and conclusions Of bis predecessors On
each Of the five lectures into which his work IS divided
MANY volumes have been written; and his principal OBJ
iect appears to be 70 condense and present in the
most Ineligible and popular FORM the facts and reason
ing which tend to establish his views and dsProve or at
least greatly veakeo those Of authors the other side
That some few Of bis positions are not eonvineingy
proved We al once admit but with these exceptions he
has adduccd array Of facts and arguments to show
there is nothing in the Bibe-firly InterPreted-that
science sontradc and which ought to satisfy every man
not totally blinded BY rsudce, totally ignorant Of
modern science
Our authors first chapter is devoted to discussion
of the actual relations between science and revelAOn-
Nearly in the outset he truly remarks that science has
"become controlling element in modern civilization
81. is undoubtedly one Of the two prime agencies By
"uhieh civilized man IS distinguished in these latter
cages lis the grand material element Of human pro
Uress the other agency being the moral element Of
Revelation. The aphorism quoted from Lord Bacon
would be invaluable 70 authors il they could thereby be
brought 70 conviction Of the small extent at best Of
al heir knowledge. "Man, the minister and inter
preter Of nature does and understands as much as his
observations on the order Of nature either with respect
to things or the mind permit him, and neither knows
"nor Is capable OF more"
The point Is extremely well argued that "the Bible
as calculated to dspel false and develope true phil
sosophy Of uature,-the simple aductive method Of de-
termining truth is appealed in al is teachings-the
"works that do they bear witness Of me- was the
memorable dictum Of unerrirg lips Aud our author
then quotes striking passage from Humboldt Who vas
At least not preudced in favor Of the Bioe st IS char
s.cterse Of the poetry Of the Hebrews, that as ref
of monotheism always embraces the universe in %
uui-v comprising both the terrestrial life and the 10
sminlous realms Of space. The Hebrew poet does not
depc. nature as sefdependeni object glorious in its
tiudivduA beauty but always IS in relation and subsc-
stion 20 higher spiritual power. Nature is to him
'xork Of creation and order the living expression Of
'tae omapresence Of the Divinity in the visible world
"Henee the lyrical poetry Of the Hebrews from the very
mature Of is subject grand and solemn; and when il
Greats Of the earthly condition Of MANKIND is full Of sad
and psnsive longing. Their epic or historical MARIA
"tons are marked by graceful simplicity, almost more
"uaadorned than those ofHerodO,us, and most true to
nature; but their lyrical composition Is more adorned,
"and develops rich and animated conception OF the life
"of nature. Il might almost be said that one single
psalm goa represents the image Of the whole cosmos
&c We are not
'aeeus,oued to ind in lyric poem Of such limited
compass the whole universe.
The meteorological processes which take place in The az
nssphere the formation and solution Of vapor accord
eng to the changing direction OF the Ani, the play OF
"olor the generation Of hail and the rolling thunder,
.ar. described Ga the ancient if not ansenosaic booA
.of Job with ndivilullug ACCURACY and many q'cs-
ons are propoundei which, We, in The present state OF
.our physical knoulcdge may indeed be able to express
under more scientific definitions but scarcely to au-
"sver satisfactorily"
The authors tribute the genius Of Newton is beauti-
fil and jGst "But far more than all. that land OF BIZ
bes snd churches gave to the world that wonderful
man. tie euthroned prime Of all the philosophers,
70 uhose patient and persuasive band the bright sun
beam Welded the secret OF the painted bOw, and Of
all the sweet eolOrngs OF earth, and 70 whose calm,
attentive eye the invisible cords revealed themselves
which bind together the material universe
In his second chapter or discussion, author con
-idsrs the question Of the origin Of mankind whether
an we're created in nations derived from single
,ir And here We confess his conclusions aud reasoL
urs are less satisfactory US than any other part OF
his book Not that are by any means Influenced By
such specultons as those Of the Types OF Aankind-
the aVes,iees Of Creaton"-and kindred works. We
deem the arguments in proof Of the original creation Of
dif,ren. races Of men unsound and unsciennhc, and
the facts in support thereof questionable or unsaiisiaeto
~ We admit that the weight Of argument atogelh-
- on the side Of author aud h3 co-hbOrers but We
do not admit the question 20 be settled By science We
believe il still an open question, or at least one
not settled by induction and in this state, we at once
admit the authority Of the Bible That settles the mat
ter which science cannot pro coa. But TOR such au
90 orty we should doubt and sometimes the doubt rH
arise that our negroes we're Of the same race With
ourselves. Our author who says be has always been
familiar with negroes at the South thinks be discovers
marked improvement in the race We are really una
BILE TO detect any physcs improvement in those Of un
mixed blood while the moral and intellectual improve
meat IL marked
In his third ehaptsr, The Chronology Of Creation our
authors argument forcble transferable. If any one
fact be conclusivey established by modern science h is
the great antiquity Of the earth. lt totally impossible
that the world can be only six thousand years old, or
that the earth could have attained is present condition
in si1 natural days or sky sixty thousand or sixty
thousand times sixty. The researches OF Geology are
conclusive and our authors object Is very properly, to
give such an Interpretation the sacred narrative, As to
substitute ages or long periods Of time for days The
discussion Is conducted with great Abhy-as great A.
the limit prescribed to himself could admit Some cou-
sderaons occur 70 US which By profession might
not admit 70 be scientific, but which think Of great
weight Hitchcock Pye Smith and others consider the
sacred expression In the beginning Sc 70 indicate
great indefinite period shAs elapsed before the fist
da, Of Noses began and within that period creatures
whose fossil remains furnish evidence Of ineaeulabls an
tqaty lived and died And De. John Cumming, sorely
puzzled 70 reconcile the distraction Of many genera
with the sacred declaration that death entered the world
because Of sin, beieVes-perhAps ustythat the fallen
angels bad nned before this "bsgiHniHg aud that they
entaied death upon the buried occupants Of the siu
Ran and superior strata. One simple consideration
shows thai these creatures could not have lived prior
Moses first day. Few none Of them wanted eyes
Now light the first creation Of the first day,
quenly these beings had eyes without the ability
them 10 any purpose. But the Almighty supplies
useless organs nor according to the results Of phyOO
gca research could creatures With power Of VisOn
plants .ha, supplied food continue exist in uninter
rupted darkness. As the sun, aud not