Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1869-09-14
The Revolution in Geology.
SCIENCE & INFIDEL1rY BACKING DOWN

SCIENCE & INFIDELITY BACKING DOWN.
Geologists have, for the last thirty
years. been insisting on the discrep-
ancy between their theory of the
formation of the earth and the Bible
account Of the creation. The infdel
clergy of Europe and America have
called the geology theory science"
and have disparaged the Bible as op,
posed to science. This s0-called sci
ence, however, is not a well-ascertain-
ed body of facts, but a hypothesis
namely, that the planetary system
originally consisted of a red-hot cloud
Of gas, a nebul9, which gradually
cooling down while revolving, cast off
the planets, and our earth among
them, in a gaseous state, gradually
condensing into a molten metal.
crust of granite rocks cooling over
the surface and called the primary
strata, which crust was gradually
washed down by rains and rivers into
the beds Of ancient seas, thus forming
the sedimentary strata composing the
solid earth, and leading the interior
composed Of molten granite sea of
fire, whose storms cause earthquakes
in our floating crust and occasion the
eruptions of volcanoes. Assuming this
as the mode Of the earth's formation.
various calculations of the time nee
essary for the process have been made,
and scales Of some millions of years.
more or less, have been affixed to par
ticular portions Of the geologic strata.
The popular interest, however, has
been attracted more particularly to
that part of the series which includes
the human race. A number of modern
geologists seem disposed to assert the
existence of human fossils in strata
not less than a hundred thousand
years old, by their chronology; and
among these, some of our State geolo-
gists, at the meeting of the American
Association for the Advancement of
Science. last year were quite positive
stating this as an ascertained fact /;
while the State Of Illinois has expend-
ed the public money in publishing this
alleged fact, for the information of its
citizens, in the Report of the Geolog-
ical Survey Of that State. The daily
papers Of many Of our cities, especial
ly those which issue Sunday editions,
have been jubilant over this alleged
contradiction of the Bible-perceiving
that, if they can geologically oyerturn
Moses account of creation, they will
not have much to fear from him theo-
logically.
Christian writer's have not general
II walked up to the Importance of this
issue, or, perhaps, are not generally
sufficiently acquainted with the merits
of the question. 1t must, however, be
fully and fairly met; the alleged facts
mnst be examined, and their logical
bearings on the theory ascertained,
in these days of free thought,yo
men will read on every subject, and
they are liable to the delusion thai
unanswered objections are unanswer
able. The Theological Seminary 0.
the Northwest, at Chicago, (where the
attack was made in great force, anG
the Calaveras skull was exhibited a,
at least a thousand years old,) re
quested Rev. Robert Patterson, D. D.
to deliver course of lectures on th,
, Relations of Science to Scripture
which he complied with,by discussion
| of the Development Dogma, beginning
with the Astronomical department
following it into the domain of Geol
ogy, and examining the Geological o