The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1873-02-23
ABLE DEFENCE OF THE
SCRIPTURE.


cd much attention. We cannot give a
full report of it, and must satisfy our
self with a meagre synopsis. lie said
- THE LECTURE.
In view of recent events, many per-
sons in Cairo are led to the questions,
" What discoveries Of science are in
compatible with any portion Of Scrip
ture +! Where has the Bible, in its
notices of outward phenomena, touched
incorrectly aud unscientifcally the mar
gin OF science ?" Nobody can show.
Now, friends, while | do not claim
that the Bible was written to teach
science, you will follow me in the notes
| make to show how scientifically
the Scriptures are whenever or whcr-
ever they assume to tread upon scien-
tiic ground.
As the Bible records embrace two
thousand years. l am not surprised to
find the books touch many pheDome-
non of nature to which the finger Of
science has since been applied but in
view Of the time at which these books
were penned and of the ages IN which
they first appeared. ] am full Of a
pleasing astonishmcnt at what find
10 he fact: Instead of any coutlct
arising between the developments of
modern science aud the statements OF
the Bible, there is the most exact
harmony that could he wished.
The writers of these books--un-
known and obscure, lest the honor due
the Creator should be heaped upon the
whenever detailing the nc.
ton of phenomenal forces in the outer
world, they Neutrality-suspicious. fail
ing in single caso--omploy language
which is scientifically just.
10 ASTRONOMY.
Shall we 90 back to the first chap
ter Of Genesis, where it is stated that
light preceded the sun? Shubert,
Wagner and Kuriz, German scientists,
have shown by profound astronomical
discoveries that light does not ,cessa-
rily depend upon the sun aud even
Humboldt, in hi, Cosmos says
Tho northern light derives most of
is Importance from the fact that the
earth becomes seli-luminous, and
shows itself in itself capable Of devel-
oping light" Here, then, is the first
remarkable statement Of Moses con-
frmed BY scientific research and can
anybody who is not developed up from
a tadpole, deny that modern science
has here justified Moses?
The scientists have found that Moses
was right after all.
The Hebrew word for iighi in the
third verse of the first chapter IL Gen
esis is o,cr. "And God said, Let there
be OUR" But of the fourth day 5
work, Tread in the Hebrew, Teaoso
E2ohoncth-shepei hommQarOth, " which
means, "And God constituted two
great light.carrers. Mark you, the
word used is non tara, i" created, but
aosu, constituted !" not omr. ''light,"
but mdaroth, "light-csrriers.
Moses has not said, as we see by go
ing back to the Hebrew, that God Gre
ated the sun and moou on the fourth
day. He may have created the body
OF the sun millions Of years before
II has not been stated that he did ere
ate the sun and moon on the fourth
day. Far from it. They were consti-
tuted the light bearers Of our globe on
that day. This was probably done by
making our earth incapable o! beco..-
ing atcrnatlvely self-mmiuou, While
the world was self productive Of light,
illumination would first stream on all
portions south of what we call the
equator !; then darkness would succeed
in that place, and The same intermit-
ting phenomenon would transpirc
nor;hward Of the same imaginary line
The fourth days work is devoted to rel
atiye uses. God constituted two grand
light.carricrs the greater to rule the
day, and the lesser--also the stars--tu
rule the night
But here again our Moses Is right.
The heavenly bodies, as every astrou-
omer will tel! you, bear marks OF hay
ing first been opaque, and subsequently
having been made luminous. How
does the sun give light? The most
recent discoveries are, that the sun is q
dark, or opaqe body, which carries
light by meaus Of luminous atmos,
phere. See Tyudal's recent lectures at
the Cooper's Institute. Who, then, un,
less it be some developed baboou, can
fail to see that the language of Moses
is precisely scientific Modern sci
ence, in this place again, has come t.
the rescue. 1t confirms just what
Moses wrote upon the subject, as no.
body can deny. Is il not matter for
reflection that the body Of the sun +" is
just what the language'of Moses would
lead us to conclude z
y We read that God said Of the fourth
u days light carriers, "Let them be for
2 sigrs and for seasons.' Very well
What could the seaman on the ocean
do without the stars? Modern science
has confirmed Moses aud taught the
SAILOR how to make these stars the
nsns--or means OF finding longitude
NJ sea. And now Nader, the great
Russian astronomer, says that the sea