The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-02-28

has shown their mistake the old inter.
probation OF the scriptures has remain.
for q time and been in cobflict with it
For instance, the ancients conceived o.
the heavens as an enormous vault o.
transparent solid matter, whIrliug
around the earth. 10 its substance
the stars were supposed to be
fixed. 10 conformity with this view
in the Enel.h Bible which here fol-
lows the vulgate and the septusgint We
have Tor the heavens 10 certain verses
in the first chapter OF Genesis the word
Ornament, which means something
solid. But the idea oil such a substance
as ons,ita'ing the celestial vault has
been dlesip tied by the progress OIL
science. Apparently, therefore, these
versions Of the scriptures, if taken lit
orally, are arrayed against astronomy
But when we 90 back to the original
Hebrew, we discover that the word
trans ated.frmsment means not soroe-
thing soliJ but an expanse. Thus true
scleLce aud revelation are found to be
in harmony. Again, the most soiori-
Gus OF all the instances in which q ialse
Interpretation OF the scriptures has
brought them apparently into collision
with astronomy Is that which bad refer
ence to the motion OF the earth. Arls-
ttle and then P,olemy had taught
even the educated weird Tor long time
to believe in the fxedness Of our g!ob'
and the motion OF the sun around It.
Guided by thtee Instructions tbeolcgi-
ans explained the Bib e in accordance
With this theory. Gallleo was condemn
ed Tor advocating The true view. But
when the volume OF revelation was re-
examined it was discovered that there
is III it not word which necessarily
clashes with scleuce on this point. 1t
does not pfelead to stale whether 1t is
the eartn or sun that moves It's allu
slous 10 their relations are casual, and
are such as conform to appearance
aud will ALWAYS be employed by nen
when not speaking scientifically.
In other cases the error has been on
the fart OF astronomers. They have not
correctly understood the heavenly
bod es ard their false conclusions have
come INTO collision With the Bible. As
has already been seen it was with them
that the error arose as 10 the armament
and the fixedness Of the earth. Theo-
logiaps were led astray by them
A more moders example has refer
ence TO the original appearance OF light.
According 10 Genesis there was light
on the first day OF creation, but the sun
did not shine on the earth until the
fourth day. THE, a. first, seemed to
be iucomta'i,le wi tn astronomy.
What is the precise explanation it is
too soon 10 affi,m with confidence
But the modern discoveries as to the
relation between light and heat have
shown that there iced be no serious
difficulty iu the way Of just such a state
of things as the B ole indicates There
could lave been light with out sunshine.
Science only needed 10 re-examine lts
volume in order - vindicate revelation.
Sometimes persons have been hasty
to declare their astronomical theories
OF war with the Bible, although even if
they ar CORE CT, there is no snch con-
flct We have an illustration OF this
10 the nebulsr hypothesis, which sup
poses that all worlds, our OVID among
the number, have been gradually evolv.
ed out oil star dust or some thinly diff
fused substance. The theory has not
been proved There are macy argu-
lneuts With scIerce adduc g agaiost
it. But even on the suppcsluon that it
is true, 1t does rot dispruve any slate-
ment O, revelation. The sacred volume
simply says tina. In the beginning God
creajed the heaven and earth This
may be understood Of the original fat
by which the universe, as to its matter,
was called into existence. Then il
merely stat that this matter owes its
being 10 the Great " act o; God Or It
may he understood OF the commence
ment OF the process by which our
world assumed its present character.
SulI the des,ga is only 10 inform US that
in this process God WAS efficiently pres
cut as the Maker. There is marvel
Gus elasticity 10 this opening chapter Of
the sacred volume. Herein Les one
OF the strongest evldeuces Of
lis divue origin II it was a piece OF
merely human con. position, written as
it Was before modern scientific diecove-
RES were even imagined, 1t would, like
the heather mylhutgea, come into
conf ct with them a. every step.
Still another example Of these I'm
warranted attempts 10 array astronomy
against revelation, is the argument once
urg ed against cur redemption by the
Son OF God, because Of the va-tnrss Of
the extent OF the universe Wea re
minded OF the immensely OF the number
of the worlds and systems which the
telescope reveals, aud OF the probsbli-
~ that they are Inhabited by countlrss
myrisds OF inlelligen; beings, and we
are q. ked whether II is likely tina, God
would so visit one little globe 81 the
gospe! tea ches that he has done tnrorg1
Christ. Blu; slnce Chalmers delivered
his MAGNIFICENT astronomical dlsconr-
ses this objecuou has teen silenced. 1t
is the glory o G"d to etoop TO the small
IA well as TO care or The vast The mi
croscope indeed reveals world OF the
minute just as immense in its way, as
are the heaveuly bodies above Us IL
their way. Here the divine hand is as
perceptible as in the revelation OF
s,o,ar, q, suns Moreover the oil ! CT