The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-06-02

scriptures. He, however, clung TO his
original belief, that science and undiStufb.
cd revelation were not opposed.
TIE DELuaE.
Father Terry next devoted his atten.
tion 10 the story Of the deluge. he re.
lated many Of the absurd theories held
relative to that apocryphal event. Some
childish persona went so far as TO say
unable 10 explain the occurrence In any
other way-that God caused an acceler.
ated motion Of the earth, so as 10 cause
the waters 10 overflow the dry land.
Just imagine, said the lecturer, the phil.
osophy and dignity OF supposing that
God, or some stupendous angel, stood
upon promontory ol the moon playing
whip-top with the world. Laughter and
some suppressed murmurs So 1t was
with the Biblical story Of the rainbow
placed In the skies as covenant ol peace
between God and man, while science had
long ago revealed tie fact that, ages be.
tore man ever gazed upon the wonders Of
Nature, the sun shining upon the earth,
In certain atmospheric condition, pro-
duced tho lovely phenomen. Speaking
Of the Ark, Father Terry said that 1t was
rather remarkable how the different ami.
mails said 10 have been preserved in that
structure, reappeared again in the very
parts Of the world 10 which they must
have been indigenous. Some theOlogians
thought that they were transported TO the
Ark and back again by means oi angels.
Just think, said Father Terry, Of an ele.
phant sitting jauntily on the shoulder oss
seraph, and Of apes borne grand.
ly in the air on the wings ol cherubims.
Great laughter In support Of his ar
guments, Father Terry quoted at great
length from the writings of Cardinal
Wiseman, st. Augustine, Father Wal.
worth, and other eminent divines.
soDoM AND GoMoRRAu.
The lecturer also dealt with the ira
ditions relative to the destruction oil
Sodom and Gomorrah. In the Bibllcsl
times lightning and birthstone were con.
sidered the most vital forces ol heat
Therefore, II was only natural that the
Jews should apply them in such case
as the one referred to. Defenders oi the
story went, by geology TO prove that the
cities stood upon bItuminous grounds,
and that the material of which the houses
were built was largely Of bituminous
character. Had those persons lived 10
odr own time, said tho lecturer, they
would doubtless have discovered that
there is heat greater than that Of light
ming and birthstone, as we discovered
when our city was swept TO ashes In that
famous furnace blast. His hearers would
remember that there were not wanting
theologians at the period ot our fire TO
assert that Chicago was burned on ac-
count Of her wickedness, while the com.
mon sense Of the community placed the
cause where It belonged-the high winds
and the West Side lumber'yards.
EVOLUTION.
The speaker nextreviewed the doctrine
of evolution, and took rather favorable
view Of that theory. There was nothing
more wonderful in supposing that God
caused the gradual development OF man
from an embryonic TO a perfect human
state, than that the same God, in a few
months, made the ovum pregnant with
human life. Science, he said, as far as it
had gone, was still an infant. Gradually
it was developing itself, and unfolding to
the gaze OF mankind the wondrous pertec.
tions oil the created universe. Far from
obscuring Gods features, it only revealed
them in q stronger and purer light. The
people had not yet learned 1.-THE Of what
future generations were TO know, but let
them thank God that they had, at least,
cotton out Of Egypt; that they there saw
the true light, and began TO realize the
meaning OF their being in its lof?iest sense,
Science, such as that, could never be in.
imical 10 revestion-to the idea Of
divinity. Those who clung TO narrow
doctrines might shrink from the broad
glare OF glorious knowledge, but they were
not Of this sge-they belong to an older
stratum.
The preacher concluded with mag
nlficent peroration, which evoked a tre-
mendous round OF applause, even those
who evidently dissented from his opinions
among them some OF his own cloth
joining most heartily therein.
Father Terry has good voice and a
rather dramatic action. lie has, like all
men OF genius, quite stock ot manner
ism; but he bears the stamp of true power,
and bids fair to make great name in
church history.