New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-12-18
TIE I,E(tTIJRE.

ny when " has given US connected history VI t"o
Of the genesis Of the earth and its inhabitants
through long series OF anterior to man. and on no
point the Bibe appeared to insist more strongly
than It's creative days The apparent difference mas
given rise to q swarm OF attempts at reconciliation
and there has been OF donuncation OF tie
mpiety Of Hume the hand and OF the bigory OF
thcoogins on the other Happily, however. 40 much
light has been cast tho subject that few inter
ligent men any contradiction between tho con-
illusions OF geology AMI the doctrine that In six haVs
God created the heavens and the eartn The su)cc' U.s.
however, well worthy OF attention II for nothing
else ,mpo OF how tho greatest apparent dill
outies may fade away when boldly encountered
Nothing DC surely established as tho basis OF
scientific induction than the vast length Of the periods
revealed by the strata OF the earths crust Some Geol
ogists are indeed now content with that enormous
stretch Of 1cOO0JO OF which is regarded as TIC
shortest possible time which may have elapsed since
a solid crust first formed OH the co ling earth. 40
understand ths. we may ccndcnsc into few propo'
sious tho leading results VI scientific inyeaSa
ton Of the ear,h:
!. Tae widest and most important generalization OF
modern geology IS that all the materials OF the eaths
crust to tie greatest depth to winch can penetrate
are Of such TO provo that they arc not I'M
changed ami primitive rocks, but tho results OF the
operation OF Of change now In progress lh"y
may he sucl things sConglomcraes sandstones shes'
and states. all of which the debris OF older rocks
broken down into pebbles sand or mud. or 'he' "ic
mesonos made of the Ruins OF corals and Shells or
coal and ores accumulated by the agency OF vege'aoe
matter: or thoy may be substances analogous 10 'no
ayas and ashes Of modern volcanoes or tley may Dc
rocks that aqueous III their origin ana no" hIeho
and altered by heat BIT everywhere we See the eSi
derce of change under natural laws still in force
g. This oeing iined. wo can next affirm that III
REGARD to the which successive deposits from
water have been piled upon each other, IA regular sue
he RAJ n
giving rs chronoo.ca sequence OF deposits extending
throughout tho whole time since the sea frat began 70
receive Its bourn the debris from The wasting ahd
g. This series Of rock formations lures an immense
increase Of scientific vaiuo from thc TACT tht oIgdc
remains OF the animals and plants ihhtolns l,e e',sa
ai the d II rent of s progress are revealed III the
successive deposits. and eau Dc compared Firthe':
be,c buried remains Indicate successive dynisteN 0
life different from that existing and from each
Other that We can .iv1o the GcoO.cal history mo-
merely bv series OF hcs Of rock alternating with ench
other hut by series ofaunas and ioras whlch nave
occupied the Garth SUCCESSFULLY from thc aAwu oi Ills
q Tue lapse OF u ne embraced in this geological his
tory the earth il enornons IL s dhcnit 10 slve an
idea OF Tins without entering INTO deans out Oh Pioc
here lew facts INST suffice. In the modern petto'
which ncuies the time OF man and the lower ainiI'.
hi, colcmrOrarcS, sue: facts "a the CROWN Oh cOid
rec rs ana the deposit Of sediment at the mouths OF nv
ers gIvc % lapse OF tine 10 he measured by tens
Of thousands Of years Passing 20 single formation OF
older datcs-;hc coal fornati pn-hn as seen III NOva
SCOTIA SHOW, IN single section 81 beds OF coal o''F
ing ecn DER, an uDout 1JJ fossil orcst All success
siye Without reckoning tnc lime necessary Tor depo'
ton OF the thousands OF ieet OF SAND ana lnuu
ine growth of 80 many peaty beds. often
o. great tn, kless with tho gr0wtI Oi 50 mah Iofcs
ADD nces o the Land necessary 10 their appearing -
they no., do must nave required ages compared WIN
nitc1uce. The accumulation OF even ono bed
Of eo m "yorcd pave by rI nea s,.tort As" .
tue nuIuerOu, great lneston"s. OF iicsc thicAness
a1 OF mousks or coIa!s Sucn nestones IL, for
tna lowest est mate of Time the idpsj oi '",i a-s.
geological time thus grows upon Us tue more 'Ha1 We
Tuln now 10 the first chapter OF Genesis, and sre how
we Arc 10 reconcle tuesc forest, creation IN
six dys Ii xOu1 not purp here to say that
the BDe IS not lntenie 10 lead science ana h'eu MT
ne correct a. to minor details. II commits itself to an
Orier AMI time. We cinnut escape Dy SAYING mat tue
story Is myth 10 vIulclc the f0urth compartment
or we snail nave od very loose notions or the rth
OF scripture. We cannot say tnat the vague Term thc
b...auus covers tnc geological ages hccdnsc 1tre IS
mo- chaotic condition be these and tine human
neroi Eurtner when look anLg into the narrative.
ms creation AMIN us besiJs III the nith niy OF ING
Eb,s sci,> tat II VIC suppose our geological
cblonoogy to ex tend little before the Introduction
OF n, Ie VIII cover al most tIcc oI LAC sIA u'!
and peIuaps the seventh. , ,
The eXpinaiIo of whole mystery Is that the ere
atSo DAYS themselves are ong periols IL las DceI
tne traditional Impression prevailing throughout an
tu.iiy that the world hit existed through IohS ic-
huaa times. thcro are venerable Christian au"Ai ls.
A., Aueu,t.ne, iOf Instance, riOdn - OF pdrrD
natura character Del tns doctrine List Us look ~ INC
evicnce: n
l. The perfectly indefinite phrase "in the beginning
places lint ~ b.cfward tx casiOD Of tine to tao
coinlncueen"nt II GOI's crea,ivc week But inc SIX
dar seem 10 limit tue period occupied III t!e aifan-
OF the eutI ahd Of the solar s'e Lei us ooh
q IN Hebrew worI for day does not necessarily mean
atIra day. In u sue sis lS ami 5tl II II used IN Two
Senses. the carrier creative DAYS preceded the institn
ton ul the natural day, an Ia tdesi-, 81 chapter anu
4h verse. the wuOc creative wcch ~ cLi.ei 0Ds Day
AZ an, tntarn Al ld .cur in In, hrp ptn OF
natural days. Oie OF these IS Tue Interval which IA
chapter appears 10 have occurred oetwcen lho cIe
ton Of ani taat II tne woman. Others Hr,,o
from the dIicly rcpenisn1g the eartn with plants
AID animals IN the cOuiso Oh Ic" natural dtJS.
e. In Psalm 81. attributed to Moses, ana cerIaihf
"a in Ia sd
day Jehovah. relating 10 huin history silu 10 10
AN thousand years; reatIns to creation 1t must bo ndch
g. Inc seventh day is not said to have had a morn,
ing an, evening" IL u "a sad 10 have Resumed ms
WORK ON the eSIth day. Hence tie seventh day IL ira
period OF man III winch We stu hve. oar SiNlo( sas-
is Ills view Of GJus Sabbath III MS Remarkable cA
preston, " My father worketn hitherto and work.
G. Tac four,n 'nniandDent. rs explained by Moses
requires sdppo,ltlon OF long crca,iso days IL can
iol b. meant ,ha works aru days and Rests
on seventh No 40 but IL may be iutenod tna Oh
Gods seventh day we should .,yu entered ON HIS resi-,
and that tho Sabbath Is emblem OF tuit rest
lost 10y tho fan AMI to he restored In tho future.
z. Tnis iaDatou has The support VI tue writer vi
the Epirte to the Hebrews, WHOSE argument Ia LIS
fourth chapter has no force unless on tue suppo'ion
tDat God tIkarad mt. rest Of tuleiite CHARACTER
wnicn lost W the fall, retaining ony tbs WEEKS
SiDbath sa"Ow OF u; nut "hlcu Is 10 Do restore
IN Christ Is already entered htO MS rest OF "hc"
the l. nos day Is III IiAe manner aioreshadowihe 49,,
g. Tuere /, furtner 1ooi reason 10 Dolcve .nat tno
use OF Greek word di0nes win references 10 thc
creation, Hebrews, chapter /, verse 2 anu III E'Ho
sians D. ,erse H. refers 10 tie cIeaive DAP a
indefinite pcriJI aud ina these passages slouli 20
translated IN accordance wih TINS view, while We nave
this authority Tor ronerin1 tns passage oi G'Lc's l.
by the word rather Ihan by day. 49,
These tun.s being cJDsjdcrod IL Is worthy tho aItfh
tou OF thcvIogiaus w,ctnor II would not lie better 10
ABANDON the literature of medieval 'hroloet anu
return pftristc autDofity aud 10 Inc INTERIM.
harmony of Scripture nse III InIs matter an" lhhs ~
nut Masses In with mod science a. 10 tue
length of the creative days wncl there seems sOou
reason to believe he himself Intended 10 ASSUME
wa nave some tino vain tus dscusobn oil tie
euyi OF LIST us now look az Tue ofucr %
the far IA the eartn Is concofnch am ta"s
with IL the idea that OF creation are NriJ OH~
a. ,us, the OF creation WIN wlcn even III nunHn
10 tIiony one day Is rs u thousand year. iiai "n
or,ier creation is glycn IL Ia ii-clf fthi'Th.o'
fact i'll IN thdt Moses iDiSnt cover all the srouni "
ancient hrhrnsn IL was necessary 10 pace tnc "'ia
-, creation ~ Order, and appropriate as
the order tIc. do not here discLs no" ihia rev