The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-04-25


ailege in favor of the vegetable origin of GOAL
the woody structure of some species of coal,
the leaves, branches, trunks, ETC., but Of no
existing order of vegetables, fonnd in some
coal mines, and the similarity of the materials
which constitute wood and coal.
If the vegetable origin of coal were true, it
| 10 admitted on all hands that an immense
| lapse of time would be necessary for Its forma-
| ton, perhaps some hundreds of thousands or
millions of yeara as in some of the coal fields
OF England there are no fewer than forty beds
OF coal, the oosl-measures being eighty-two in
number, consisting of alternationso Of coal, sand
stone clay, slate. etc., forming an aggregate
thickness Of sixteen hundred feet, and tho coal
strata has been estimated at three hundred feet
In thickness, which would have required as
many successive forests, on the same ground, to
produce them ss there are coal beds, and to form
each coal-bed q submersion Of each forest, with
o new strata of rocks formed from the sedi-
ment of the water. Who can believe this II
this were true, then, indeed, the narrative of
Moses would appear to be falsifed, or would
have to be interpreted differently from what
it has been understood to mean by all believers,
whether jews or Christians.
tian biologists, who, believing that the
plain meaning of the narrative of the
Divine law-giver is in harmony with scien.
tific facts, and cannot be contradicted by true
scientific Investigation, have examined the
whole subject as far as science would permit,
and have demonstrated the absurdity of this
theory, and clearly proved that coal is a true
mineral, like chalk, copper, lead, granite or
iron. They say that if coal was formed from
PROSTATE forests, the coal beds and layers of
rock which cover them could never possibly
present smooth surfaces to each other, had the
incumbent beds been gradual deposits from
water upon heaps of PROSTATE vegetables, as
the geological theory specifies. Gold, silver
iron, ETC., are found in coal, arranged as in
other mines, without the appearance of having
been accidentally brought thither. That the
quantity of vegetables necessary to form ex-
listing coal fields could not have been produced
upon the spaces they now occupy, nor so ar
ranged by any series of natural oauses as to
form the curious veins to be met with in almost
every coal-feld.
Wood subject to great pressure could not
retain its delicate foliage, bending branches,
graceful festoons, etc. Coal, under peculiar
circumstances may assume vegetable forms, as
the many other minerals which are known to
do so, but this does not demonstrate the vege-
table origin of that mineral. Coal contains
more gas than an equal weight of wood, though
by the geological theory the wood which form
ed the coal parted with most of it's gases. This
is an evident absurdity. What properties did
primeval wood possess which existing wood
does not 2 and why have not the trees of the
primeval world, like modern trees, undergone
decay Similarity or even identity of stru cture
does not demonstrate identity of origin. Dia-
mond is pure carbon, but no one has commit
ted the absurdity of referring it to the vege-
table world; although for a long time geolo-
gists were guilty of the greater absurdity of
maintaining that coral was q vegetable pro-
duotion. All the attempts to form artificial
coal from wood have hitherto been uusuccess-
full, although there was not wanting INV
amount of pressure, heat, moisture and chemi-
Gals that biologists might call for; and this
saw-dast experiment is about the nearest that
chemists have ever come to it.
We have met with only one Catholic eeoIo-
gist who favors these theories, and Father
Malloy's work adds nothing to wi hat was before
known on the subject. He merely gives the
various theories of geologists, and intimates
that they may be entertained by Catholics
This we never doubted, because the Church
very seldom ventures to condemn scientific
theories, and we never expected her to take
any notice of the many absurd, irrational the
Dries of modern geelogists, as each of them ia
contradicted by some other geologist as soon
as propounded; or by the facts of true science
as soon as they are Investigated by Catholic
Professors.
To conclude, We see by the notice of new
book in the n. o. Christian Adrocaie that even
Protestantism is getting tired of the vagaries
of so-called modern science and the liberties
taken with the revealed Word of God. It is
entitled, "The Mosaic Account of Creation:
the Miracle of To-Day, New Witnesses to
the Oneness of Genesis and Science.n
Very respectfully, your obedieut servant,
d. P. S.