The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1875-09-15
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STUDYING THE R0CKas
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One of the most pleasant Studies In the
whole range Of science is Geology. There is
none other so calculated to excite the curios-
ity and wonder Of the student, and afford him
SO intimate a knowledge Of the Creator. In
order to be q good geologist. that is, a reader
Of the rocks, one must know something Of al
most all other sciences. He must be acquaint-
cd with the general habits Of BEASTS, birds,
fishes and plants, In fact all living nature He
should know somowhat Of chemistry, philos-
ophy, and physiology. And yet 1t is not alto
gether necessary that the geologist should
have great amount Of ok-'earning. The
best book to study from is Gods own,
the book of Nature. What we study from
printed books, we forget, what we learn In
the quarries and mines we remember.
To the skiiifol geologist, the world Is CON-
piote history OF itself. He notices the chang
es going ON at present. and then he has the
key that uniocks the history OF the past. Let
us take an example.
The rain which falls ON the liIlsides slowly
thence to the lakes and oceans. 1t is there
deposited IN layers OF soft mud. Year after
year, century after century, adds layer upon
layer, the new ones covering up the old. Mil
lions OF shells and the remains of countless
fishes settle in the soft oozy bottom as 1t
forms. Trees torn up by the tempest, tiny
leaves aud delicate ferns, skeletons of sea
fowls. and land animals awpnt into trp ri "
rapid rivers, all these varied relics, and more,
are slowly buried in this ever scttling mud
The bottom Of the ocean becomes the cemetery
of Natures dead. Could we gain access to
this sea-bottom, we should find revealed, with
each layer turned up by our spade, fresh
page IN the history OF the world, Tho ocean
Is even now making up continuation OF this
history. Inc geolog'st is reading the earlier
volumes in what he terms stratihed rocks, the
sea bottom of the olden time. A little com-
mon sense Will sometimes teach person more
about rocks than he can learn from books
Here is an instance that will show what
mean.
We visit the sea shore and gather shells
along the beach. On digging we discover
others buried from sight. These are filled
with damp sand, which perfectly retains their
impress. In the quarry, among the layers of
sandstone, we find similar shells fossilized,
as we say, into stone. They are without doubt
the remains of ancient life, and must have ex-
listed at the time the rock was forming. They
prove the rock to have been once under water.
If the shells are marine, it was the sea if
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swamp or marsh. The testimony Is as sure
as II we had lived by that ancient shortFand
watched their growth, decay and burial IN the
sand a
| in certain clay beds of England, shells are
found OF species now living IN polar seas. We
thence infer, that when that clay was deposit
ed, and those shells inhabited, climate like
that of Greenland must have ruled in British
ATTITUDES. Remains of the reindeer and musk
OK occurred in France. These indicate FORM
er Arctic temperature, unless we are to sup
pose the habits of those animals have entirely
changed since the time of their existence in
southern Europe.
To the geolcgist the world is an immense
puzzle, in the unraveling OF whose mysteries
he derives the most intense pleasure In
studying the rocks, he finds an agreeable rec
reation from the cares and petty vexations Of
everyday life. He finds abundant proof OF
the truth of the Scriptures, and why not, for
Nature and the Bible both come from the
same source. Some philosophers pulled up
with worldly wisdom, declare that geology
ana the Bible do not tell the same story. The
inference from such declaration naturally is,
that the Bible is not what 1t pretends to be,
ana that Christianity IS fraud fortunately
these seiisame philosophers do not, and can
not prove, with any degree OF satisfaction to
others' that their assertions are true.
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