The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-11-27
A SCIENTIFIC THEORY.
BY REV. EDGAR LEAvITT.
Oshkosh, Wis.,

recently lectured at several places in
this State, to pleased audiences; and as
he advanced views, which to me were
somewhat novel, 1 thought they might
interest some of the readers of THE
UNIvERsALIsT, and hope that some
of its scientific contributors will have
the goodness to make comments upon
the points set forth, that 1, as well as
other readers who are conscious that
they are not "way up" in science, may
be benefited thereby.
Prof. Woodman holds, in agreement
with several noted scientists, that there
is no inharmony between the scientific
teaching of the Holy Scriptures and the
facts of natural science, though there is
between it and the untenable theories
of some scientific men. He has no
doubt, whatever, that the Christian
Scriptures, and the facts of nature are
from the self same God-even the
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. If
we read Scripture Alright, and nature
Alright, therefore, the two, so far as they
touch the same points, must agree.
Men may and do mistakenly read and
theorize about both.
He holds to the aqueous origin of the
earth as opposed to the igneous theory.
The earth was not originally mass of
molten fire, but an aqueous solution;
and the globe is not ball of liquid fire
with a hardening crust. The center of
the earth instead of fire is intensely
compressed water, and he quotes in IA
vor of this the statement of Genesis,
speaking at first of the waters and the
separation of the waters above the
armament from the waters under the
armament also the statements in
Psalms xiv, 2, "He hath founded the
earth upon the seas, and established it
upon the floods" Job, 900 years be-
fore Moses, ''affiIms thro' the figure of
interrogation, that the foundations of
the earth were caused to sink in the
sea while forming" (38 chap.) Peter
wrote, "Of old, the earth was standing
out of the water and in the water"
'Scriptural writers speak generally of
Waters above the earth and waters
beneath the earth,'" etc.
The Azoic rocks, the lowermost strata,
are supposed by many to be igneous in
their origin but they will not stand
this test. Take piece of rock that
has once been in a melted condition,
and at certain temperature, it will
melt again and run like wax. The lavas
will stand this test. Take a rock de-
posted from aqueous solution, such as
the limestones, slate, granite, gneiss, and
it will not melt, even at a white heat,
but will disintegrate and crumble by
the evolution of gases within it, This
test absolutely disproves the molten orr
gin of the Azoic rocks. Again, as to the
argument from the increase of temper
ature as one descends toward the CEN
ter of the earth, Prof. Woodman says
this is no proof at all, because it is
not true as a matter of fact. Where
there is an increase of temperature it is
due to chemical changes taking place
in the rocks, and not to approach to-
ward the central fires. In one of the
Virginia mines in Nevada, owing to
rapid decomposition of rock, heat in
creases one degree for every thirty feet.
Many mines in Russia show only one
degree for 130 feet. In many cases ar
tesian wells show first an increase of
temperature, afterward becoming colder
at great depths. The volcanoes are the
outlets of local reservoirs of molten
matter, many of them, doubtless, of
large extent, caused by heat evolved by
great chemical or mechanical changes,
but are no proofs of the molten charac-
ter of the interior of the globe. If oil
had been discovered before lava, it
would have been just as sensible to
say the interior of the earth is petroleum.
Under 1000 atmOspheres or 1,5OO
pounds to the square inch, water COM
presses one-twentieth part. For every
five miles depth, in the ocean, water
congresses with an increasing geome-
trical progression, whose ratio is LOS.
In thirty miles the sum of the series
exceeds the weight of column of rock
of the same thickness. Science, there
fore, sustains the Bible theory as a
possibility, as primary rock shows the
reality of its existence" He also quotes
Agassiz as saying, "The Plutonic the
ory loses ground as soon as brought to
scientific tests" And again eff the
center were molten rock, the crust
would melt instead of cooling"
1 understood before that there were
two schools of geologists- school
of fire and water, but never have seen
the water-theOry so clearly set forth
before. Prof. WOodman holds to the
common age-day theory of the creative
week, but claims that the first two
days are not written in the geologic rec
ord, because prior to the formation of
the rocks. He also holds to the La
Placian theory of the formation of suns
and planets, by the establishment of