The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1893-10-05

My scraps Of geologic knowledge lead
me to believe that Moses, or the author
of Genesis, was we'll read or divinely
inspired, as his story tallieS with theirs
excepting as to the time to do the job.
p. A, F.
The greatest scientists of the world
have made this subject study for years
not only that of this planet, but of 9TH
ers, such as Jupiter, Venus, and Mars.
Some claiming that Mars, at least, is
inhabited or should be since conditions
for the support of life appear to exist
with mountains and. valleys. But yet
they have failed to agree on the sub
ject of creation, whether the planet is
round or flat, and many other things
pertaining to this planet that are still
mysteries to all. Beyond doubt there is
power behind the throne that controls
all this magnifcence and splendor sur
rounding us. But what that power is
will never be solved by man. 1t is be-
yond comprehension and | leave this
great subject to others who are better
versed in scientific researches than I
am and dare soar to higher regions.
BRIGHAM.
Xxx
The works of God are wonderful
Even the smallest things of his creation
are perfect; yet, know very little as to
how or why this world and all it con-
tains was brought into existence. If l
have formed correct idea from what
I have read, this world was once mol
cfo M
posed to be; and as it cooled, the outside
crust formed and the vapor was con-
densed into water. A gradual process
of creation for an unknown length of
time was required before animal life
was possible. 1 believe life is God or
God is life, and that there never was a
time when there was no life. Man
is an individual realization of that life
or spirit; consequently he is immortal.
Whether he attained his present per-
fection by gradual evolution or not, I
am unable to say; but believe he has,
for it seems that all Of Gods works are
brought about in that way. r. E. T.
Xxx
One great difficulty of the understand
ing of the scheme of the creation by the
masses has undoubtedly been the stand
ing taken by very many theologians as
to the absOluteness of the six days in
their literal meaning. Accept six days
to be six periods of time and the story
of Genesis is written in the layers of
the earth's crust, as plainly as on the
leaves of book in bold type. In the
beginning gaseous chaos, gradual solidi-
fcation and the formation of dense
pail of aqueous vapOr around the cool
ing mass. The vapOr condensing was
precipitated on to the now solid body
as water. Thence forward the hand of
science exactly points to each step of
change. The very plants of the third
stage clearly show that they were the
products of steamy twilight, becom;
ing more attenuated till the clarified
atmosphere let in the direct rays of sun
and stars on solid trees. The steady
sequence of shells, fish, reptiles, birds,
mammals are just as plainly written on
the earth's successive strata as in the
sequent verses of the first chapter of
Genesis, even to the coming of man.
R.F
Xxx
Formerly the first point of disagree
ment between scientists and the advO-
Gates of the literal Interpretation of the
Bible, was the period of time of the
creation. The scientists maintaining
that the period covered tens of thou
sands of years; the ecclesiastics and
church members, that it required only
the period of six days. The literalists
always assumed, that the day was Of
the duration of twenty four hours; and
in this assumption lay their gravest er-
ror, for if this assumption was correct,
it would be irreconcilable with that
passage in the Bible to the effect that
a thousand years are as day unto the
Lord,v and the literalist would be con-
fronted with insurmountable difficulty.
But the spirit of liberalism has made
great progress in religious circles dur
| inr the last decade The more the