The commonwealth., 1898-01-07

story of the deluge and the sinking of
the mountains under the wave? Tell
us something we can believe. Be
lieve that" says geology, "for how do
you account for those sea shells and
sea weeds and skeletons OF sea animals
found ON the top of some OF the highest
mountains9 II tile waters did not
sometimes rise about the mountains,
how did those sea shells and sea weeds
and skelct tons of sea animals get thsref
Did you put them thereS'
But, now, you do not really believe
that story about the storm OF fire and
birthstone whelming Sodom and Gomor-
rah, aud enwrapping Lots wife in such
saline encrustations that she halted Il
sack OF salt? For the confirmation of
that story the geo.ogist goes to that
region, and after trying in vain to
take swim in the lake, SO thick with
salt he can not swim 1.-THE lake be-
meath which Sodom and Gomorrah lie
buried~-one drop of water SO full of
sulphur and brimstone that II stiugs
your tongue, and for hours you eau
not get rid of the nauseating drop--thc
scientist then digging down aud find
Ing sulphur On top of sulphur, brim'
stone on top of birthstone, while all
round there are jets and crags and
peaks Of salt, and if one OF them did
not become the sareophagus of Lots
wife they show you how IL human be-
ing might in that tempest have been
halted and packed into white monu-
meat that would defy the ages.
But, now, you do not really be
lieve that New Testament story
about the earthquake ut the time Christ
was crucitied, do youp Geology digs
down into Mount Calvary and fluids the
rocks ruptured and aslant, Showing
the work as an especial earthquake for
that mountain, and au earthquake
which did not touch the surrounding
region. Go aud look for yourself, and
see there II dip and Cleavage of rocks as
nowhere else on the planet Geology
thus announcing an especial earth
quake for the greatest tragedy OF nil
the eentnries--thc ussinatiun of the
Son of God,
But YOU do not really believe that
story of the burning of our world at
the last day? Geology digs down and
and that the cen ter of this globe is in
candesccnt, molten, volcanic, IA burn
ing coal, burning ont toward the sur
face, and the internal fires have SO far
reached the outside rim that | do not
see how the world is To keep from com
plete con Migration until the prophecies
concerning it are fulfilled, The lava
poured forth from the mouths of Ncsu'
vus, Mount Etna and CotopaXi, and
kilauea, is only the regurgitaLlon from
an awful inflammation thousands OF
miles deep There are mines III Penn
sylvanla and in several parts of the
world that have been on fire for many
| years, These coal mines burning
earth burning up, after awhile thest
two fires, the descending and the as
ceuding, will meet, and then will oc
cur the universal contlagration of which
the Bible speaks when it says
THE elements shall melt with ferveni
heat; the earth also, and the works
that are therein shall be burned up.
Instead of disbelieving the Bible story
about tire final conilagration, since
have looked little into geology, find
ing that its explorations are all in thu
line of confirmation of that prophecy
wonder how this old craft of worlt
can keep sailing on much longer 1t il
like ship on fire at sea, the fact tina
the matches are kept down the onl,
reason that it does not become on
complete blaze--masts on fire, ratlinc
on fire, everything from cutwater t.
tnffrail on fire. After geology has toll
us how near the internal fires have al
ready burned their way toward TIN
surface, it ought not TO be n surprise /,
us at any time to hear the ringing o
the ire bells Of a universal conilagra
tion. O, am SO glad that geology ba
been born! Astronomy isgrand becaus
it tells us about other worlds; but
must say that am more in terested il
our world than in any other world
and geology tells us all about what
was, its cradle, and what will be it
grave. And this glorious geology il
proving itself more and more th'
friend of theology. Thank God TO
the testimony of the rocks; THE Tel