116 _ PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
practical and useful paper, on the folly and sin of a reckless destruction of 
our native birds. "We wish that those who disturb the balance of creation by 
this wholesale destruction of the feathered race could become indoctrinated 
with the spirit of that communication. We might then hope that our fields 
and trees would be cleared of the grub and caterpillar which now endanger 
both, and pleasant sights and sweet sounds from above would oftener gladden 
every lover of nature. One paper on Reptiles and two communications on 
Entomology complete our list. 
“The geological papers were followed by discussions on that most im- 
portant and interesting subject—the age of the physical world, It is a 
question from which in the present day we cannot turn aside. It is con- 
tinually coming before the mind. Every observation only confirms the 
great principle of the geologist, as now entertained by the thoughtful and 
observant mind—that creation was very slow and gradual in its develop- 
ment, and that our globe is indeed hoary in years, or rather, hoary in ages, 
Perhaps we are not saying too much if we affirm that human language would 
fail to describe how ancient is the earth—that though the mathematician 
might calculate the duration of its past existence, the human intellect in its 
present state would fail to comprehend its meaning. 
“© Tt would be difficult in a popular assembly to bring this matter down to 
the comprehension of those to whom the subject is almost anew one. None 
can expect to have scientific conclusions on this subject, without much read- 
ing, thought, logical reflection, and arduous observation of facts as recorded 
on the stony pages of God’s book of nature. Mere reading will not make 
a geologist. Of course, we proceed in investigating the subject, by reasoning 
from the operation of physical laws known now, to the operation of those 
laws in ages long since gone by. 
“‘ Analogy in reference to Jehoyah’s works is a safe principle of reasoning. 
When we have once traced the connection between effects and causes in the 
physical world, we may with certainty conclude that a like cause has been 
in operation where we can trace a similar effect. According to this principle 
—from what we now see going on in the formation of hills and valleys—from 
the action of air and rain—of river and sea—we think we are safe in reasoning 
back to what these important agencies accomplished through ages past. I 
gee nothing in the volume of revelation that is opposed to this important con- 
clusion. Not that I think that the inspired word was intended to teach man 
science. Inspiration, according to the known laws that are in operation now, 
is a miracle. The word of God as now given to us is a wiracle of diyine 
kindness to mankind. But miracles are not wrought by Him when the 
known laws which He has established can accomplish the desired result, or 
man, by his unaided intellect and observation, can elicit facts or work out 
principles. 
