*4 ( 60 ) 



the same has produced that interruption in the process 

 of deposit in the same region which marks the intervals 

 between geologic periods. Change in these respects do 

 not occur to any very material extent at the present 

 time in the regions inhabited by the most highly devel- 

 oped portions of the human race ; and as the last which 

 occurred seems to have been expressly designed for the 

 preparation of the earth's surface for the occupation of 

 organized human society, it may be doubted whether 

 many such changes are to be looked for in the future. 

 The last great flooding was that which stratified the 

 drift materials of the north, and carried the finer por- 

 tions far over the south, determining the minor topogra- 

 phy of the surface and supplying it with soils. 



The existence of floods which drowned many races 

 of men may be considered as established. The men 

 destroyed by the one recorded by Moses are described 

 by him as exceedingly wicked, so that " the earth was 

 filled with violence." In his eyes the Flood was de- 

 signed for their extermination. 



That their condition was evil must be fully believed 

 if they were condemned by the executive of the Jewish 

 law. This law, it will be remembered, permitted polyg- 

 amy, slavery, revenge, aggressive war. The Jews were 

 expected to rob their neighbors the Egyptians of jewels, 

 and they were allowed " an eye for an eye and a tooth 

 for a tooth." They were expected to butcher other na- 

 tions, with their women and children, their flocks and 

 their herds. If we look at the lives of men recorded 

 in the Old Testament as examples of distinguished ex- 

 cellence, we find that their standard, however superior 

 to that of the people around them, would ill accord 

 with the morality of the present day. They were all 



