ILLUSTRATED BY MAPS AND NUMEROUS WOODCUTS. 



BIBLICAL NATURAL SCIENCE; 



BEING 



THE EXPLANATION OF ALL REFERENCES IN HOLY SCRIPTURE 



TO 



GEOLOGY. BOTANY, ZOOLOGY, AND PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY. 



BY THE EEV. JOHN DUNS, D.D., F.R.S.E., 



LATE EDITOR OF THB NORTH BRITISH REVIEW; 



AUTHOR OF "MEMOIR OP REV. JOHN FLEMING, D.D., PROFESSOR OF NATURAL BCIEXCI 

 "CHRISTIANITY AND SCIENCE," KTO. 



EVERAL features distinguish this Work from others in which kindred topics are dealt with. 



The place in Biblical Literature which it seeks to occupy, is at present vacant. There is no 

 single work existing which is devoted exclusively to the same subjects. 



British and foreign books of Eastern travel may be numbered by hundreds. Scattered throughout 

 these, which are for the most part expensive, very many facts are to be met with which shed much 

 light on those aspects of the sacred text now chiefly in view. Efforts have been made to render this 

 ^ information most truly useful, by embodying it in one work. Thus far the Author's task has been 

 ^ h one of compilation. But this forms only a very subordinate characteristic of the Work. 



JJ Great attention continues to be given, both in this country and America, to the relations between the Bible 

 ^^and Science. These are still discussed in highly influential quarters. The sounds of the warfare reach the intelli- 

 gent classes in the community. They have not, however, any one work easily within reach, treating both of the 

 causes and the bearings of those great controversies which will not fail to be waged with growing keenness as 

 science advances. Though it would be unprofitable to dwell, in a controversial spirit, on the various theories of 

 creation and of the natural history of man. which, during the last twenty years, have had great prominence given to 

 them, yet an acquaintance with these must be valued by every lover of truth, and especially by all who receive the 

 Bible as the fully-inspired word of God. 



The chief difficulties in the relations between the Bible and Science, are associated with the opening pages of 

 scripture. A full exposition will be given of the first eight chapters of Genesis. And, in connection with the exposition, 

 recent " Geological Theories of creation," " The Theory of Development by Natural Law," and that proposed by 

 Mr. Darwin on " The Origin of Species," will be carefully reviewed, and set in popular aspects. Questions 

 touching the " Presence of Death in the world before the Fall of Man," the hypothesis of a " Race of Preadamite 

 Men," " The Unity of the Human Race," and the " Extent of the Deluge," will all be considered in the introductory 

 pages of this "W ork. 



Again ; those only who have studied the scriptures from the points of view of advanced science, can be fully 

 aware of the great light which may be shed on their meaning by Geology, Botany, Zoology, and Physical Geography. 

 Nor is this to be reckoned of little moment. Every illustration drawn from the works of God, and every figure used 

 by men who spake as the Holy Ghost gave them utterance, must be interesting. Intelligent men have thankfully 

 received the contributions which, in recent years, have been made to the elucidation of scripture, by those who, 

 sound in the faith, have either devoted themselves to the study of the original languages of the Bible, or have 

 brought a trustworthy historical criticism to bear on the discoveries of Champollion, Lepsius, Layard, Rawlinson, 

 Wilkinson, and others. It is fitting, then, that the students of Natural Science should bring their gifts and lay them 

 upon the same altar. 



The title given above, indicates the special design of this Work. But it will often be necessary to give matter 

 which could not well be specified on the title-page. Information will be drawn from Metallurgy, Meteorology, 

 Astronomy, and, occasionally, from Archaeology. When needful, a sketch of the civil history of particular countries 

 and places will be introduced. It is hoped that the Work will thus be found both popularly useful, and, also, 

 interesting to theological students and ministers of Christ. 



" BIBLICAL NATURAL SCIENCE " is written from the point of view of Christianity rather than of Theism. It 

 is kept in mind throughout that the Saviour of sinners was himself the Creator of all things. Thus " when on earth 

 all things served him, from the greatest to the least, even to the fishes that walked through the paths of the sea. 

 He was Lord over nature, and having nothing, yet in his Father's care for him was truly possessed of all things." 



The Work will be completed in about Twenty Parts, price Two Shillings, each part consisting of Forty-eight Pages 

 of Letterpress, and, alternately, Two and Three Pages of Engraved Plates, in addition to the numerous Woodcut 

 Mlustrations introduced in the text. 



