]sti Ml!. f;i,ADSTOXE AND GENESIS v 



;nv very dithVult, even for those, who possess the 

 intellectual discipline rctjuisite for dealing with 

 tin-in. And it was this conviction that led me to 

 i-\j. iv-- my desire to leave the discussion of tlu> 

 .jurstion of the asserted harmony between (Jenesis 

 :iiid the nebular hypothesis to experts in the appro- 

 priate branches of knowledge. And I think my 

 course was a, wise one; but as Mr. Gladstone 

 evidently does not understand how there can be 

 any hesitation on my part, unless it arises from a 

 conviction that he is in the right, I may go so far 

 as to set out my difficulties. 



They are of two kinds exegetical and sclent i lie. 

 It appears to me that it is vain to discuss a sup- 

 p<-ed coincidence between Genesis and s< -ienee 

 unless we have first settled, on the one hand, what 

 ( iei 3, and, on the other hand, what science 



In the first place, I cannot find any consensus 

 ;inion'.; Uihlical scholars as to the meaning of the 

 words, In the beginning God created the heaven 

 and the earth." Some say that the Hebrew word 



', which is translated "create," means "made 

 out of nothing." I venture to object to that 

 i' no 1 , -i ing, not on the ground of scholarship, but 

 ol 'common sense. ( )nmipotence itself can surely 

 no more make something i: out of " nothing than 

 D in ik. a triangular circle. What is intended 

 by ' made out of nothing " appears to be "caused 



"ine into existence," with the implication that 



