VT LIGHTS OF THE CHURCH AND SCIENCE 21 3 



nothing is more common than the assumption 

 that these books come into conflict only with the 

 speculative part of modern physical science, no 

 assumption can have less foundation. 



The antagonism between natural knowledge 

 and the Pentateuch would be as great if the 

 speculations of our time had never been heard of. 

 It arises out of contradiction upon matters of 

 fact. The books of ecclesiastical authority de- 

 clare that certain events happened in a certain 

 fashion ; the books of scientific authority say they 

 did not. As it seems that this unquestionable 

 truth has not yet penetrated among many of 

 those who speak and write on these subjects, it 

 may be useful to give a full illustration of it. 

 And for that purpose I propose to deal, at some 

 length, with the narrative of the Noachian Deluge 

 given in Genesis. 



The Bampton lecturer in 1859, and the Canon 

 of St. Paul's in 1890, are in full agreement that 

 this history is true, in the sense in which I have 

 defined historical truth. The former is of opinion 

 that the account attributed to Berosus records a 

 tradition 



not drawn from the Hebrew record, much less the foundation of 

 that record ; yet coinciding with it in the most remarkable 

 way. The Babylonian version is tricked out with a few ex- 

 travagances, as the monstrous size of the vessel and the 

 translation of Xisuthros ; but otherwise it is the Hebrew history 

 down to its minutiaz (p. 64). 



