52 GEOLOGY OF AGRICULTURE. 



of the earth, and to have consolidated, sometimes 

 among the stratified rocks, and sometimes above them 

 all, forming in some cases immense mountain masses 

 of igneous rocks. 



81. It is often said by those who have looked but 

 little at this subject, that geologists know nothing 

 about the comparative age of rocks ; that God could 

 have created the world at once, just as it is, with all 

 its appearances of hoary age about it, with all its signs 

 of ancient upheavings and volcanic vomitings, with its 

 innumerable monsters imbedded within, creatures 

 great and small, beautiful and ugly, formed as if for 

 flying, running, swimming and creeping, but destined 

 to do neither — all for no conceivable purpose, unless 

 it were to deceive modern geologists. That God could 

 do all this, I suppose no one wishes to deny. That 

 He would do it, if there was a good reason for it, I 

 have no doubt. 



82. If L should say of an old book, dated a century 

 ago, with as many dates scribbled on its margins, as 

 there have been years since, with its binding well 

 worn and its leaves thoBtughly soiled, that there was 

 no evidence of age about it — for the book-maker could 

 manufacture just such a book as it now is — I should 

 probably not be thought to reason very soundly ; and 

 yet the argument would be as good in one case as in 

 the other, but for a single consideration, and that is, 

 that a book-maker can deceive ; God will not. To a 

 reasoning mind there can be no doubt that the differ- 

 ent portions of the earth's crust were formed at different 

 and immensely distant periods. 



