22 CONSISTENCY OF GEOLOGICAL 



an investigation, the subject matter of which will be derived 

 from a series of events, for the most part, long antecedent 

 to the creation of the human species. I trust it may be 

 shown, not only that there is no inconsistency between our 

 interpretation of the phenomena of nature and of the Mosaic 

 narrative, but that the results of geological inquiry throw 

 important light on parts of this history, which are otherwise 

 involved in much obscurity. 



If the suggestions I shall venture to propose require some 

 modification of the most commonly received and popular 

 interpretation of the Mosaic narrative, this admission neither 

 involves any impeachment of the authenticity of the text, 

 nor of the judgment of those who have formerly interpreted 

 it otherwise, in the absence of information as to facts which 

 have but recently been brought to light; and if, in this 

 respect, geology should seem to require some little concession 

 from the literal interpreter of scripture, it may fairly be 

 held to afford ample compensation for this demand, by the 

 large additions it has made to the evidences of natural reli- 

 gion, in a department where revelation was not designed to 

 give information. 



The disappointment of those who look for a detailed 

 account of geological phenomina in the Bible, rests on a 

 gratuitous expectation of finding therein historical informa- 

 tion, respecting all the operations of the Creator in times and 

 places with which the human race has no concern ; as rea- 

 sonably might we object that the Mosaic history is imper- 

 fect, because it makes no specific mention of the satellites of 

 Jupiter, or the rings of Saturn, as feel disappointment at not 

 finding in it the history of geological phenomena, the details 

 of which may be fit matter for an encyclopedia of science, 

 but are foreign to the objects of a volume intended only to 

 be a guide of religious belief and moral conduct. 



We may fairly ask of those persons Mho consider physi- 

 cal science a fit subject for revelation, what point they can 

 imagine short of a communication of Omniscience, at which 



