GEOLOGY IN GEMESIS. 29 



which first appeared, but what he records as the creation of the third day was 

 the luxuriant vegetable growth of a later geologic age. 



The work of the fourth day consisted in bringing into full view the two great 

 lights understood to be our Sun and Moon. " To appear with disks of distinct 

 •outline as we now see them, instead of immense masses of nebulous matter, the 

 process of condensation must have been far advanced. Whether the work of 

 this day resulted in far greater condensation than existed at its beginning, or 

 simply in clearing up the mists and clouds in the Earth's atmosphere so as to 

 reveal the Sun and Moon, seems difficult to determine. The former view would 

 seem to make the work more in liarmony with that of the other days, as regards 

 the magnitude of results accomplished ; while the latter seems more consistent 

 with the facts as we understand them. We could not expect the Moon and Sun 

 to arrive at the same state of condensation at the same time, for we known the 

 Moon, on account of its small size, is now a cold inactive cinder, a " dead planet," 

 while the Sun is still in a glowing state of igneous fusion. But it is not neces- 

 sary that we should suppose the same amount of time and force to be expended 

 in the work of each day or that the accomplished results should be of equal im- 

 portance. The only essential seems to be, an event sufficiently striking and 

 important to impress the mind of the inspired writer as one worthy of especial 

 attention and record. 



On the fifth day the waters were commanded to bring forth the various 

 lower animals. " Moving creatures " are understood from the original to be those 

 which rapidly multiply, probably for the most part oviparous. " Fowls " include 

 every flying thing, insects, pterodactyls and other bird-like reptiles. "Whales" 

 include the monstrous saurians of the Reptilian Age, and also, doubtless, sharks, 

 crocodiles, and the like. In the order in which these are mentioned, it is not 

 easy to trace exact harmony between Genesis and Geology. Fishes might answer 

 to the moving creatures, as they are among the most productive of all animal 

 life, one fish often depositing hundreds of thousands and even millions of eggs. 

 But several other forms of life appear in the geological record before fishes. 

 Radiates and Mollusks were especially abundant, and Trilobites less so. These 

 may be included in the expression "moving creatures," as well as other pecu- 

 liarly prolific animals. 



As Moses notices only the most prominent points in the earth's history, the 

 few objects he mentions are doubtless typical representatives of many others he 

 passes over in silence. If we reason from other points in this history on which 

 increased knowledge of nature has thrown great additional light, it is safe to 

 infer that w/ien we thoroughly understand the affinities of all the lower animals 

 both fossil and living, and their exact relations to one another through a more 

 careful and intelligent study of these forms ; and when we have acquired a more 

 thorough knowledge of the Scripture record itself by more profound study of 

 shades of meaning in the original words, and more exhaustive comparison of 

 manuscripts, not omitting, in either line of investigation, the illumination of the 

 Holy Spirit, then we may expect to find that, for their number, the few words 



