368 On the Mosaic account of the Creation. 



be found to tally with the outline of events as given in the 

 history of Creation, we should no longer doubt the correct- 

 ness of such a system ; but we cannot allow a mere assump- 

 tion that the Bible is correct, to be the basis of any theory 

 of the earth. Separate theology from geology, and then 

 if your system be rational, and agrees with the statements 

 of the Jewish lawgiver, we will deem your theory based 

 on just grounds, and entitled to consideration. 



But if then, rejecting the Bible as the book of truth, we 

 proceed to build up a system of geology from the appearances 

 and phenomena of the earth's strata, and collating it with 

 the books of Moses, pronounce it to agree with what we 

 there find recorded ; how do we prove one iota more distinctly, 

 the truth of this our system, than, if starting " ab initio" 

 with the conviction of the Bible's truth; and taking it for 

 our base and guide, we yet produce a system that is found to 

 corroborate the statements therein contained and prove them 

 to be correct ? 



In both cases we have arrived at the same conclusion, though 

 by different roads ; so that it would appear to be far more 

 reasonable to start at once in our inquiry on grounds that 

 were considered to be true, rather than to plunge headlong 

 into darkness, and endeavour to grope our way blindly and 

 with difficulty to the light of truth, which after all our anxie- 

 ty and labour, merely leads us back to the point from whence 

 our adversary started. 



As the present essay on the theory of the earth is put 

 forth, founded on the History of Creation as a basis, it will 

 be necessary before entering upon the subject to meet these 

 objections, and to endeavour to prove the thorough impossibi- 

 lity of ever producing any sound and permanent system of 

 geology, which is not fundamentally and inseparably connected 

 with theology. 



There are two classes of men to whom the geologist 

 addresses his discourse ; the first is composed of those who 



