COSMOGONY., 769 



a far-reaching prophecy, to which philosophy could not have attained, 

 however instructed. 



The account recognizes in creation two great eras, each of three 

 days, — an Inorganic and an Organic. 



Each of these eras opens with the appearance of light: the first, 

 light cosmical ; the second, light from the sun, for the special uses of 

 the earth. 



Each era ends in a " day " of two great works, — the two shown to 

 be distinct, by being severally pronounced " good." On the third 

 " day," that closing the Inorganic era, there was first the dividing of 

 the hind from the waters, and afterward the creation of vegetation, or 

 the institution of a kingdom of life, — a work widely diverse from all 

 preceding it in the era. So, on the sixth " day," terminating the Or- 

 ganic era, there was first the creation of Mammals, and then a second 

 far greater work, totally new in its grandest element, the creation of 

 Man. 



The arrangement is,, then, as follows : — 



1. The Inorganic Era. 



1st Day. — LIGHT cosmical. 



2d Day. — The earth divided from the fluid around it, or individ- 

 ualized. 



3d Dav I *' Outlining of the land and water. 



( 2. Creation of vegetation. 



2. The Organic Era. 



4th Day. — LIGHT from the sun. 



5th Day. — Creation of the lower orders of animals. 



6th Day. — | 



1. Creation of Mammals. 



2. Creation of Man. 



In addition, the last day of each era included one work typical of 

 the era, and another related to it in essential points, but also prophetic 

 of the future. Vegetation, while, for physical reasons, a part of the 

 creation of the third day, was also prophetic of the future Organic 

 era, in which the progress of life was the grand characteristic. The 

 record thus accords with the fundamental principle in history that the 

 characteristic of an age has its beginnings within the age preceding. 

 So, again, Man, while like other Mammals in structure, even to the 

 homologies of every bone and muscle, was endowed with a spiritual 

 nature, which looked forward to another era, that of spiritual exist- 

 ence. The seventh " day," the day of rest from the work of creation, 

 is Man's period of preparation for that new existence ; and it is to 

 49 



