GEOLOGY. 



215 



the creation of the second also, particularly when 

 we find that laws equally at this moment govern and 

 sustain both ? Most undoubtedly, it would require very 

 powerful evidence to justify such an admission. And, 

 on the other hand, it would require very decisive coun- 

 ter-evidence to forbid the conclusion that the organic 

 creation originated in law. How actually stands the ev- 

 idence on either side ? Simply thus : that no actual 

 evidence has ever yet been offered to prove that the Di- 

 vine will acted otherwise than in the usual natural order 

 in the organic creation ; while, on the other hand, geology 

 and physiology exhibit lively vestiges or traces of that 

 mode having actually been followed. On this narrow 

 ground, it appears, is the great question to be debated. 

 If the opponents of the hypothesis of an organic creation 

 by law can bring, from these or any other sciences, facts 

 which appear as powerful objections to any such conclu- 

 sion, then it must, at the very least, be held in suspense. 

 If, again, the other party can show these sciences as pre- 

 senting far more argument for a law creation of organisms 

 than against it, the hypothesis must be admitted to have 

 the advantage. I have so presented these sciences ; the 

 evidence has been disputed, and some obscure points 

 have been largely insisted upon in objection. It is now 

 my duty to enter into the consideration of these objections, 

 and see if they are really of the importance which has been 

 attributed to them. 



Fifty years ago science possessed no facts regarding the 

 origin of organic creatures upon earth ; as far as knowl- 

 edge acquired through the ordinary means was con- 

 cerned, all was a blank antecedent to the first chapters 

 of what we usually call ancient history. Within that 

 time, by researches in the crust of the earth, we have 

 obtained a bold outline of the history of the globe, during 

 what appears to have been a vast chronology intervening 

 between its formation and the appearance of the human 

 race upon its surface. It is shown, on powerful evi- 

 dence, that during this time strata of various thickness 

 were deposited in seas, each in succession being com- 

 Dosed of matters worn away from the previous rocks ; 

 volcanic agency broke up the strata, and projected chains 

 of mountains ; sea and land repeatedly changed condi- 

 tions ; in short, the whole of the arrangements which we 

 tea prevailing in tho earth's crust took place, and that 



