CfOPtSISTENCY OF GEOLOGY WITH SACRED HISTORY. 391 



masters of the facts, are qualified to judge of their importance and of 

 their bearing. The subject requires, for full illustration, the study 

 and exhibition of a great mass of facts, either in the fields, mines and 

 mountains, or, as an imperfect substitute, in the cabinet. Persons 

 who are entirely ignorant of this species of information, are destitute 

 of the means of forming a correct judgment on the subject; they can 

 never have acquired the habit of comparing one fact in geology with 

 another, and of thus estimating their relation to each other, and to the 

 entire planet. On the subject of geology, it is, therefore, very diffi- 

 cult to find access, to many minds, otherwise enlightened, and habitu- 

 ated to receive and weigh evidence, with candor and intelligence. 

 The reason obviously is, that they are not in possession of the first 

 elementary conceptions ; and when the facts are stated, if they are 

 not denied, they are neglected, because they are inconsistent with 

 previous and habitual impressions; thus they fail to make the im- 

 pression on the mind which they must always produce, when fully 

 understood and realized. 



In a country like this, where the moral feeling of the people is 

 identified with reverence for the scriptures, the questions are often 

 agitated:— When did the great series of geological events happen? 

 If the six days of the creation were insufficient in time, and the events 

 cannot all be referred to a deluge, to what period and to what state 

 of things shall we assign them? This is a fair topic of enquiry, and 

 demands a satisfactory answer. This answer is given by the whole 

 series of geological facts, and the question will never remain of doubt- 

 ful issue in the mind of any one who has fully studied and mastered 

 them. The subject of geology is possessed of such high interest, that 

 It will not be permitted to slumber; it will proceed with increasing 

 energy and success; a great number of powerful minds and immense 

 research are now employed upon it, and many collateral branches of 

 science are made tributary to its progress. Its conclusions have been 

 supposed to jar with the scripture history: this is contemplated with 

 ilarm and displeasure by some, and with satisfaction by a few; but 

 here is no cause for either state of feeling: the supposed disagreement 

 s not real ; it is only apparent. It is founded upon the popular mis- 

 ake, that, excepting the action of a deluge and of ordinary causes still 

 n operation, this world was formed as we now see it, and that all its 

 mmense and various deposits were made in a very short period of time 

 3oth these are fundamental errors, which have misled both the learned 

 md the unlearned, and are still extensively prevalent. Although the 

 naterials were created by almighty power, they were evidently left 



