CONSISTENCY OF GEOLOGY WITH SACRED HISTORY. 453 



thrown on them by the letters of Pliny, authenticated as these are 

 by the existing remains of the buried cities, as well as the historical 

 evidence which is proper to themselves ? 



Among the questions which geology is at present attempting to 

 solve, is that of a different temperature of some regions of the earth 

 at a remote age. The discoveries of Pallas and Adams, of a rhi- 

 noceros and elephant in Siberia, having coverings of hair fit to pro- 

 tect them from the cold of the northern regions, would seem to de- 

 cide the question, so far at least to show, that there has been no 

 change of temperature since the creation of animals. But the ques- 

 tion does not seem yet so satisfactorily ansvv'ered, so far back as to the 

 age of the creation of vegetables. Does not the statement of Gene- 

 sis, that the establishment of our present days and seasons was inter- 

 mediate between the creation of vegetables and that of animals, give 

 us a clew to direct our path in the inquiry ?"* 



Having finished this long, but very important and apposite quota- 

 tion from Prof. Jameson, we proceed to remark that we are aware, 

 from much communication on this subject with eminent biblical crit- 

 ics and divines, how tenacious they are, of the common acceptation 

 of the word day. On points of biblical criticism we have no right to 

 speak with great confidence. But we may be permitted to remark, 

 that from the best consideration we have been able to give the subject, 

 aided by the light, afiforded both by criticism and geology, it does not 

 appear necessary to limit the word day in this account, to the period 

 of twenty four hours. 



1. This word could have had no definite application, before the pre- 

 sent measure of a day and night was established by the instituted re- 

 volution of the earth on its axis, before an illuminated sun, and this 

 did not happen until the fourth day. 



2. The word day, is used even in this short history, in three senses, 

 — for light as distinct from darkness, — for the light and darkness of a 

 single terrestrial revolution, or a natural day ; and finally for time at 

 large. 



3. In the latter case then, the account itself uses the word day in 

 the sense in which geology would choose to adopt it, that is, for time 

 or a period of time. 



* On submitting the criticisms of Professor Jameson to an eminent Hebrew 

 scholar, no fault was found with them, although the inferences with respect to ge- 

 ology, were not admitted. — Ed. 



