152 



E. WALTER MAUNDER, F.R.A.S., ON 



become so. Translate "now ' {cf. Genesis iii, 1), "the earth had 

 become," etc. 



AVhen we turn to the third chapter of Genesis, verse 1, we find 

 the same peculiarity in the narrative. The " Serpent," used as the 

 embodiment of the power of evil, is spoken of thus : n^n C'nsni. 

 W^han-na-hash ha-yah. "Now the Serpent had become," etc., not 

 was as in our translation. Hence the hypothesis (h), mentioned by 

 Mr. Maunder on page 132, has a distinct basis in the Hebrew, and is 

 consonant with the development of the teaching of both the Old 

 Testament and the New concerning " principalities and powers, the 

 rulers of the darkness of this world, and spiritual wickedness in high 

 places," which wrought desolation in this created order of things, 

 and tempted man to his destruction, but have now been conquered 

 by the God-Man Who is to be manifested in all them that believe. 



Dr. Heywood Smith, M.A., M.D. : I accept all three of Mr. 

 Maunder's propositions wherewith he opens his paper. 



I believe there is nothing in the Bible contrary to Science when we 

 read them both aright, for they both have the same Author. Take, 

 e.g., the circular theory of storms, a discovery of comparatively 

 recent origin, — it is clearly set forth in Ecclesiastes i, 6, — or Jobxxvi, 

 7, " He hangeth the earth upon nothing." 



Starting on these premises, I hold that Genesis i, 1, stands unique, 

 as a comprehensive statement of fact : that then millions of 

 ages rolled by, giving time for the deposits of coal and other 

 strata, the crystallization of gems, possibly by electricity, etc., and 

 then (verse 2) for some cause (hidden from us) the earth became " any- 

 how and nohow," a water-covered dark sphere, and it needed the 

 "brooding over " of the Holy Spirit to usher in what we may call 

 the second stage of creation. Then God said " Let light be, and 

 light was." Remark that light was not created : light is the result 

 of energy, possibly electrical (see Ezekiel i, describing the electrical 

 (amber) manifestations round the throne) — or the sun, being its 

 source, yet hidden by the dense mist rising from the hot water- 

 covered earth, gave a sort of day and night to the already rotating 

 earth. 



And here I may state that I see no reason, if we are to believe in 

 an Omnipotent Creator, why this fitting of the earth for the pre- 

 Adamic race should not have been accomplished in six days as we have 

 them now. 



