132 



THE GEOLOGIST. 



salvation, but has left for the present untold much of the great story of his love.'* 

 The sequence of this chapter is naturally the " exposition." " In the beginning 

 God created the heaven and the earth " is the starting-point of both theologists 

 and geologists— indeed, of all mankind. ConcmTing in the interpretation of a great 

 " interval in which all pre-historic geology finds its place," our author proceeds to 

 the second verse of the Mosaic narrative, "And the earth was without form and 

 void ; and darkness was upon the face of the deep," and considers that tliis " was 

 not a phenomenon preceding all order whatever, but a marked interruption in the 

 sequence of physical events." The Spirit of God moving upon the face of the 

 waters he regards as the putting forth of the Divine energy for the commencement 

 of the present state of things, which differs as a whole so much from any ante- 

 cedent condition, that it can well be called a new creation. " Light was now made 

 to appear ; first as to the darkness out of which it immediately sprang, and first 

 with reference to all that of which it was the introductory manifestation." " On 

 the second day, the present atmospheric arrangements were restored and developed ; 

 differences of climate had been produced long before ; but out of the condition of 

 disorder and dark miracle of verse 2, now again were evolved, at the fiat of the 

 Almighty, the play of the gi'eat system of exchange, whereby the clouds " drop 

 down fatness. ' ' On the third day, ' ' The present geogTaphy of the earth' s surface was 

 made apparent, and then the creation and gTowth of vegetation in soils which had 

 been prepared in previous pre-historic epochs." Day four—" The unveiling, in the 

 now lucid atmosphere, of the sun, the moon, and stars, in perpetual connexion 

 of forces and influences with the earth — not the original establishment, but the 

 first manifestation as regards the earth's present smface." In the fifth verse, it is 

 considered, we have naiTated to us " the creation, as a whole, of the present assem- 

 blage of aquatic animals and of birds." The fifth day is viewed as a narration of 

 the creation, as a whole, of the present assemblage of aquatic animals and of birds, 

 and here we would transcribe one remark as highly pertinent. " It is owing," 

 nms the passage we allude to, "to the creation of everything, 'after its kind,' 

 both in this and in the previous stages, that we can advance with unfaltermg foot- 

 step into the domains of the dead, to pronounce with confidence concerning the 

 true character of the relics." " Among the most antique things we can gaze upon 

 are the familiar /or of the creatures around us. In unvarying simihtudes have 

 they been preserved and transmitted from the first." 



The passage describing the transactions of the sixth day, " informs us of the 

 creation, as a whole, of the living species of reptiles and animals, and lastly of man 

 himself." 



The second chapter of Genesis is regarded as " a summary of the work of creation 

 as relating to the present condition of the earth, with special reference to the 

 appointment of a day of rest, and the primeval history of mankind," and in a scien- 

 tific jioint of view, " as confii-matory of the conclusion derived from natural history, 

 tliat no new species nor any new substance has been created since the period here 

 indicated." 



After just considerations of the difficulties besetting the reconciliation of the 

 two accounts, and of the probably partial character of the Deluge, the geology of 

 the " Scripture Lands," and the bibliography of the subject of the treatise, con- 

 clude this interesting book. 



Some points in both books, as in all works of this class, may seem strained 

 to meet a special purpose, and others to have an unnatural appearance, still both 

 autliors have made good selections of the best published ideas upon these important 

 discussions, and have added many sensible remarks of their o^vn ; and we would 

 end our review by re-echoing the concluding remarks of JNIr. Pattison. " And 

 should it be, that after all these eftbrts, somewhat of obscurity stiU hangs over 

 the subject, we will believe in the goodness and wisdom of God notwithstanding, 

 endeavouring to walk humbly, and therefore surely, before Him." 



