Rough Notes on the controversy against Geologists. 497 



darkened, the moon not give her light, the stars (electric or 

 other meteors,) fall from heaven. A fiery stream shall pre- 

 cede the presence of the Lord. The heavens shall pass 

 away with a great noise, the elements melt with fervent 

 heat, the earth also, and the works that are therein, shall be 

 burnt up.* 



No language can perhaps better express concisely the 

 geological disturbances which shall remove from the earth 

 the being and stains of the present sin-polluted and misery- 

 enduring creation of animated beings, to make room for 

 that future one of which the marks shall be holiness and 

 happiness. Smoke and vapour darkening the heavenly 

 bodies and the face of the sky; horrible subterraneous 

 noises and convulsive movements, commotion of the great 

 body of waters, displacement of the rocks and hills, emis- 

 sion from below of many and copious streams of the igneous 

 liquid matter there, which shall overthrow, melt, or burn 

 all before it. 



It is asserted, on incontrovertible geological evidence, 

 that generally the lowest mountains are the most anci- 

 ent comparatively, while those of more recent origin tower up 

 the highest, and constitute the greatest ranges. This is 

 what might be expected, for, during the progressive cooling 

 and thickening of the crust of the earth, not only would 

 eruptive action occur at progressively more distant intervals, 

 owing to the greater accumulation of force required to lift 

 the increasing mass above, but, when the movement did 

 take place, it would be much more extensive both in surface 

 and elevation. If we can conceive, then, the effects of such 

 eruptions of fiery matter as were necessary to lift up the 

 masses of the Alps, the Pyrenees, the Andes, the Hima- 

 layas, in comparison of those of the efforts expended on the 

 smaller mountains of Britain, we may form a slight idea of 



* Luke xxi. 25. Matt. xxiv. 29. Dan. vii. 10. 2 Pet. iii. 10. 



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