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must look at the question as regards the development of mankind, in the way 
it has been very ably put in Mr. Keddie’s paper, but which, among the many 
other points referred to, has been somewhat overlooked ; namely, that there is 
no account of the history of mankind which does not essentially harmonize 
with the account we have in the Scriptures. If we look at the question as 
to how civilization grew up, we will find, as Mr. Reddie very properly ob- 
served, that the oldest uninspired account we have is that given by Herodotus, 
and if we examine his history, we do not find it inconsistent with the Scriptures. 
All we learn from it of the history of mankind thoroughly harmonizes with 
the account which we get in the Bible. Egypt is the oldest country of which 
Herodotus speaks in much detail ; but when he refers to the ancient 
accounts of transactions which occurred in the early part of the history of 
Egypt, he only mentions what he was told by the priests of that country. 
He does not appear to be able to vindicate all that he has written, or to 
speak with the accuracy and certainty which is evident in the inspired 
writings of the Bible. Now the same thing might be said with regard to 
the oldest accounts which we get from all other sources with regard to the 
history of mankind. And I think it is a point we ought especially to bear 
in mind, among the many able arguments that have been advanced in the 
paper, that we have no account of the early history of mankind which in any 
way contravenes the earliest account of all, namely that given us by the 
inspired writers of the Old Testament. (Hear, hear.) 
Rev. S. 0 . Adam.— I rise for the purpose of asking a question of some 
able Hebrew scholar with regard to the meaning of the Hebrew word bara, 
created. I have always understood that it means that God gave a perfect 
existence to everything that He created ; and if so, He gave a perfect form 
to man in creating him. 
Rev. Dr. Irons. — It is an awkward thing to rise in order to answer a ques- 
tion so put. Without, however, professing to be a Hebrew scholar, I may say 
that I have read Hebrew for many years, and I may observe that the state 
of the language is so primitive that it is impossible for us to analyze the 
exact force of its roots, beyond a certain limit. You find instances in 
which the word in question has a definite meaning ; but they are very few, 
and it would be out of the question to attempt to build up a doctrine of 
philosophy on the etymology of a Hebrew word. It is used ordinarily m 
the same way as we use the ordinary English word “ created, or made, 
sometimes it means the one and sometimes the other. The idea of ‘ cre- 
ating out of nothing ” is an idea we bring to the word, rather than extract 
from it. It is not an idea which belongs necessarily to the word itself. 
There is no doubt that is the traditional sense of the word ; but it would be 
impossible to push its force beyond a mere general sense, and to build an 
argument upon its etymology would be most unwise. Would you allow me 
to°say in defence of our Essayist, that I think a little unfairness, was used 
by Mr. Warington and Dr. Gladstone in questioning what is or is not reli- 
gious. Of course, Mr. Reddie used the word in its ordinary sense. We are 
not here merely to play with words. We are using terms in their common 
