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hitches, it is no discredit to them if now and then they float a little slower 
than other people. . . . When Professor Huxley holds one view about 
the number of centres of human origin, and rival professors hold another, 
it is open to the general public to advance a third if it likes ; but when all 
the professors in the world announce a certain order of geological succession, 
the general public simply hears and believes.” 
It will now be evident why I have quoted from Mr. 
Warington and the Saturday Bevieiv, to correct Professor 
Huxley's statement. It is, that such of the clergy, and any 
others, who have been led by scientific theorists into holding 
conflicting hypotheses about the creation, may recognise 
whom they have to thank for inducing them to adopt 
what are now sarcastically styled only “ ludicrous " and 
“ absurd " interpretations. But seeing that all these variable 
opinions exist, the next question is, which interpretation 
ought I to defend in replying to Professor Huxley? My 
answer is very simple — I trust it will not startle “the clergy'' 
who may be present this evening: — I must defend what 
Professor Huxley attacked. If my reply is to be cogent, it 
must go to prove that Professor Huxley did not succeed in 
discrediting the 6,000 years of Usher, which alone he argued 
against. It would not really be fair to meet the Professor's 
arguments with a profession of faith in periods as elongated 
and indefinite as his own. If I could do no better than that, 
I might as well astonish you, by saying with the Saturday 
Review, — “ The lecture was admirable, the illustrations perfect, 
“ the argument conclusive, and, unluckily, there is no one to 
“argue with!" — But let us now proceed to examine the 
Professor's first argument. 
THE ARGUMENT FROM THE CIVILIZATION OF EGYPT IN 
JOSEPH’S TIME. 
As it was the first time that Professor Huxley had addressed 
a body of the clergy, he said “ he would therefore deal with 
“ the subject in their own familiar method. He would take a 
“ text, and give them a scientific f exegesis ' drawn from the 
“text." He selected this passage from Genesis (ch. xli., 
verses 42, 43) — “ And Pharaoh tool off his ring from his 
“ hand, and put it upon Joseph’s hand, and arrayed him in 
“ vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck ; 
“ and he made him to ride in the second chariot which 
“he had.” 
