337 
ORDINARY MEETING, JUNE 1, 1868. 
The Rey. Walter Mitchell, M.A., Vice-President, in 
the Chair. 
The minutes of the last Meeting were read and confirmed. 
The election of the following Member was announced : — 
John Poyer, Esq., 13, St. Mary’s Road, Westbourne Park, W. 
Mr. Warington then read the following paper : — 
TEE BIBLICAL COSMOGONY SCIENTIFICALLY CON- 
SIDERED. By George Warington, Esq., F.C.S., 
Mem. Viet. Inst. 
T HE history of creation is the only part of Scripture which 
can be said to involve direct scientific teaching. Else- 
where, indeed, the facts and phenomena of Nature with which 
Science has to do are frequently alluded to ; but inasmuch as 
these are never the object of Scripture teaching, but only the 
accessories or illustrations of it ; inasmuch, also, as in all such 
cases there existed a natural knowledge of the matters referred 
to, on the part both of writers and readers ; it is open to the 
interpreter of Scripture to repudiate all scrutiny or objection 
of science, on the ground that scientific accuracy was wholly 
unnecessary to accomplish the end that Scripture had in view, 
and general fairness of use all that the analogy of Scripture- 
history would lead us to expect. Whether this twofold plea 
be considered sufficient or not in the cases referred to, it is 
clear that in regard to creation it is of no avail. For here 
no natural knowledge of the facts could exist, to whose par- 
tial and phenomenal character any scientific inaccuracy in the 
record might be ascribed. The knowledge of nature pos- 
sessed by the original writers and readers of the Bible 
(revelation being put on one side) could plainly have extended 
