possible age of the earth
as a planetary globe; but calculations of the sun's heat as produced
by gravitation alone would give a much less time. We have, however, a
right to assume an original heated condition of the vaporous mass from
which the sun was formed. Still the date above given would seem to be
a maximum rather than a minimum age for the solar system.

"God saw the light that it was good," though it illuminated but a
waste of lifeless waters. It was good because beautiful in itself, and
because God saw it in its relations to long trains of processes and
wonderful organic structures on which it was to act as a vivifying
agency. Throughout the Scriptures light is not only good, but an
emblem of higher good. In Psalm civ. God is represented as "clothing
himself with light as with a garment;" and in many other parts of
these exquisite lyrics we have similar figures. "The Lord is my light
and salvation;" "Lift up the light of thy countenance upon me;" "The
entrance of thy law giveth light;" "The path of the just is as a
shining light." And the great spiritual Light of the world, the "only
begotten of the Father," the mediator alike in creation and
redemption, is himself the "Sun of Righteousness." Perhaps the noblest
Scripture passage relating to the blessing of light is one in the
address of Jehovah to Job, which is unfortunately so imperfectly
translated in the English version as to be almost unintelligible:

"Hast thou in thy lifetime given law to the morning,
Or caused the dawn to know its place,
That it may enclose the horizon in its grasp,
And chase the robbers before it:
It rolls along as the seal over the clay,
Causing all things to stand forth in gorgeous apparel."[46]

Job xxxviii., 12.

The concluding words, "Day one," bring us to the consideration of one
of the most difficult problems in this history, and one on which its
significance in a great measure depends--the meaning of the word
_day_, and the length of the days of creation.

In pursuing this investigation, I shall refrain from noticing in
detail the views of the many able modern writers who, from Cuvier, De
Luc, and Jameson, down to Hugh Miller, Donald McDonald, and Tayler
Lewis, have maintained the period theory, or those equally numerous
and able writers who have supported the opposite view. I acknowledge
obligations to them all, but prefer to direct my attention immediately
to the r