s compared with the
teaching of the Bible. In one important sense, absolute creation, in
so far as the inorganic universe is concerned, is in our Mosaic
narrative limited to the production of matter and force at first. All
else is called making, forming, or appointing. Thus the production of
all the arrangements of the waters, the atmosphere, the earth, and the
heavens, in the work of the first four days, and even the introduction
of plants, may be correctly termed an evolution or development from
preformed materials, with the single exception that the reproductive
power and specific diversities of plants are recognized as entirely
new facts. Creation is properly resumed when animal life is
introduced. Hence, in so far as a comparison with the terms of Genesis
is concerned, hypotheses as to the evolution of animal life from
inorganic matter are in a different position from hypotheses as to the
previous evolution of the parts of inorganic nature; and still more so
from statements as to the progress of inorganic nature subsequent to
the introduction of animals; since within that period, which really
includes the whole of geological time, absolutely no creation whatever
in the domain of inanimate nature is affirmed in the Biblical record
to have taken place. On the contrary, all the arrangements of
inorganic nature are represented as finally completed before the
creation of animals.

The obliquity of the earth's axis, which gives us the changes of the
seasons, is apparently included in the arrangements of the fourth
creative day. The cause of this obliquity, and the time when it may
have attained to its present amount, have been fertile themes of
discussion. It is clear, however, that if this obliquity was
established, as appears to be stated here, before the introduction of
animal life, it can have no bearing on the changes of climate of which
we have evidence in geological time since the dawn of animal life,
unless, indeed, it is capable of greater variation than astronomers
admit; and the same remark applies to supposed changes in the position
of the poles themselves. There is, however, nothing in this record to
oppose the idea of any secular changes in these arrangements under the
laws appointed in the fourth creative period.

The record relating to the fourth day is silent respecting the mundane
history of the period; and geology gives no very certain information
concerning it. If, however, we assume that any of the