nment, religion, and literature and
science be so old as is claimed by Chinamen, and by infidels in our
country, and its age be the cause of its great superiority in religion and
science, may we not thank the Lord that we are young?

ANCIENT COSMOGONIES.

The Mosaic method found in the first chapter of the book of Genesis is not
the method of physical science; this seeks, by induction, after laws,
principles and causes, stepping backwards step by step, seeking, by the
light of physical science, the character of that unit which lies at the
base of the whole series of all created things. "The world by wisdom knew
not God." The truth of this statement is monumented by the literature of
the unbelievers of the nineteenth century. To-day, men who refuse Bible
instruction talk of the unknown and the unknowable, thus conceding that
their efforts as naturalists, or "natural men," are not sufficient in
their results to disclose the character of the great first cause. The same
great failure has been, and ever will be, made by all mere naturalists. In
view of this fact it is well that Moses gives us at once the great first
cause in the phrase, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the
earth." There is in this sentence no limitation of time, so there is room
here for astronomical ages, cycle upon cycle. There was time enough in
that beginning for the present system of planets to be arranged from a
single nebulous mass. In it we have a picture of matter in a crude
condition, without fixedness of form, surrounded with darkness. Then comes
the commencement of the great work of preparing our planet for the home of
man, by the spirit of God moving over the chaos. There is nothing in this
statement that should perplex any man, unless he is that fool who "says in
his heart there is no God." If the chaos here described was matter in a
rare, gaseous condition, floating in space, molecular motion produced by
the spirit of God brooding over it, and a chemical change producing
electricity may have given the light called the first day.

Here is that troublesome word _day_. Why should it give trouble to any
scientist? It is a part of his duty to know that neither this word nor the
context in the first chapter of Genesis, nor biblical usage, requires us
to limit the term to a period of twenty-four hours. But the context does
limit it, in its first occurrence, to an indefinite period of _light_.
"GOD CALLED THE LIGHT DAY!" In the