h is
upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the
fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every
beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that
creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green
herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw everything that he had made,
and behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the
sixth day." There can be no mistake as to the spirit and disposition of
the Great Being whom we see working, and hear speaking, in this passage.
Everything savors of pure and boundless love.

1. He makes man male and female, that they may have the comfort and
advantages of society, and of love and friendship in their highest,
holiest, and most intimate form.

2. Then He makes them in His own image, which, whatever else it may
mean, means ungrudging and unbounded goodness on His part. There can be
nothing higher, greater, better, happier than God. To make man in His
own image, and to appoint him, so far as possible, to a like position,
and a like lot with Himself, was the grandest display of goodness
possible.

3. And He gives the man and woman dominion over every living
thing,--makes them, next to Himself, lords of the universe. And He
blesses them, speaks to them sweet good words; and His blessing maketh
rich and adds no sorrow. He encourages them to be fruitful; to multiply,
and replenish the earth, and to subdue it,--to turn it ever more to
their advantage. He in effect places all things at their disposal;
every green herb, bearing seed, and every tree yielding fruit, is given
to them for food; and they are at the same time given for food to every
beast of the field, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that
creepeth on the face of the earth. A richer, sweeter story,--a story of
more cheerful, generous liberality,--a picture more creditable or
honorable to God, one cannot imagine.

And the story is all of a piece. There is not a jar in it from first to
last. Its consistency is complete. Whatever else may be said of the
author of this account, it is certain that he was moved by a Holy
Spirit, that he had the loftiest and worthiest views of God, and that he
loved Him with all his heart and soul. He believed in a good and holy
God, and in a good and holy life.

I say nothing about the harmony or discord between this account of
Creation, and the facts of Geographical, Astronomic