AndhereletitbenotedthatoneofthemostinterestingskirmishesinthiswaroccurredinNewEngland。Prof。Stuart，ofAndover，justlyhonouredasaHebrewscholar，declaredthattospeakofsixperiodsoftimeforthecreationwasflyinginthefaceofScripture；thatGenesisexpresslyspeaksofsixdays，eachmadeupof“theeveningandthemorning。”andnotsixperiodsoftime。
TohimrepliedaprofessorinYaleCollege，JamesKingsley。Inanarticleadmirableforkeenwitandkindlytemper，heshowedthatGenesisspeaksjustasclearlyofasolidfirmamentasofsixordinarydays，andthat，ifProf。StuarthadsurmountedonedifficultyandacceptedtheCopernicantheory，hemightaswellgetoveranotherandaccepttherevelationsofgeology。Theencounterwasquickanddecisive，andthevictorywaswithscienceandthebroaderscholarshipofYale。[150]
[150]SeeSilliman’sJournal，vol。xxx，p。114。
PerhapsthemostsingularattemptagainstgeologywasmadebyafinesurvivaloftheeighteenthcenturyDon——DeanCockburn，ofYork——toSCOLDitschampionsoffthefield。Havingnoadequateknowledgeofthenewscience，heopenedabatteryofabuse，givingittotheworldatlargefromthepulpitandthroughthepress，andeventhroughprivateletters。FromhispulpitinYorkMinsterhedenouncedMarySomervillebynameforthosestudiesinphysicalgeographywhichhavemadehernamehonouredthroughouttheworld。
ButthespecialobjectofhisantipathywastheBritishAssociationfortheAdvancementofScience。Heissuedapamphletagainstitwhichwentthroughfiveeditionsintwoyears，sentsolemnwarningstoitspresident，andinvariouswaysmadelifeaburdentoSedgwick，Buckland，andothereminentinvestigatorswhoventuredtostategeologicalfactsastheyfoundthem。
Theseweaponsweresoonseentobeineffective；theywerelikeChinesegongsanddragonlanternsagainstrifledcannon；theworkofsciencewentsteadilyon。[151]
[151]Prof。GoldwinSmithinformsmethatthepapersofSirRobertPeel，yetunpublished，containverycuriousspecimensoftheepistlesofDeanCockburn。SeealsoPersonalRecollectionsofMarySomerville，Boston，1874，pp。139and375。ComparewithanystatementofhisreligiousviewsthatDeanCockburnwasabletomake，thefollowingfromMrs。Somerville：“NothinghasaffordedmesoconvincingaproofoftheDeityasthesepurelymentalconceptionsofnumericalandmethematicalsciencewhichhavebeen，byslowdegrees，vouchesafedtoman——andarestillgrantedintheselattertimesbythedifferentialcalculus，nowsupesededbythehigheralgebra——allofwhichmusthaveexistedinthatsublimelyomniscientmindfrometernity。SeealsoTheLifeandLettersofAdamSedgwick，Cambridge，1890，vol。ii，pp。
76andfollowing。
Longbeforetheendofthestrugglealreadydescribed，evenataveryearlyperiod，thefutilityoftheusualscholasticweaponshadbeenseenbythemorekeen-sightedchampionsoforthodoxy；
and，asthedifficultiesoftheordinaryattackuponsciencebecamemoreandmoreevident，manyofthesechampionsendeavouredtopatchupatruce。Sobeganthethirdstageinthewar——theperiodofattemptsatcompromise。
ThepositionwhichthecompromisepartytookwasthatthefossilswereproducedbytheDelugeofNoah。
Thispositionwasstrong，foritwasapparentlybaseduponScripture。Moreover，ithadhighecclesiasticalsanction，someofthefathershavingheldthatfossilremains，evenonthehighestmountains，representedanimalsdestroyedattheDeluge。
Tertullianwasespeciallyfirmonthispoint，andSt。AugustinethoughtthatafossiltoothdiscoveredinNorthAfricamusthavebelongedtooneofthegiantsmentionedinScripture。[152]
[152]ForTertullian，seehisDePallio，c。iiMigne，Patr。
Lat。，vol。ii，p。1033。ForAugustine’sview，seeCuvier，RecherchessurlesOssementsfossiles，fourthedition，vol。ii，p。143。
Inthesixteenthcenturyespecially，weightbegantobeattachedtothisideabythosewhofelttheworthlessnessofvariousscholasticexplanations。StrongmeninboththeCatholicandtheProtestantcampsacceptedit；butthemanwhodidmosttogiveitanimpulseintomoderntheologywasMartinLuther。Heeasilysawthatscholasticphrase-makingcouldnotmeetthedifficultiesraisedbyfossils，andhenaturallyurgedthedoctrineoftheiroriginatNoah’sFlood。[153]
[153]ForLuther’sopinion，seehisCommentaryonGenesis。
Withsuchsupport，itsoonbecamethedominanttheoryinChristendom：nothingseemedabletostandagainstit；butbeforetheendofthesamesixteenthcenturyitmetsomeseriousobstacles。BernardPalissy，oneofthemostkeen-sightedofscientificthinkersinFrance，aswellasoneofthemostdevotedofChristians，showedthatitwasutterlyuntenable。
ConscientiousinvestigatorsinotherpartsofEurope，andespeciallyinItaly，showedthesamething；allinvain。[154]
Invaindidgoodmenprotestagainsttheinjurysuretobebroughtuponreligionbytyingittoascientifictheorysuretobeexploded；thedoctrinethatfossilsaretheremainsofanimalsdrownedattheFloodcontinuedtobeupheldbythegreatmajorityoftheologicalleadersfornearlythreecenturiesas“sounddoctrine。”andasablessedmeansofreconcilingsciencewithScripture。Tosustainthisscripturalview，effortsenergeticandpersistentwereputforthbothbyCatholicsandProtestants。
[154]ForaveryfullstatementofthehonourablerecordofItalyinthisrespect，andfortheenlightenedviewsofsomeItalianchurchmen，seeStoppani，IlDogmaaleScienzePositive，Milan，1886，pp。203etseq。
InFrance，thelearnedBenedictine，Calmet，inhisgreatworksontheBible，accepteditaslateasthebeginningoftheeighteenthcentury，believingthemastodon’sbonesexhibitedbyMazuriertobethoseofKingTeutobocus，andholdingthemvaluabletestimonytotheexistenceofthegiantsmentionedinScriptureandoftheearlyinhabitantsoftheearthoverwhelmedbytheFlood。[155]
[155]Forthesteadyadherancetothissacredtheory，seeAudiat，ViedePalissy，p。412，andCantu，HistoireUniverselle，vol。xv，p。492。ForCalmet，seehisDissertationsurlesGeants，citedinBergerdeXivery，TraditionsTeratologiques，p。191。
ButthegreatestchampionappearedinEngland。Wehavealreadyseenhow，nearthecloseoftheseventeenthcentury，ThomasBurnetpreparedthewayinhisSacredTheoryoftheEarthbyrejectingthediscoveriesofNewton，andshowinghowsinledtothebreakingupofthe“foundationsofthegreatdeep。”andwehavealsoseenhowWhiston，inhisNewTheoryoftheEarth，whileyieldingalittleandacceptingthediscoveriesofNewton，broughtinacomettoaidinproducingtheDeluge；butfarmoreimportantthantheseinpermanentinfluencewasJohnWoodward，professoratGreshamCollege，aleaderinscientificthoughtattheUniversityofCambridge，and，asapatientcollectoroffossilsandanearnestinvestigatoroftheirmeaning，deservingofthehighestrespect。In1695hepublishedhisNaturalHistoryoftheEarth，andrenderedonegreatservicetoscience，forheyieldedanotherpoint，andthusdestroyedthefoundationsfortheoldtheoryoffossils。Heshowedthattheywerenot“sportsofNature。”or“modelsinsertedbytheCreatorinthestrataforsomeinscrutablepurpose。”butthattheywerereallyremainsoflivingbeings，asXenophaneshadassertedtwothousandyearsbeforehim。Sofar，herenderedagreatservicebothtoscienceandreligion；but，thisdone，thetextoftheOldTestamentnarrativeandthefamouspassageinSt。Peter’sEpistleweretoostrongforhim，andhe，too，insistedthatthefossilswereproducedbytheDeluge。Aidedbyhisgreatauthority，theassaultonthetruescientificpositionwasvigorous：MazurierexhibitedcertainfossilremainsofamammothdiscoveredinFranceasbonesofthegiantsmentionedinScripture；FatherTorrubiadidthesamethinginSpain；IncreaseMathersenttoEnglandsimilarremainsdiscoveredinAmerica，withalikestatement。
Fortheedificationofthefaithful，such“bonesofthegiantsmentionedinScripture“werehungupinpublicplaces。JurieusawsomeofthemthussuspendedinoneofthechurchesofValence；andHenrion，apparentlyunderthestimulusthusgiven，drewuptablesshowingthesizeofourantediluvianancestors，givingtheheightofAdamas123feet9inchesandthatofEveas118feet9inchesand9lines。[156]
[156]SeeCuvier，RecherchessurlesOssementsfossiles，fourthedition，vol。ii，p。56；alsoGeoffreySt-Hilaire，citedbyBergerdeXivery，TraditionsTeratologiques，p。190。
Butthemostbrilliantservicerenderedtothetheologicaltheorycamefromanotherquarterfor，in1726，Scheuchzer，havingdiscoveredalargefossillizard，exhibitedittotheworldasthe“humanwitnessoftheDeluge“：[157]thisgreatdiscoverywashailedeverywherewithjoy，foritseemedtoprovenotonlythathumanbeingsweredrownedattheDeluge，butthat“thereweregiantsinthosedays。”Cheeredbytheapplausethusgained，hedeterminedtomakethetheologicalpositionimpregnable。MixingtogethervarioustextsofScripturewithnotionsderivedfromthephilosophyofDescartesandthespeculationsofWhiston，hedevelopedthetheorythat“thefountainsofthegreatdeep“werebrokenupbythedirectphysicalactionofthehandofGod，which，beingliterallyappliedtotheaxisoftheearth，suddenlystoppedtheearth’srotation，brokeup“thefountainsofthegreatdeep。”spilledthewaterthereincontained，andproducedtheDeluge。Buthisservicetosacredsciencedidnotendhere，forhepreparedaneditionoftheBible，inwhichmagnificentengravingsingreatnumberillustratedhisviewandenforcedituponallreaders。Oftheseengravingsnolessthanthirty-fourweredevotedtotheDelugealone。[158]
[157]Homodiluviitestis。
[158]SeeZoeckler，vol。ii，p。172；alsoScheuchzer，PhysicaSacra，AugustaeVindeletUlmae，1732。Fortheancientbeliefregardinggiants，seeLeopoldi，Saggio。ForaccountsoftheviewsofMazaurierandScheuchzer，seeCuvier；alsoBuchner，ManinPast，Present，andFuture，Englishtranslation，pp。235，236。
ForIncreaseMather’sviews，seePhilosophicalTransactions，vol。
xxiv，p。85。AstosimilarfossilssentfromNewYorktotheRoyalSocietyasremainsofgiants，seeWeld，HistoryoftheRoyalSociety，vol。i，p。421。ForFatherTorrubiaandhisGigantologiaEspanola，seeD’Archiac，Introductional’EtudedelaPaleontologieStratigraphique，Paris，1864，p。201。Foradmirablesummaries，seeLyell，PrinciplesofGeology，London，1867；D’Archiac，GeologieetPaleontologie，Paris，1866；Pictet，TraitedePaleontologie，Paris，1853；Vezian，ProdromedelaGeologie，Paris，1863；Haeckel，HistoryofCreation，Englishtranslation，NewYork，1876，chap。iii；andforrecentprogress，Prof。O。S。Marsh’sAddressontheHistoryandMethodsofPaleontology。
Inthemidstallthiscameanepisodeverycomicalbutveryinstructive；foritshowsthattheattempttoshapethedeductionsofsciencetomeettheexigenciesofdogmamaymisleadheterodoxyasabsurdlyasorthodoxy。
Abouttheyear1760newsofthediscoveryofmarinefossilsinvariouselevateddistrictsofEuropereachedVoltaire。He，too，hadatheologicsystemtosupport，thoughhissystemwasopposedtothatofthesacredbooksoftheHebrews；and，fearingthatthesenewdiscoveriesmightbeusedtosupporttheMosaicaccountsoftheDeluge，allhiswisdomandwitwerecompactedintoargumentstoprovethatthefossilfisheswereremainsoffishesintendedforfood，butspoiledandthrownawaybytravellers；thatthefossilshellswereaccidentallydroppedbycrusadersandpilgrimsreturningfromtheHolyLand；andthatthefossilbonesfoundbetweenParisandEtampeswerepartsofaskeletonbelongingtothecabinetofsomeancientphilosopher。