第2章
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  Thejusticeofthisobservationmustbeadmitted,nolessthanthefurtherremarkthat,instillearliertimes,thepastoralHebrewsveryprobablyhadyetmorerestrictednotionsofwhatconstitutedthe\"wholeearth。\"Moreover,I,forone,fullyagreewithProfessorDiestelthatthemotive,orgenerativeincident,ofthewholestoryistobesoughtintheoccasionallyexcessiveanddesolatingfloodsoftheEuphratesandtheTigris。

  Letus,provisionally,acceptthetheoryofapartialdeluge,andtrytoformaclearmentalpictureoftheoccurrence。Letussupposethat,forfortydaysandfortynights,suchavastquantityofwaterwaspoureduponthegroundthatthewholesurfaceofMesopotamiawascoveredbywatertoadepthcertainlygreater,probablymuchgreater,thanfifteencubits,ortwentyfeet(Gen。vii。20)。Theinundationprevailsupontheearthforonehundredandfiftydaysandthenthefloodgraduallydecreases,until,ontheseventeenthdayoftheseventhmonth,theark,whichhadpreviouslyfloatedonitssurface,groundsuponthe\"mountainsofArarat\"(Gen。viii。34)。Then,asDiestelhasacutelypointedout(\"Sintflut,\"p。13),wearetoimaginethefurthersubsidenceofthefloodtotakeplacesograduallythatitwasnotuntilnearlytwomonthsandahalfafterthistime(thatistosay,onthefirstdayofthetenthmonth)thatthe\"topsofthemountains\"becamevisible。Henceitfollowsthat,ifthearkdrewevenasmuchastwentyfeetofwater,theleveloftheinundationfellveryslowly——atarateofonlyafewinchesaday——untilthetopofthemountainonwhichitrestedbecamevisible。Thisisanamountofmovementwhich,ifittookplaceinthesea,wouldbeoverlookedbyordinarypeopleontheshore。ButtheMesopotamianplainslopesgently,fromanelevationof500or600feetatitsnorthernend,tothesea,atitssouthernend,withhardlysomuchasanotableridgetobreakitsuniformflatness,for300to400

  miles。Thesebeingtheconditionsofthecase,thefollowinginquirynaturallypresentsitself:not,beitobserved,asareconditeproblem,generatedbymodernspeculation,butasaplainsuggestionflowingoutofthatveryordinaryandarchaicpieceofknowledgethatwatercannotbepileduplikeinaheap,likesand;orthatitseeksthelowestlevel。When,after150

  days,\"thefountainsalsoofthedeepandthewindowsofheavenwerestopped,andtherainfromheavenwasrestrained\"(Gen。

  viii。2),whatpreventedthemassofwater,several,possiblyverymany,fathomsdeep,whichcovered,say,thepresentsiteofBagdad,fromsweepingseawardinafurioustorrent;and,inaveryfewhours,leaving,notonlythe\"topsofthemountains,\"

  butthewholeplain,saveanyminordepressions,bare?Howcoulditssubsistence,byanypossibility,beanaffairofweeksandmonths?

  Andifthisdifficultyisnotenough,letanyonetrytoimaginehowamassofwaterseveralperhapsverymany,fathomsdeep,couldbeaccumulatedonaflatsurfaceoflandrisingwellabovethesea,andseparatedfromitbynosortofbarrier。

  MostpeopleknowLord’sCricket—ground。Woulditnotbeanabsurdcontradictiontoourcommonknowledgeofthepropertiesofwatertoimaginethat,ifallthemainsofallthewaterworksofLondonwereturnedontoit,theycouldmaintainaheapofwatertwentyfeetdeepoveritslevelsurface?Isitnotobviousthatthewater,whatevermomentaryaccumulationmighttakeplaceatfirst,wouldnotstopthere,butthatitwoulddash,likeamightymill—race,southwardsdownthegentleslopewhichendsintheThames?Andisitnotfurtherobvious,thatwhateverdepthofwatermightbemaintainedoverthecricket—groundsolongasallthemainspouredontoit,anythingwhichfloatedtherewouldbespeedilywhirledawaybythecurrent,likeacorkinagutterwhentherainpours?Butifthisisso,thenitisnolesscertainthatNoah’sdeeplyladen,sailless,oarless,andrudderlesscraft,ifbygoodfortuneitescapedcapsizinginwhirlpools,orhavingitsbottomknockedintoholesbysnags(likethosewhichprovefataleventowell—builtsteamersontheMississippiinourday),wouldhavespeedilyfounditselfagoodwaydownthePersianGulf,andnotlongafterintheIndianOcean,somewherebetweenArabiaandHindostan。Evenif,eventually,thearkmighthavegoneashore,withotherjetsamandflotsam,onthecoastsofArabia,orofHindostan,oroftheMaldives,orofMadagascar,itsreturntothe\"mountainsofArarat\"wouldhavebeenamiraclemorestupendousthanalltherest。

  Thus,thelaststateofthewould—bereconcilersofthestoryoftheDelugewithfactisworsethanthefirst。Allthattheyhavedoneistotransferthecontradictionstoestablishedtruthfromtheregionofsciencepropertothatofcommoninformationandcommonsense。For,really,theassertionthatthesurfaceofabodyofdeepwater,towhichnoadditionwasmade,andwhichtherewasnothingtostopfromrunningintothesea,sankattherateofonlyafewinchesorevenfeetaday,simplyoutragesthemostordinaryandfamiliarteachingsofeveryman’sdailyexperience。Achildmayseethefollyofit。

  Inaddition,Imayremarkthatthenecessaryassumptionofthe\"partialDeluge\"hypothesis(ifitisconfinedtoMesopotamia)

  thattheHebrewwritermusthavemeantlowhillswhenhesaid\"highmountains,\"isquiteuntenable。OntheeasternsideoftheMesopotamianplain,thesnowypeaksofthefrontierrangesofPersiaarevisiblefromBagdad,andeventhemostignorantherdsmenintheneighbourhoodof\"UroftheChaldees,\"nearitswesternlimit,couldhardlyhavebeenunacquaintedwiththecomparativelyelevatedplateauoftheSyriandesertwhichlaycloseathand。But,surely,wemustsupposetheBiblicalwritertobeacquaintedwiththehighlandsofPalestineandwiththemassesoftheSinaiticpeninsula,whichsoarmorethan8000feetabovethesea,ifheknewofnohigherelevations;and,ifso,hecouldnotwellhavemeanttorefertomerehillockswhenhesaidthat\"allthehighmountainswhichwereunderthewholeheavenwerecovered\"(Genesisvii。19)。Eventhehill—countryofGalileereachesanelevationof4000feet;andafloodwhichcovereditcouldbynopossibilityhavebeenotherthanuniversalinitssuperficialextent。Waterreallycannotbegottostandat,say,4000feetabovethesea—leveloverPalestine,withoutcoveringtherestoftheglobetothesameheight。Evenif,inthecourseofNoah’ssixhundredthyear,someprodigiousconvulsionhadsunkthewholeregioninclosedwithin\"thehorizonofthegeographicalknowledge\"oftheIsraelitesbythatmuch,andanotherhadpusheditupagain,justintimetocatchthearkuponthe\"mountainsofArarat,\"mattersarenotmuchmended。Iamafraidtothinkofwhatwouldhavebecomeofavesselsolittleseaworthyasthearkandofitsverynumerouspassengers,underthepeculiarobstaclestoquietflotationwhichsuchrapidmovementsofdepressionandupheavalwouldhavegenerated。

  Thus,inview,not,Irepeatofthereconditespeculationsofinfidelphilosophers,butinthefaceoftheplainestandmostcommonplaceofascertainedphysicalfacts,thestoryoftheNoachianDelugehasnomoreclaimtocreditthanhasthatofDeucalion;andwhetheritwas,orwasnot,suggestedbythefamiliaracquaintanceofitsoriginatorswiththeeffectsofunusuallygreatoverflowsoftheTigrisandEuphrates,itisutterlydevoidofhistoricaltruth。

  Thatis,inmyjudgment,thenecessaryresultoftheapplicationofcriticism,baseduponassuredphysicalknowledgetothestoryoftheDeluge。Anditissatisfactorythatthecriticismwhichisbased,notuponliteraryandhistoricalspeculations,butuponwell—ascertainedfactsinthedepartmentsofliteratureandhistory,tendstoexactlythesameconclusion。

  ForIfindthismuchagreeduponbyallBiblicalscholarsofrepute,thatthestoryoftheDelugeinGenesisisseparableintoatleasttwosetsofstatements;andthat,whenthestatementsthusseparatedarerecombinedintheirproperorder,eachsetfurnishesanaccountoftheevent,coherentandcompletewithinitself,butinsomerespectsdiscordantwiththataffordedbytheotherset。Thisfact,asIunderstand,isnotdisputed。WhetheroneoftheseistheworkofanElohist,andtheotherofaJehovistnarrator;whetherthetwohavebeenpiecedtogetherinthisstrangefashionbecause,intheestimationofthecompilersandeditorsofthePentateuch,theyhadequalandindependentauthority,ornot;orwhetherthereissomeotherwayofaccountingforit——arequestionstheanswerstowhichdonotaffectthefact。IfpossibleIavoidaprioriarguments。Butstill,Ithinkitmaybeurged,withoutimprudence,thatanarrativehavingthisstructureishardlysuchasmightbeexpectedfromawriterpossessedoffullandinfalliblyaccurateknowledge。Oncemore,itwouldseemthatitisnotnecessarilythemereinclinationofthescepticalspirittoquestioneverything,orthewilfulblindnessofinfidels,whichpromptsgravedoubtsastothevalueofanarrativethuscuriouslyunliketheordinaryrunofveracioushistories。

  Butthevoiceofarchaeologicalandhistoricalcriticismstillhastobeheard;anditgivesforthnouncertainsound。Themarvellousrecoveryoftherecordsofanantiquity,farsuperiortoanythatcanbeascribedtothePentateuch,whichhasbeeneffectedbythedecipherersofcuneiformcharacters,hasputusinpossessionofaseries,oncemore,notofspeculations,butoffacts,whichhaveamostremarkablebearinguponthequestionofthetruthworthinessofthenarrativeoftheFlood。Itisestablished,thatforcenturiesbeforetheassertedmigrationofTerahfromUroftheChaldees(which,accordingtotheorthodoxinterpretersofthePentateuch,tookplaceaftertheyear2000

  B。C。)LowerMesopotamiawastheseatofacivilisationinwhichartandscienceandliteraturehadattainedadevelopmentformerlyunsuspectedor,iftherewerefaintreportsofit,treatedasfabulous。Anditisalsonomatterofspeculation,butafact,thatthelibrariesofthesepeoplecontainversionsofalongepicpoem,oneofthetwelvebooksofwhichtellsastoryofadeluge,which,inanumberofitsleadingfeatures,correspondswiththestoryattributedtoBerosus,nolessthanwiththestorygiveninGenesis,withcuriousexactness。Thus,thecorrectnessofCanonRawlinson’sconclusion,citedabove,thatthestoryofBerosuswasneitherdrawnfromtheHebrewrecord,noristhefoundationofit,canhardlybequestioned。

  Itishighlyprobable,ifnotcertain,thatBerosusreliedupononeoftheversions(forthereseemtohavebeenseveral)oftheoldBabylonianepos,extantinhistime;and,ifthatisareasonableconclusion,whyisitunreasonabletobelievethatthetwostories,whichtheHebrewcompilerhasputtogetherinsuchaninartisticfashion,wereultimatelyderivedfromthesamesource?Isayultimately,becauseitdoesnotatallfollowthatthetwoversions,possiblytrimmedbytheJehovisticwriterontheonehand,andbytheElohisticontheother,tosuitHebrewrequirements,maynothavebeencurrentamongtheIsraelitesforages。AndtheymayhaveacquiredgreatauthoritybeforetheywerecombinedinthePentateuch。

  Lookingattheconvergenceofalltheselinesofevidencetotheoneconclusion——thatthestoryoftheFloodinGenesisismerelyaBowdlerisedversionofoneoftheoldestpiecesofpurelyfictitiousliteratureextant;thatwhetherthisis,orisnot,itsorigin,theeventsassertedinittohavetakenplaceassuredlyneverdidtakeplace;further,that,inpointoffact,thestory,intheplainandlogicallynecessarysenseofitswords,haslongsincebeengivenupbyorthodoxandconservativecommentatorsoftheEstablishedChurch——IcanbutadmirethecourageandclearforesightoftheAnglicandivinewhotellsusthatwemustbepreparedtochoosebetweenthetrustworthinessofscientificmethodandthetrustworthinessofthatwhichtheChurchdeclarestobeDivineauthority。For,tomymind,thisdeclarationofwartotheknifeagainstsecularscience,eveninitsmostelementaryform;thisrejection,withoutamoment’shesitation,ofanyandallevidencewhichconflictswiththeologicaldogma——istheonlypositionwhichislogicallyreconcilablewiththeaxiomsoforthodoxy。IftheGospelstrulyreportthatwhichanincarnationoftheGodofTruthcommunicatedtotheworld,thenitsurelyisabsurdtoattendtoanyotherevidencetouchingmattersaboutwhichhemadeanyclearstatement,orthetruthofwhichisdistinctlyimpliedbyhiswords。IftheexacthistoricaltruthoftheGospelsisanaxiomofChristianity,itisasjustandrightforaChristiantosay,Letus\"closeourearsagainstsuggestions\"ofscientificcritics,asitisforthemanofsciencetorefusetowastehistimeuponcircle—squarersandflat—earthfanatics。

  ItiscommonlyreportedthatthemanifestobywhichtheCanonofSt。Paul’sproclaimsthathenailsthecoloursofthestraitestBiblicalinfallibilitytothemastoftheshipecclesiastical,wasputforthasacounterblastto\"LuxMundi\";andthatthepassageswhichIhavemoreparticularlyquotedaredirectedagainsttheessayon\"TheHolySpiritandInspiration\"inthatcollectionoftreatisesbyAnglicandivinesofhighstanding,whomustassuredlybeacquittedofconscious\"infidel\"

  proclivities。Ifancythatrumourmust,foronce,beright,foritisimpossibletoimagineamoredirectanddiametricalcontradictionthanthatbetweenthepassagesfromthesermoncitedaboveandthosewhichfollow:——

  WhatisquestionedisthatourLord’swordsforeclosecertaincriticalpositionsastothecharacterofOldTestamentliterature。Forexample,doesHisuseofJonah’sresurrectionasatypeofHisown,dependinanyrealdegreeuponwhetheritishistoricalfactorallegory?……Oncemore,ourLordusesthetimebeforetheFlood,toillustratethecarelessnessofmenbeforeHisowncoming……InreferringtotheFloodHecertainlysuggeststhatHeistreatingitastypical,forHeintroducescircumstances——\"eatinganddrinking,marryingandgivinginmarriage\"——whichhavenocounterpartintheoriginalnarrative\"(pp。358—9)。

  WhileinsistingontheflowofinspirationthroughthewholeoftheOldTestament,theessayistdoesnotadmititsuniversality。

  Here,also,thenewapologeticdemandsapartialflood:

  Butdoestheinspirationoftherecorderguaranteetheexacthistoricaltruthofwhatherecords?And,inmatteroffact,cantherecordwithdueregardtolegitimatehistoricalcriticism,bepronouncedtrue?Now,tothelatterofthesetwoquestions(andtheyarequitedistinctquestions)wemayreplythatthereisnothingtopreventourbelieving,asourfaithstronglydisposesustobelieve,thattherecordfromAbrahamdownwardis,insubstance,inthestrictsensehistorical(p。351)。

  Itwouldappear,therefore,thatthereisnothingtopreventourbelievingthattherecord,fromAbrahamupward,consistsofstoriesinthestrictsenseunhistorical,andthatthepre—

  Abrahamicnarrativesaremeremoralandreligious\"types\"

  andparables。

  IconfessIsoonlosemywaywhenItrytofollowthosewhowalkdelicatelyamong\"types\"andallegories。Acertainpassionforclearnessforcesmetoask,bluntly,whetherthewritermeanstosaythatJesusdidnotbelievethestoriesinquestion,orthathedid?WhenJesusspoke,asofamatteroffact,that\"theFloodcameanddestroyedthemall,\"didhebelievethattheDelugereallytookplace,ornot?Itseemstomethat,asthenarrativementionsNoah’swife,andhissons’wives,thereisgoodscripturalwarrantyforthestatementthattheantediluviansmarriedandweregiveninmarriage;andIshouldhavethoughtthattheireatinganddrinkingmightbeassumedbythefirmestbelieverintheliteraltruthofthestory。

  Moreover,Iventuretoaskwhatsortofvalue,asanillustrationofGod’smethodsofdealingwithsin,hasanaccountofaneventthatneverhappened?IfnoFloodsweptthecarelesspeopleaway,howisthewarningofmoreworththanthecryof\"Wolf\"whenthereisnowolf?IfJonah’sthreedays’

  residenceinthewhaleisnotan\"admittedreality,\"howcouldit\"warrantbelief\"inthe\"comingresurrection?\"IfLot’swifewasnotturnedintoapillarofsalt,thebiddingthosewhoturnbackfromthenarrowpathto\"remember\"itis,morally,aboutonalevelwithtellinganaughtychildthatabogyiscomingtofetchitaway。SupposethataConservativeoratorwarnshishearerstobewareofgreatpoliticalandsocialchanges,lesttheyend,asinFrance,inthedominationofaRobespierre;

  whatbecomes,notonlyofhisargument,butofhisveracity,ifhe,personally,doesnotbelievethatRobespierreexistedanddidthedeedsattributedtohim?

  Likeallotherattemptstoreconciletheresultsofscientifically—conductedinvestigationwiththedemandsoftheoutworncreedsofecclesiasticism,theessayonInspirationisjustsuchafailureasmustawaitmediation,whenthemediatorisunableproperlytoappreciatetheweightoftheevidenceforthecaseofoneofthetwoparties。Thequestionof\"Inspiration\"reallypossessesnointerestforthosewhohavecastecclesiasticismandallitsworksaside,andhavenofaithinanysourceoftruthsavethatwhichisreachedbythepatientapplicationofscientificmethods。Theoriesofinspirationarespeculationsastothemeansbywhichtheauthorsofstatements,intheBibleorelsewhere,havebeenledtosaywhattheyhavesaid——anditassumesthatnaturalagenciesareinsufficientforthepurpose。Iprefertostopshortofthisproblem,findingitmoreprofitabletoundertaketheinquirywhichnaturallyprecedesit——namely,Arethesestatementstrueorfalse?Iftheyaretrue,itmaybeworthwhiletogointothequestionoftheirsupernaturalgeneration;iftheyarefalse,itcertainlyisnotworthmine。

  Now,notonlydoIholdittobeproventhatthestoryoftheDelugeisapurefiction;butIhavenohesitationinaffirmingthesamethingofthestoryoftheCreation。Betweenthesetwoliesthestoryofthecreationofmanandwomanandtheirfallfromprimitiveinnocence,whichisevenmoremonstrouslyimprobablethaneitheroftheothertwo,though,fromthenatureofthecase,itisnotsoeasilycapableofdirectrefutation。

  Itcanbedemonstratedthattheearthtooklongerthansixdaysinthemaking,andthattheDeluge,asdescribed,isaphysicalimpossibility;butthereisnoproving,especiallytothosewhoareperfectintheartofclosingtheirearstothatwhichtheydonotwishtohear,thatasnakedidnotspeak,orthatEvewasnotmadeoutofoneofAdam’sribs。

  ThecompilerofGenesis,initspresentform,evidentlyhadadefiniteplaninhismind。Hiscountrymen,likeallothermen,weredoubtlesscurioustoknowhowtheworldbegan;howmen,andespeciallywickedmen,cameintobeing,andhowexistingnationsandracesaroseamongthedescendantsofonestock;and,finally,whatwasthehistoryoftheirownparticulartribe。

  They,likeourselves,desiredtosolvethefourgreatproblemsofcosmogeny,anthropogeny,ethnogeny,andgeneogeny。ThePentateuchfurnishesthesolutionswhichappearedsatisfactorytoitsauthor。Oneofthese,aswehaveseen,wasborrowedfromaBabylonianfable;andIknowofnoreasontosuspectanydifferentoriginfortherest。Now,Iwouldask,isthestoryofthefabricationofEvetoberegardedasoneofthosepre—

  Abrahamicnarratives,thehistoricaltruthofwhichisanopenquestion,infaceofthereferencetoitinaspeechunhappilyfamousforthelegaloppressiontowhichithasbeenwrongfullyforcedtolenditself?

  Haveyenotread,thathewhichmadethemfromthebeginningmadethemmaleandfemale,andsaid,Forthiscauseshallamanleavehisfatherandmother,andcleavetohiswife;andthetwainshallbecomeoneflesh?\"(Matt。xix。5。)

  Ifdivineauthorityisnothereclaimedforthetwenty—fourthverseofthesecondchapterofGenesis,whatisthevalueoflanguage?Andagain,Iask,ifonemayplayfastandloosewiththestoryoftheFallasa\"type\"or\"allegory,\"whatbecomesofthefoundationofPaulinetheology?——

  Forsincebymancamedeath,bymancamealsotheresurrectionofthedead。ForasinAdamalldie,soalsoinChristshallallbemadealive(1Corinthiansxv。21,22)。

  IfAdammaybeheldtobenomorerealapersonagethanPrometheus,andifthestoryoftheFallismerelyaninstructive\"type,\"comparabletotheprofoundPrometheanmythus,whatvaluehasPaul’sdialectic?

  While,therefore,everyright—mindedmanmustsympathisewiththeeffortsofthosetheologians,whohavenotbeenablealtogethertoclosetheirearstothestill,small,voiceofreason,toescapefromthefetterswhichecclesiasticismhasforged;themelancholyfactremains,thatthepositiontheyhavetakenupishopelesslyuntenable。Itisrakedalikebytheold—

  fashionedartilleryofthechurchesandbythefatalweaponsofprecisionwithwhichtheenfantsperdusoftheadvancingforcesofsciencearearmed。Theymustsurrender,orfallbackintoamoreshelteredposition。Anditispossiblethattheymaylongfindsafetyinsuchretreat。

  Itis,indeed,probablethattheproportionalnumberofthosewhowilldistinctlyprofesstheirbeliefinthetransubstantiationofLot’swife,andtheanticipatoryexperienceofsubmarinenavigationbyJonah;inwaterstandingfathomsdeeponthesideofadeclivitywithoutanythingtoholditup;andindevilswhoenterswine——willnotincrease。

  Butneitheristheregroundformuchhopethattheproportionofthosewhocastasidethesefictionsandadopttheconsequenceofthatrepudiation,are,forsomegenerations,likelytoconstituteamajority。Ourageisadayofcompromises。Thepresentandthenearfutureseemgivenovertothosehappily,ifcuriously,constitutedpeoplewhoseeaslittledifficultyinthrowingasideanyamountofpost—AbrahamicScripturalnarrative,astheauthorsof\"LuxMundi\"seeinsacrificingthepre—Abrahamicstories;and,havingdistilledawayeveryinconvenientmatteroffactinChristianhistory,continuetopaydivinehonourstotheresidue。TherereallyseemstobenoreasonwhythenextgenerationshouldnotlistentoaBamptonLecturemodelleduponthataddressedtothelast:——

  Timewas——andthatnotverylongago——whenalltherelationsofBiblicalauthorsconcerningthewholeworldwerereceivedwithareadybelief;andanunreasoninganduncriticalfaithacceptedwithequalsatisfactionthenarrativeoftheCaptivityandthedoingsofMosesatthecourtofPharaoh,theaccountoftheApostolicmeetingintheEpistletotheGalatians,andthatofthefabricationofEve。Wecanmostofusrememberwhen,inthiscountry,thewholestoryoftheExodus,andeventhelegendofJonah,wereseriouslyplacedbeforeboysashistory;anddiscoursedofinasdogmaticatoneasthetaleofAgincourtorthehistoryoftheNormanConquest。

  Butallthisisnowchanged。Thelastcenturyhasseenthegrowthofscientificcriticismtoitsfullstrength。ThewholeworldofhistoryhasbeenrevolutionisedandthemythologywhichembarrassedearnestChristianshasvanishedasanevilmist,theliftingofwhichhasonlymorefullyrevealedthelineamentsofinfallibleTruth。Nolongerincontactwithfactofanykind,Faithstandsnowandforeverproudlyinaccessibletotheattacksoftheinfidel。

  Sofartheapologistofthefuture。Whynot?Cantabitvacuus。

  FOOTNOTES

  (1)BamptonLectures(1859),on\"TheHistoricalEvidenceoftheTruthoftheScriptureRecordsstatedanew,withSpecialReferencetotheDoubtsandDiscoveriesofModernTimes,\"bytheRev。G。Rawlinson,M。A。,pp。5—6。

  (2)TheWorthoftheOldTestament,aSermonpreachedinSt。Paul’sCathedralonthesecondSundayinAdvent,8thDec。,1889,byH。P。Liddon,D。D。,D。C。L。,CanonandChancellorofSt。

  Paul’s。Secondeditionrevisedandwithanewpreface,1890。

  (3)St。Lukexvii。32。

  (4)St。Lukexvii。27。

  (5)St。Matt。xii。40。

  (6)BamptonLectures,1859,pp。50—51。

  (7)CommentaryonGenesis,bytheBishopofEly,p。77。

  (8)DieSintflut,1876。

  (9)TheologieundNaturwissenschaft,ii。784—791(1877)。

  (10)ItisverydoubtfulifthismeanstheregionoftheArmenianArarat。MoreprobablyitdesignatessomeparteitheroftheKurdishrangeorofitssouth—easterncontinuation。

  (11)SoReclus(NouvelleGeographieUniverselle,ix。

  386),butIfindthestatementdoubtedbyanauthorityofthefirstrank。

  (12)SofarasIknow,thenarrativeoftheCreationisnotnowheldtobetrue,inthesenseinwhichIhavedefinedhistoricaltruth,byanyofthereconcilers。AsfortheattemptstostretchthePentateuchaldaysintoperiodsofthousandsormillionsofyears,theverdictoftheeminentBiblicalscholar,Dr。Riehm(DerbiblischeSchopfungsbericht,1881,pp。15,16)onsuchpranksof\"Auslegungskunst\"shouldbefinal。WhydothereconcilerstakeGoethe’sadviceseriously?——

  \"ImAuslegenseydfrischundmunter!

  Legtihr’snichtaus,solegtwasunter。\"

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