Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 29.djvu/133

Rh periods of time, and only during these periods of time."

Although Professor Huxley does not speak of vegetation, yet, undoubtedly, he would include it also in his statement, and therefore I venture to bring that, too, into the discussion, and add, in accordance with his central idea: The species which compose the present vegetable kingdom originated in one distinct period of time preceding the three animal populations, and only in that one period of time.

As this "central idea" certainly has no existence in science, the only question of interest is: Does it exist in Genesis; or is it an interpolation of Professor Huxley's; or, rather, is it an unfounded tradition which he has too readily adopted? I read in Genesis i that at a certain time the earth "brought forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit-tree bearing fruit whose seed is in it." Professor Huxley's central idea adds, "And there were no plants before these." The first is true, the last is false.

Again, I read that at a certain time the waters swarmed with water-creatures, among which were "whales," and every kind of moving creature, which the waters brought forth abundantly, and fowls that were to fly in the air. That is all, and it is true. But Professor Huxley's central idea adds, "And before whales and fowl there was no form of animal life," an addition which is false.

Further on I read that, subsequent to the plants and animals named, the earth brought forth cattle, beasts, and creeping things. This also is true. Professor Huxley's "central idea" adds, "And before them there were no land-animals of any kind." Another falsehood.

Where the account is simply silent, Professor Huxley fills the hiatus, and then says, in substance: How unworthy of scientific notice; how false—three statements in a few lines, important ones too, which every geologist knows are not true! It is clear that the story is a myth.

It may be said—True, Moses does describe modern species, but here is where his error lies. He intended to describe the beginning of organic life, and, instead, has described only the latest. If so, he built more wisely than he knew. Intending to state what geologists now know would have been false, he has, in fact, stated what they know to be true. It seems to me that his intention was to say that all things were made by God, and, looking around on the universe, he names what he saw—the heavens, the light, the firmament, the land and seas, the sun, moon, and stars, the vegetable and animal world then in existence. These, or rather their coming into being, he names in a certain order. All, save the last two, are not mentioned in Professor Huxley's article, but they are the basis of his indictment; it is therefore eminently proper to see what are the facts of our world's history pertaining to the advent of life, and how they accord with the three statements in Genesis.

"The following propositions"—I quote from Professor Huxley's tenth "Lay Sermon"—"are regarded by the mass of paleontologists as expressing some of the best established results of paleontology":

"Animals and plants began their existence together, and these succeeded each other in such a manner that totally distinct faunæ and floræ; occupied the whole surface of the earth, one after the other, and during distinct epochs of time.

"A geological fauna or flora is the sum of all the species of animals or plants which occupied the surface of the globe during one of the epochs."

I add: a geological horizon is the sum of all the species of plants and animals of one of those epochs. There were many horizons—as many as epochs. Professor Dana makes upward of fifty ("Manual of Geology," pp. 142, 143). I note a few which are of peculiar importance, either in themselves or in relation to this account.

In the earliest are found traces of marine plants only, and of the lowest forms of animal life (an Archæan horizon).

In another, perhaps a million years later, radiates, mollusks, and articulates are found, while sea-weeds are the highest type of plants.

Another million or so of years brings us to the Upper Silurian, where are found a few land-plants, but among them no fruit-trees.

Another vast stretch brings a Devonian horizon, with more land-plants, but no such flora as Moses describes. There were fishes, but neither "whales" nor "fowl."

Long after this came the Carboniferous period, with water-animals and land-animals, and an abundant flora. Still, there were no fruit-trees, nor were there whales in the seas or cattle on the land.

Later, again, in the Tertiary, we find a flora exactly answering to that in Genesis, containing, as it does, grasses, herbs, and fruit-trees with the seed in the fruit—i. e., angiosperms, including in that term palms. As to the animals of this horizon, there were then fishes, birds, and mammals, but not of living species. Professor Dana, ("Manual of Geology," revised edition, page 518), says, "All the fishes, birds, reptiles, and mammals of the Tertiary are extinct." These, therefore, were not the fauna of