5
THE TORCH OF REASON, SILVERTON, OREGON, JUNE 8, 1899.
Talmage really believe that this
story of the Flood and the Ark is
One event has happened which I anything more than a mythological
mentioned in a former article that fable? If so, his intelligence must
calls for a few further comments— l>e even of a lower order than we
I mean the retirement from public estimated.
life of the Rev. Dr. Talmage, which
But the “geologist’s hammer,” he
is regarded by most intelligent says, has proved the deluge apart
persons as a gain to America. The from the Bible. Now, it is really
people here will have one less per- too had that a public man should
verter of the truth, one less misdi­ thus attempt to mislead and hood­
rector of the human mind, one less wink those who place themselves
vulgar exponent of orthodox Chris­ under his teaching and look up to
him for instruction. Dr. Talmage
tianity.
It is usual for fanatical orthodox should have known that not only
believers to dabble with subjects has geology not announced a uni­
upon which they are least in­ versal deluge, hut it has proved
formed. This was so with Dr. the contrary by demonstrating the
Talmage when he delivered what utter impossibility that such an
was termed “a profound and scien­ event ever happened during the
tific discourse upon the Flood.'’ Of existence of man upon the earth.
course the ark was made a peg Can any name be mentioned of any
upon which to hang a great deal of geologist of any note who believes
nonsensical talk about saints and in the fabled universal flood? If
sinners and the way of salvation, there be any, wTe have not heard of
all of which may be passed over on them. Their names certainly are
this occasion. The point which not Lyell, Murchison, Mantell,
does concern us is the following Page, Geikie, Ramsey or even
Hugh Miller, the last-named
I
passage:
“We do not need the Bible to whom tried very hard to reconcile
prove the Deluge. The geologist’s geology and Genesis. There are, . a .
hammer announces it. Sea shells we are told, “sea shells and marine
and marine formations on the top formations on the top of some of!
of some of the highest mountains of the highest mountains.” This may . a .
the earth prove that at some time be true, but it does not prove Dr.
the waters washed over the tops of Talmage’s conclusion. The flood
the Alps and the AndeR. In what was not caused by sea w’ater, but
way the catastrophe came we know by rain; and how a heavy fall of
not; whether by the stroke of a fresh water could cause a deposit
comet, or by flashes of lightning, of sea shells and marine animals
changing the air into water, or by will require all the ingenuity of a
a stroke of the hand of God, like theologian to explain. Besides,
the stroke of the axe between the the merest tyro in geology knows
horns of the ox, the earth stag­ that these deposits point to a time
gered. To meet the catastrophe, long anterior to the existence of
God ordered a great ship to be man upon the earth, and that at
built. It was to be without prow, no period were all the high mount­
for it was to sail to no shore. It ains under water. No doubt eveiy
was to be without helm, for no spot of dry land ou the earth has
human hand should guide it. It been, not once, but many times,
was a vast structure, probably as under the waters of the great ocean,
large as two or three Cunard but certainly no such total sub­
steamers. It was the Great East­ mergence of all the land at once,
as is described in Genesis, ever oc­
ern of olden time.”
As large as two or three Cunard curred. This geology has demon­
steamers? Why, all the Cunard strated beyond a shadow of a
fleet, the White Star, American doubt. Besides, why should these
and all the other fleets put together water animals have perished and
could not carry a quarter of the left their remains on the tops of
freight which that ancient vessel is the mountains in consequence of
said to have contained, “without an increase in quantity of the very
prow” and “without helm.” And element in which they lived? Why,
yet Dr. Talmage ought to have these are the very organisms that
known that the size of the ark was would have been preserved. It is
not equal to two or three Curard the land animals that would have
steamers. It was about five hun­ perished, and for their remains we
dred feet in length, ninety feet in look in vain in the localities and
breadth and less than fifty feet under the circumstances named.
high. It was certainly without It is fortunate, however, to know
prow or rudder, and it w’as also that men of intelligence no longer
without some other things, the ab­ believe this story, and that such a
sence of which must have made it man as Dr. Talmage, who held the
a very inconvenient vessel in which sway over thousands of uninformed
to sail. It had one door in the persons, and who has for years per-
side and one window in some part j petuated this gigantic fable, has re­
or other, but as there were three tired from his work of delusion.
stories, it is difficult to imagine His retirement, therefore, as I have
how those who resided in it for so already said, is a distinct gain to
long a time could obtain either the intellectual power of America.—
ventilation or light. But did Dr. [Charles Watts in Freethinker.
America’s Gain.
....The.
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