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THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES AND THE BIBLE ACCOUNT OF CREATION.

SIR,— The subject of the origin of species, as enunciated by Mr Darwin, and the development theory, generally, is exciting considerable attention, as you are well aware. One great objection to these theories in the minds of religious people is, that they appear to be opposed to the Bible account of creation. Now, seeing that objections to geology were made on the very same grounds, and that the geological account of the formation of the world is now admitted as true by all parties, I think it is worth while to inquire how far this theory is recognised or repudiated in the Bible.

Now what is the Bible account?— God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, &c … Let the earth bring forth grass, &c. … Let the water bring forth, &c…. Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind, cattle, and creeping thing, &c… And God [so] made the beast of the earth, &c." This to me, looks very like the account of manner in which God made animated creatures— that is, by a natural process, by whatever name it may be called. We know, from the revelations of geology, that plants, animals, and organised beings generally were not all produced at one time, but that different sorts came on the stage successively, and, in the Bible, the precise geological date of the introduction of all or any sort (with the exception of man) is not indicated. Of course, if the point be granted of the introduction of organised beings by a natural process, no theological difficulty exists regarding Mr Darwin's theory. I could enlarge father on the subject, but as I think the above contains the essential point in the argument, I would like first to have it canvassed, and if it be wrong, refuted.— I am, &c.,

ACT V. 39