from the true sense of many important words,
especially where they have taken the Septuagint translation for their
guide, as in the words "firmament," "whales," "creeping things," etc.
These errors will be noticed in subsequent pages. In the mean time I
may merely add that the labors of the ablest Biblical critics give us
every reason to conclude that the received text of Genesis preserves,
almost without an iota of change, the beautiful simplicity of its
first chapter; and that we now have it in a more perfect state than
that in which it was presented to the translators of most of the early
versions. It must also be admitted that the object in view was best
served by that direct reference to the creative fiat, and ignoring of
all secondary causes, which are conspicuous in this narrative. This is
indeed the general tone of the Bible in speaking of natural phenomena;
and this mode of proceeding is in perfect harmony with its claims to
divine authority. Had not this course been chosen, no other could have
been adopted, in strict consistency with truth, short of a full
revelation of the whole system of nature, in the details of all its
laws and processes. This we now know would have been impossible, and,
if possible, useless or even mischievous.

Regarded from this point of view--the plenary inspiration of the
book--the Scriptural references to creation profess to furnish a very
general outline, for theological purposes, of the principal features
of a vast region unexplored when they were written, and into which
human research has yet penetrated along only a few lines. Natural
science, in following out these lines of observation, has reached some
of the objects delineated in the Scriptural sketch; of others it has
obtained distant glimpses; many are probably unknown, and we can
appreciate the true value and dimensions relatively to the whole of
very few. So vast indeed are the subjects of the bold sketch of the
Hebrew prophet, that natural science can not pretend as yet so to fill
in the outline as quite to measure the accuracy of its proportions.
Yet the lines, though few, are so boldly drawn, and with so much
apparent unity and symmetry, that we almost involuntarily admit that
they are accurate and complete. This may appear to be underrating the
actual progress of science relatively to this great foreshadowing
outline; but I know that those most deeply versed in the knowledge of
nature will be the least disposed to quar