Belief in the Almighty power of God is further declared by a confession
of faith in Him as the Maker of heaven and earth, and this is but a
repetition of the statement contained in the first chapter of
Genesis--the only account of Creation which is fitted to solve all
difficulties and to meet all objections. "Maker" in this article is used
in the sense of Creator, implying that heaven and earth were called into
existence out of nothing by the word of Divine power; and by "heaven and
earth" are meant all creatures, visible and invisible, that have existed
or do exist.

Those who object to the Scripture statements regarding Creation have
maintained views as to the origin of the material universe differing
largely from those held by persons who accept this article of the Creed,
and differing also greatly from one another. Various solutions have been
given, among which may be stated:--

(_a_) The view of those who hold that all phenomena and all
existence originate in Chance or a blind fortuitous concourse of
atoms. To state such a doctrine is to refute it. No one
possessed of reason can believe in his heart that Intelligence
did not create and organise matter, or that the material
universe, with all its adaptation of parts, was evolved, and is
governed, by chance or accident. This theory, if it is worthy of
the name, seems to have been devised in order to evade the idea
that man is subject to Divine government.

(_b_) Another view is that all existence owes its origin to Fate
or Necessity and is now held in its resistless grasp. The
advocates of this theory are at variance among themselves. One
school maintains that all things existed from eternity in their
present condition, and are destined to continue as they are,
controlled by relentless and undeviating necessity. Another
school--the ancient Fatalists--held that at first there was a
fortuitous concourse of atoms and phenomena, until Fate or
Chance decided the present order, which became an established
necessity. A third class hold doctrines of Development. Some of
them agree with the ancient Fatalists in maintaining that
development, in a fortuitous concourse and action of matter and
force, issued in evolution or originated a course of evolution.
Others again deny fortuitous concourse and affirm that this
process of evolution had no external beginning, but has