God in Geology

Papers by Allan Reid (1855 - 1933)

GOD IN GEOLOGY

February, 1874 - Read to Sydney Place U.P. Church Bible Class

As the youthful student opens, and essays to read, a book: so does the geologist essay to read from the structure and contents of the crust of the earth the history of his planet from the time when it first wheeled into space - when the creative feat had been pronounced. As we turn over each successive paper more furnished with material for reflection and sufficient reason for our adoring the Sovereign Author of the universe is revealed to us: and we open another means of pleasure and instruction by extending our enquiries after the works of the Almighty on and in our planet.

In one sense it may be said with truth that the field of geological research is very limited; but at the same time it forms a link of impressive interest between the past and present of the earth, leading us in meek astonishment through the myriads of years that the world has been in existence.

"What are the materials of which this castle is composed: what are the causes that have led to their formation and present arrangements: what the nature of the vegetable and animal remains they entomb as compared with those now peopling its lands and waters; what evidence do these afford of past change and progress: and, combining the sum of the evidence, what is the history of our earth, tracing each through all its manifold phases from the current hour to the earliest moment of which we have record in the rock formations we investigate" - Such, we may say, is the general enunciation of the problems the geologist has to solve. We have here an extensive field for him and in the investigation of these points the Botanist and Zoologist go hand in hand. No matter how we look at Geology, whether as a pastime or a study, there is sufficient proof of its being the work of an All-wise Being: and in the many revolutions through which the world has passed, we cannot fail to trace the finger of God. As has been remarked of History, so may we justly remark of Geology:- God makes Geology; men read and write it.

Some persons have said that Geology contradicts scripture. Such a statement is not to be credited. Is it not impossibility that the works and words of "the God that cannot lie" should be at variance.

A slight knowledge of Geology enables us to read, and understand aright, some seemingly strange passages in the Mosaic record of creation. We might take a glance at Genesis 1st Chaper and 1st verse; Here it is stated that "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth". Some biblical chronologists dated back 6,000 years to the beginning of all things. The rise of the geological science set forward many substantial objections to this theory; consequently this has within the last century been characterised as a subject which has given rise to a great amount of controversy, which, of late years, has been carried to such an extent that many now doubt the genuineness and authenticity of the book of Genesis. Some aver that it is made up of scraps either from tradition or from contemporaneous writers with Moses. Well then, what although it is? We have Christ quoting Moses and is that not sufficient guarantee as to the truthfulness and inspiration of his writings? Notwithstanding all contrary movement the geologist has held his ground and it is now almost universally considered that the earth, as we now inhabit it, could not have been formed in 6,000 years. Dr Thos Chalmers has said of this subject "the writings of Moses do not fix the antiquity of the globe". But to come to the subject in consideration; I will strive to prove the existence of an All-wise and All-powerful Deity in Geology and further, to consider the evidences of Wisdom, Power and goodness of the Creator from the rock formations of the globe.

To a great number the castle appears only as a huge amorphous mass of material, having no regularity in any point: here and there a chain of rugged mountains raising their heads into the clouds and again, some deep and dangerous pass or ravine and an occasional volcano sending out lava and ashes. In all this there seems to come little worthy of attention. The geologist, however, shows us that a portion of the crust of the castle is composed of numerous superincumbent layers piled one on the top of the other, though very often broken and twised and not infrequently thrown up into mountain chains. On learning this, our curiosity is naturally excited with a desire to enquire into the cause of these things. The question of the origin of these rocks was, for a considerable time, the cause of great excitement in the scientific circles of Europe: but that they owe their origin to aqueous agencies has been put beyond doubt. At the present time continents are being formed at the bottom of the ocean, in the same way as the numerous formations which extend over the surface of the earth. What a mighty agency is water! Or rather, what an unresisting power had God given to water! Each streamlet works throughout time under His direct superintendences and marks

"His centuries on the eternal rocks".

Is not the hand of the Almighty discernible in the workings of water; whether as rain, rivers or seas. We see it wearing away the rocky material and carrying the matter thus denuded to some estuary, lake or sea and there depositing it; it may be to form new continents. Plant and animal remains deposited with the matter will through time be converted into stone; and may afford to a future generation of geologists evidence of the physical aspect of globe at the time of their deposition.

In the whole economy of nature a wonderful uniformity is exhibited. Truly

.........".One Spirit - His Who wore the platted thorns with bleeding brows rules universal nature".

The geologist has concluded that there is no geological agency acting at the present day which did not act in the past: and that none acted in the past which does not continue to act now. We cannot but see God's working in nature: it is visible in the flowing of the river, in the tossing of the ocean, and in the treacherous earthquake and volcano. These are all geological agencies. In the volcano we can perceive the power, wisdom and goodness of the Creator combined. The volcanoes scattered over the face of the earth act as safety valves: were it not for these the earth, long ere this, would have been shivered to atoms.

Who or what then regulates the so-called laws of nature. It is all very well to say there is a fixed catalogue of agencies and laws which operate on the face of the earth: but who establish and who regulates these laws? Paley exemplifies this. He supposes a man to find a watch. This man has neither seen nor heard of a watch. Still, can that man view the mechanism of the watch and imagine, can any one imagine, that the watch came into existence of itself? Decidedly not; the mechanism points to a designer and maker. It is the same in nature. The laws of nature prove a Creator and a superintending providence.

To look at the subject in a different light. Do not the petrifactions found embedded in the solid rock point to and prove a designer and Creator. Any of reflective mind cannot but be struck at the complete and intricate mechanism visible in them all. The structure of these organic remains, from the cellular tissue of the most insignificant plant, to the formation of the bones of the saurians or mammals can with great ease be determined by the use of the microscope and they exhibit the same wisdom and skill that is discernible in all the works of our Beneficent Creator.

If we begin with the oldest formations and rise in the geological scale, we discover that the oldest fossil remains are of very lovely types of plants and animals; but as we ascend we find those of higher forms. Step by step they pass from lovely to more elaborate till we come to man who is not exactly the perfection of the works of the Almighty but stands as the highest form of creation.

As the remains of Man are not found till we come almost to the top of the series, the geologist concludes, and rightly I think, that Man was not created till the earth had been prepared as a habitation for him. This may seem strange to some. Still, it has proved that Man with his present physical nature could not have existed in many of the geologic epochs. What wisdom is here displayed! Had Man, as he now is, been created during the Carboniferous era, his living would have been rendered an impossibility; for the atmosphere must necessarily have contained a high proportion of Carbonic Acid Gas, which is a deadly poison, to sustain the gorgeous flora that flourished in these times. But it is, nevertheless, true that his Maker could have adapted his nature to the climate; That Man could have maintained his own with the gigantic reptiles and mammalia of the Oolitic and Tertiary periods, also seems an impossibility; and we must question the possibility if not the probability of man's sustaining himself during the Glacial epoch. If we take this into consideration, I think that we shall agree with the geologist's conclusion that man's creation was delayed until the earth had been prepared as his habitation and then at the word of the Creator of the heavens and earth he rose in the image of his Maker from the dust of the ground.

It would be altogether useless, if not out of place, to enter into a discussion of the economic product of geology. No on will, or can deny, that it is the goodness of God that has supplied us with gold, silver, copper, iron, coal and building material of all description. Is it not to these that the nations of the highest standing in a great measure owe their progress in civilization. Our aim must ever be to use and not abuse these blessings that have been bestowed upon us.

The science of Geology is still in its infancy. May we not hope that as great minds and true hearts give themselves to its study, a greater flood of light may be poured on these rough pages so many wise men are trying to read.