The Work of the Fifth Day.
1. The contrasts of evening and morning of the fifth day are found in
the sea. The contrasts of the sixth upon the land. The evening of the
fifth began with the “moving things of the sea,” ending with the
“whale.” With the exception of the first day, the fifth must have
extended through a much longer time than all the others put together.
The contrast between moving diatoms of the Gneiss rock, and the whale of
the Miocene in size, is apparent. But the contrast is in a higher sense.
All this long period to the Tertiary rock, gave only egg-producing
animals. This was not high enough in the scale of animal existence to
have the next evening, which must begin with the fifth morning, to form
a contrast with man. The type of the highest of mammals must be reached,
and that in the sea. This was found in the whale. Beside, the whale is
intimately connected with the great geological change caused by the
drift period. Here ninety-seven per cent of the previous animals of the
earth became extinct. Following the drift, there came into existence
nearly all the animals that now roam the Earth. This day, then, covers
all the changes of the fourth, and most of the third; and of course has
nothing to do with a measure of time, or order of deposits.
2. For aught we now know, the starting of animal life was in the time of
the deposit of the Gneiss rock—here we find shells. From here onward was
heard the voice of God, “Let the waters bring forth abundantly the
moving creature that hath life.” This life, at first, was very simple;
and small as simple. It required only the nourishment derived from water
for its support. No animals of any considerable size are found until
vegetables were furnished for their food. Those of the earlier period
had to be protected from the carbonated waters by a bony covering or
ivory scales. Scorpions, spiders, lizards and frogs might breathe the
carbonic acid of the fourth day; but no warm-blooded animals are known
to have existed until after the sun shone in upon the Earth, as a
fixture.
3. Here Moses noticed the existence of “fowls of the air.” In the
ichthyosaurus he might have found the contrast in size, but not in type.
4. He passed on down to the “whale as morning.” After the Carboniferous
deposits, the tracks of birds and reptiles are found in the ancient
sands of the shores of the waters. Gigantic saurians and voracious fish
ruled the sea for untold ages; but as they all were oviparous, or
egg-producing, they are ranked in the evening. Reaching the type of the
ruling land animals of the next day, Moses pronounced the morning with
the whale.
5. It remains a mystery, how any one knowing anything about geology can
find fault with the order of the Mosaic record. So far as Moses has
mentioned order, it is: moving animals in the sea, air animals, mammals.
The order of science may be more explicit. Substantially it is
protozoans, mollusks, radiates, articulates, vertebrates, mammals. There
is no conflict, nor even deficiency. The term used by Moses is
designedly generic; covering all moving creatures of the waters. The
history of the rocks is in exact accord with the testimony of Moses; and
both verify common observation, viz: each kind of animal produces its
own kind.
6. The poise of the Earth to the sun was such as to give an ice-flow,
whenever for any cause a great subsidence of the hemisphere took place.
The largest happened when the last and highest mountains were raised. As
a consequence, the period called the Drift followed, when the reindeer
made his home in the vicinity of England. Most tropical animals were
destroyed. A new race of placential mammals was to be introduced; the
type of which is found in the sea, able to endure the revolutions of the
Drift. Hence the wisdom displayed in selecting this animal, as a
representative of morning.
7. The Scripture claim of special providence is in harmony with the
defence of the same in science. Providence is general, when wrought out
in due course of law; special, when it is a power added to nature.
Special providence is not a rule of action, but the exception. Science
claims this much in nature. I refer to the admissions of such men as
Huxley, Tyndal and Darwin. Prof. Huxley says: “No scientist of the
present day will venture the affirmation, that matter is eternal. Should
one be found, his brethren would rise up in court, and object to his
testimony, as he would be incompetent to testify.” If not eternal, it
was created by God’s special power. Prof. Darwin says: “Some of our
brethren have tried by experiments, to prove spontaneous life from
inorganic matter, but they have failed, and, from the nature of the
case, they must ever fail.” “There must have been a first life, I think
five forms, I know there must have been one from which life could
proceed.” Special providence again is needed to start life. The same
principle would apply as many times as the earth may have lost its
living forms. Sir Charles Lyell would assure you that the fires of the
Carboniferous period alone deprived the earth of all land and fresh
water animals, plants and seeds, at least one hundred times. Yet it was
supplied between each. Prof. Tyndal says, “Do you ask me 'May inert
matter rise up and live?’ I answer directly, 'No, life must have been
created.’” Here then in science are the Deists’ endorsements of exactly
what every enlightened Christian believes in reference to the covenant
of salvation. This is the doctrine of the science of today, viz: that
“God made all matter at one and the same time; that by special power he
put all parts in motion at one and the same time; that his eye is over
all, ready to supply what is needed above what the machinery of nature
can perform.” Carry out this principle, and you have the manifestations
of the true God in Jesus, and every Bible theory of the New Covenant.