The Doctrine of the Deluge

it they may be induced to suspect themselves of error, and be content to believe that it is only "science falsely so called" which will raise its voice against the declarations of scripture. Far be it from me to accuse the distinguished writers on geology of entertaining such intentions; but being much dissatisfied with the feeble attempt which they have made to reconcile their theory with the narrative of the Deluge in the Bible, and having reason to believe that it has unsettled the faith of some weak minds, I conceived it might be of service to religion to demonstrate, that if geological speculations are at variance with scriptural history, they are not less at variance with the united testimony of all nations from the remotest time to which history or tradition extends; and consequently that if one or the other must give way, it is incumbent on geology to revise her conclusions, and for her own sake to modify them, so as to bring them to an agreement with a truth which is placed by other evidence beyond all dispute. With respect to the mere establishment of the fact, I shall have the wishes and feelings of all good Christians combined in my favour, however they may differ from me in estimating the evidence detailed. But with respect to the religious use to which I have applied the

doctrine, it will meet with various acceptance according to the opinions which my readers have already formed: some will approve of my views others more loudly will condemn them; but the cause of truth would be unjustifiably, sacrificed, if those who have strong arguments to allege, or at least arguments which appear to them to be strong, and calculated to effect any thing towards the settling of important questions, were restrained from producing them by the fear of human censure. Truth is my object, and truth alone; for only by truth can God be glorified, and the salvation of man promoted.

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