Chapter XVI: Section 5: 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.