It appears highly probable from recent discoveries,*
that light is not a material substance, but
only an effect of undulations of ether 5 that this
infinitely subtle and elastic ether pervades all
space, and even the interior of all bodies ; so
long as it remains at rest, there is total darkness;
when it is put into a peculiar state of
vibration, the sensation of light is produced :
this vibration may be excited by various causes;
e. g. by the sun, by the stars, by electricity, combustion,
&c. I f then light be not a substance,
but only a series of vibrations of ether, i. e.
an effect produced on a subtile fluid, by the
excitement of one or many extraneous causes, it
can hardly be said, nor is it said, in Gen. i. 3, to
have been c r e a t e d though it may be literally
said to be called into action.
Lastly, in the reference made in the Fourth
Commandment, Exod. xx. 11, to the six days of
the Mosaic creation, the word asah, “ made,” is
the same which is used in Gen. i. 7, and Gen. i.
16, and which has been shown to be less strong
and less comprehensive than bara, “ created
and as it by no means necessarily implies creation
out of nothing, it may be here employed
* For a general statement of the undulatory theory of light,
see Sir John Herschell, art. Light, part iii. sec. 2. Encyc.
Metropol. See also Professor Airy’s Mathematical Tracts, 2nd
edit. 1831, p. 249; and Mrs. Somerville’s Connexion of the
Physical Sciences, 1834, p. 185.
f See Note, p. 26.
to express a new arrangement of materials that
existed before.*
B After all, it should be recollected that the
question is not respecting the correctness of the
Mosaic narrative, but of our interpretation of i t ;
and still further, it should be borne in mind that
the object of this account was, not to state in what
manner, but by whom, the world was made. As
the prevailing tendency of men in those early
days was to worship the most glorious objects of
nature, namely, the sun and moon and stars; it
should seem to have been one important point in
the Mosaic account of creation, to guard the Israelites
against the Polytheism and idolatry of
the nations around them; by announcing that all
these magnificent celestial bodies were no Gods,
but the works of One Almighty Creator, to whom
alone the worship of mankind is due. j"
; * See Note, p. 22.
.> ,f Having thus far ventured to enter into a series of explanations,
which I think will reconcile even the letter of the text of
Genesis with the phenomena of Geology, I forbear to say more
on this important subject, and have much satisfaction in being
able to refer my readers to some admirable articles in the Christian
Observer (May, June, July, August, 1834) for a very able
a.nd comprehensive summary of the present state of this question
; explaining the difficulties with which it is surrounded, and
offering many temperate and judicious suggestions, as to the
spirit in which investigations of this kind ought to be conducted.
I Would also refer to Bishop Horsley’s Sermons, 8vo. 1816, vol.
iit^ser. 39; to Bishop Bird Sumner’s Records of Creation, vol. ii.
p. 356; Douglas’s Errors regarding Religion, 1830, p. 261-264,
G. D