а tion loosen their grasp; and in the case of those who unfortunately have not received an early religious training, there is an increased disinclination to admit the restraints of a sound faith in the Bible. Now if, just at that time, a youth is plied with all the dangerous arts of scepticism, if he finds in books and newspapers, and hears in lectures , and conversation, a thousand aslant and insinuating sneers against the creed of the Christian, he occupies perhaps the most perilous position in the whole of life's pathway: he is near a crisis—a few months may decide his temporal and eternal destiny. Happy is he, if then some kind and judicious and strong friend stands ready to offer the counsels of maturity, sweetened and tempered by sympathy! Happy he, if a book falls in his way that shall give a right direction to the thoughts of his heart! Now precisely such is the condition, such the demands of the young in these our times. It is for such that this book is now committed to the press. Will any young reader, who, perchance, has read thus far, not yet throw aside the volume, but "see the preface through ?” a The book consists of successive chapters, in which the greatest leading facts of the Bible are presented and confirmed by other evidence, historical and philosophical, with a design to show the superhuman, the divine origin of what we call “The Word of God." Not all the facts are thus treated, otherwise this book would have been a huge quarto, or folio, or series of folios, and of course had proportionately few readers; for, with few exceptions, it is a fact that the larger the book the fewer the readers. The writer has tried to practice the art of stopping when he has finished, and of leaving something to be said, and more to be thought, by posterity. One of his greatest difficulties has been, to make the book small enough. The reader will find here no unfair and intentionally sophistical method of reasoning. It is an old maxim, "All is fair in war;" and many Christian authors even seem to write on the principle that “the end justifies the means," and do not hesitate to advance what is feeble and irrelevant and false to sustain a true position. If some writers do not act on this principle, they certainly are incapable of distinguishing between what is feeble and what is strong; what is true as evidence, and what is false. In this book you will find nothing which the author does not himself believe; and every fact stated, and every quotation made, and every authority referred to, is, according to the author's best information, strictly correct. The chapter upon Creation does not afford a fair specimen of the book, because, except in reference to the mere act of creation, the subject does not admit of the kind of evidence which it is the object of the book to adduce. With this salutation, the book is before you. If you choose to admit it to your home, your parlour, or study, or work-shop, or family circle, remember it comes not as a principal, but an agent; its sole business is to recommend another, even the Book of books. Perhaps it has blunt honesty, and energy, and persuasiveness enough about it, if you treat it respectfully, to increase your reverence for its Master, the Bible; if so, certainly the author will have nothing to regret, and the reader no complaint to make. Contents. THE CREATION OF THE WORLD AS DESCRIBED BY MOSES. Much Dogmatism displayed upon this Subject — Has there been a Creation - Opinion of the Greeks-Of the Earlier Philosophers – Impossible to prove either the Negative or Affirmative mon Arguments on both sides — Abundant Evidence that Man was created - Proof of his Late Origin — The Order of Creation - In this Book we receive no Theory – Views of Modern Geologists _Views of their Opposers — The Mosaic Account Artless, and - Probable Population of the World at this Time — Fancy Pictures — No Evidence that Antediluvian Families were larger than Post- -South Sea Islanders - North American Indians - Heathen Wor- ship bears Commemorations of it - The Ark – Triads of Gods re. ferring to Sons of Noah - Evidence of Bible cumulative- Curious Evidence that Man originated where the Ark is said to have rested - No Objection to strict Universality of Deluge, if .......... Traditions founded upon Truth -- Assyrians- Sanchoniathon — Be- rosus - Jamblichus — Views of Early Egyptians — Institutes of OHAPTER IV. Indistinctness of Ancient History - The most Valuable Facts only related in the Earliest History - Building of Babel the only Event recorded for a Thousand Years — Were all Men engaged in it.- Why it was a Crime — How it was defeated — Confirmatory Evi- dence of the Fact — Ancient Writers — The Temple Birs Nimroud still standing - Explanation of Confusion of Tongues....... 61 OHAPTER V. The Doctrine of the Bible — Foundation of Opposition to it — Con- firmations — Some Variety presupposed — Actual Differences su- perficial, not radical — In Essential Features all Races identical - Present Variety may be accounted for — Instances of Late Varieties — Different Species cannot permanently unite — Argu- Condition of the World without Revelation - Instincts demand it- Failure of Infidel Schemes to benefit Man - First Universal Re- |