Does the Bible Agree with Science?
By Eld. S. Pierce
It has long been asserted by the enemies of the Bible that it does not agree with science. But we have never known any proof given for the truth of this assertion. Notwithstanding geology has of late raised its voice with such an emphatic declaration to the same effect, as to alarm some honest lovers of truth, it has been nothing more than assertions. I have never seen any proof of their claims in this direction. By this, I do not wish to be understood as repudiating science, unless it be such as Paul tells us of, science falsely so-called; for we believe the principles of true science to be founded in the nature of things, as much as any other of the laws of nature. But I do repudiate the idea of men just beginning to investigate a science unknown until within a few years, at once becoming wise above what is written. Had the science of geology been under investigation for thousands of years, and a correct history of some of its particulars been handed down to us, then we might be able to judge very nearly what length of time would be necessary to produce this, that, or the other, ingredient of the earth. But as it now is, who can tell with any degree of certainty in regard to it? It is most astonishing that the learned advocates of this belief, will undertake to prove it by mere assertions, without giving the least evidence of the truthfulness of their declarations; only that they think—and that, too, without any experience in the matter—that it must have taken a much longer time to form certain portions of the earth, than the chronology of the Bible allows. I would here inquire if the experience of men in this science has been of sufficient duration to enable them to determine with any degree of certainty whether it would take millions of ages or only thousands of years to form any particular part of the earth as it is now found. If it has, then this science in its infancy must have become quite mature, or what is still more baffling to our credulity, we have men among us, compared with whom Methuselah would be but a mere child. If on one side of a question there is nothing but assertions, and on the other, there is positive evidence, we can see at once which way the scale preponderates. We shall not undertake to prove by geology anything either one way or the other; for that science is still in its infancy, and not sufficiently developed or mature to prove anything for or against the question. The indefinite expression that “the Bible does not agree with science,” has been made use of in former years, as a thrust against the authenticity of this sacred book. Instead of this, why did they not come out in definite language, and aver that science proves it false? Doubtless they knew such a position would be untenable. That the language of our translation of the Bible, in all particulars, is according to the rules of syntax, we shall not assert or undertake to prove. The unimproved state of the grammar, of an amalgamated dialect, formed from seven others, was doubtless the cause of so many grammatical inaccuracies as are found in our translation. But do all these errors go in the least degree to show the history of the Bible false, which is sustained by other authentic histories? Or do they go to prove those prophecies false which from time to time, in constant order, are being fulfilled before our eyes? Or do they in any possible sense prove its excellent moral principles, which all wise legislators have borrowed for the enactment of good and just laws, to be corrupt? If they do, then the truth of any history, or any book, depends altogether upon the grammatical elegance of its language. But on good authority, we assert, without fear of successful contradiction, that both the Hebrew and the Greek originals of the Old and New Testaments are entirely free from those grammatical errors so frequently found in King James’ translation; not that there are no grammatical difficulties to be found there, but these arise mostly from the comprehensive brevity of its language, and not from its erroneous construction. Why, then, should the errors of our translation be brought to prove that the Bible does not agree with science, when the originals, as they came from the pen of inspiration, were free from such errors? This shows either maliciousness or ignorant short-sightedness, which should be rebuked by every intelligent Christian. We will now introduce the sciences of astronomy and geography. These have been investigated by the learned of almost every age; and for some centuries, with the greatest facilities for bringing them as near to perfection as their nature will admit. Learned astronomers have informed us that there are but a trifle more than three thousand stars, visible to the naked eye, above the horizon at one time. Hence all visible to the naked eye in every locality would not much exceed six thousand. Now compare this with what God said to Abraham. See Gen. 15:5. In verses 1–5, we are informed that the Lord was conversing with him in vision. Verse 5: “And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them; and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be.” But says one, objecting to the idea of his being in vision, It would be difficult for Abraham or any one not acquainted with astronomy, to count those stars even visible to the naked eye. In reply, we would say, He was acquainted with astronomy, if Josephus was an authentic historian. And further, if Abraham was not in vision, but literally beheld such stars as could be seen with the naked eye, think of the deficiency of this promise; for if he was to be the father of many nations, as stated in Genesis 17:4, what kind of diminutive nations must they be, for many of them to consist of, at most, not much more than six thousand individuals. And consider also how it would diminish the number, and depreciate the promise, as described in chap. 13:16: “And I will make thy seed as the dust of the earth; so that if a man can number the dust of the earth, then shall thy seed also be numbered.” These scriptures, taken together, prove beyond all doubt that the stars then appeared to Abraham in all their real countless millions; increased as no magnifier can multiply them. With this conclusion, there is perfect harmony between this and all other scriptures on this subject; but without it there is a discrepancy. The apostle, in Gal. 3:7, tells us who are Abraham’s seed: “Know ye therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.” Verse 29: “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” John had a view of all that are Christ’s; and he calls them “a great multitude which no man can number, of all nations, and kindreds, and peoples, and tongues.” Rev. 7:9. This also is proof from the Scriptures that Abraham had a view of the stars in all their countless multitudes. Does this agree with science? Let astronomy answer: This science has developed the fact, by the aid of magnifiers which its necessities have invented, that there are countless millions of even those stars which are suns to other systems of worlds, without the possibility of ever discovering one of the planets which constitute those systems of their respective suns. David also, in Ps. 147:4, gives more than an intimation of the vastness of their number: “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names;” intimating that this is all beyond the reach of finite minds, either of men or angels. If it were not so, why did Inspiration introduce it in a manner that would show the Lord himself only able to do either? Again, in Ps. 8:3–4, he gives some additional thoughts in regard to the subject: “When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and stars which thou hast ordained; what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him?” Shall we believe this to be an obscure similitude between man and inanimate bodies? We think not. A comparison is always drawn between things that have strong points of resemblance. Hence, as we see no similarity between man and the heavenly bodies, and as there is a figure of speech in which the container is put for the things contained, we believe the comparative difference of their importance is drawn between man and the inhabitants of those other worlds, whose claims for God’s notice and care appeared to the psalmist in such a vast degree to surpass those of our race, on account of the immense superiority of their numbers. This certainly agrees not only with what modern astronomers have ascertained in regard to the multitude of other worlds, but also with what they have suspected in regard to their being inhabited. As to geography, especially the position, structure and form of the earth, we know what geographers have told us. We are told in Job 26:7, “He hangeth the earth upon nothing.” We see how completely harmonious this is with all the information that modern geographers have given us on this particular. Geography, as a science, has been known to the learned for thousands of years; yet we have no especial evidence that the form of the earth, which is one essential feature, was ever certainly known to geographers, till within about four hundred years. Though some of the ancients suspected that it might be round, they never, so far as we know, brought forward any reasons or evidence that it was so. They generally considered it to be a vast plane or level; though some held it to be cylindrical, or in the form of a drum. As geography is a description of the earth; and as one of the essentials in describing a body is to give its true form, we see how defective this science until within a few centuries. Modern science, however, has discovered its form and described it, giving evidences sufficient to satisfy the most skeptical respecting it. When I came to learn from the blessed Bible that this fact was there revealed; in one instance almost three thousand years ago, and in another more than twenty-five hundred years ago, I was led to exclaim, “I rejoice at Thy word as one that findeth great spoil.” In Prov. 8:27, Wisdom is represented as saying, “When He prepared the heavens, I was there; when he set a compass [margin, a circle] upon the face of the depth.” Showing the surface of the sea or ocean to be circular. For depth or depths in the Bible is in many instances used in a sense to justify this conclusion. To satisfy the reader of this, we refer him to Exodus 15:8; Ps. 33:7; 77:7; and Jonah 2:5. The other passage which proves the form of the earth is found in Isa. 40:22. “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth; and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers.” The passage in Proverbs 8 gives the circularity of the ocean’s surface; the one in Isa. 40 gives the general contour of the surface of the land. Or we may take the term earth in its more extended sense; meaning the whole globe which would do no injustice to the language. Thus we see how completely inspiration had revealed this fact, more than two thousand years before science had found it out, and which had lain concealed more than five thousand years, for aught that science had been able to do, during that time. Tell us the Bible does not agree with science? Sooner tell us the springs have no connection with the fountains from whence they flow. Let us take a geographical view of the world in connection with historic facts, and see how this matter stands. The Israelites, at the time that Solomon lived, had perhaps fifteen of the first books of the Bible. And according to the brief description there given of the splendor of his court, and its magnificent surroundings, the order and arrangement of things generally connected with it, there was then nothing on the earth to be compared with it. Even all other monarchs who visited there, were struck with amazement at the magnificence of the sight. Further there were specimens of architecture, especially those of the temple and the King’s palace, which were altogether superior to whatever had been, or was known for centuries after that time. But objectors will say, Greece and Rome outvied in splendor Solomon’s court. We will refer such to the best authority we can find, the Encyclopedia Americana, which informs us that even the alphabet and of course written language had not become common in Greece until about 450 years after Solomon; and although Homer, the prince of Grecian poets, lived one hundred years before him, yet his poems were not written for centuries after. And although the history of the Grecians reaches back three hundred years before the Israelites became a nation; still the Israelites had written language nearly five hundred years before Solomon, and nearly one thousand before the Grecians. “In Homer’s time all knowledge, religion and laws were preserved by memory; and for that reason were put in verse, till prose was introduced with the art of writing.” The argument drawn from several ancient inscriptions on temples, Wolf has deprived of all its force. Thus we see when the sciences and arts were first introduced into Greece. The above information leads us to inquire How came the poor Israelites, who emerged from the most abject slavery, centuries after the Greeks had become a nation, to be so much in advance of them in the arts and sciences? Because they had the light of inspiration, some part of the blessed book of truth, which cast its rays upon them; it being the great generator of all useful improvements among men. When the light of inspiration has shone upon any people, has heathenish darkness or ignorance been the consequence? Let the history of modern times, as well as ancient, answer. Now we would ask in candor, Where, or among what people, are the highest attainments in the arts and sciences, civilization and refinement, and all the improvements of well-regulated society? Where the Bible has scarcely been known, or where it has been diffused for centuries, and some of its principles incorporated into their national122laws, because loved and revered by many of the inhabitants? What is the condition of most of the tribes in Africa, New Holland, and most of the islands of the Pacific and Indian oceans, which have never, to our knowledge, had any of its enlightening influences at all? Oh! the darkness of the picture there. How is it among the nations of Asia, where its rays of light have been obscured for many centuries? It is but little better. How among the nations of Europe, where its ennobling principles for centuries, have been more or less diffused? Mark the contrast. And how is it among the free northern States of America? Mark the superlatively happy contrast between this and all other countries, where the Bible is unknown, in every respect that could be mentioned. Daniel was told to shut up the words and seal the book even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” Hebrew critics understand it to mean a knowledge of the Bible, and of its prophetic department especially. And this time of the end commenced at the close of the 1260 years, at the time papacy received its deadly wound; when the pope of Rome was taken prisoner by Berthier, and died a prisoner of war; which occurred in 1798. Now we ask, When and where did the improvements of the present century in the arts and sciences, take their rise? And in what country did they most progress? The first steamboat was made and put into effective operation in 1807 on the Hudson river. Where were the first reapers, thrashers, mowers, and a multitude of other agricultural implements invented? And last, where was Morse’s magnetic telegraph introduced, the most remarkable and ingenious of them all? Answer: In the free Northern States of America. There the rays of Bible truth during some of this period, have shone with more resplendent brilliancy than at any time since the apostles lived. Did not the Southern States, the land of slavery and oppression, participate in these inventions? Not to any great extent, to our knowledge. Why not? Because ignorance and injustice reigned; for the principles of the Bible were trodden under foot, the golden rule rejected, and horror and abuse triumphed. Did not some of these improvements originate in any of the countries of Asia, Africa, or Australia? Not one? Why not? Because, says the objector, heathenish darkness reigns there. But how came it there? We answer, Because the Bible had not been received there to any great extent. And where that is not received, there heathenish darkness is, and must be. Tell us that science and the fountain of truth are forever hostile, without the possibility of any harmonious union? Rather tell us of all the beauties of poetry, the higher strains of eloquence and oratory, and the elevated figures of rhetoric, found from Genesis to Revelation with all their beauties blending richly in, as occasion requires, with all the soul-enlightening teachings of that blessed book, harmonious as the language of Heaven could make them, and you move a chord that has thrilled with delight the hearts of some of the greatest statesmen, theologians, philanthropists, mathematicians and philosophers, that have lived for centuries in the past. When will slanderous ignorance hide its deformed head? or catch a glimpse of the radiant beauties of the richest gift ever bestowed upon fallen man?