A Lion in the Streets of London
By Frank A. Coffin
Remains of Many Other Animals Found About Him—Why Were These Uncongenial Creatures Brought Together?—The Bible Explains the Scoffers of Science A LION has been found in the middle of Fleet Street, London, according to a dispatch sent out by the Associated Press recently. The find is made more interesting because it is a prehistoric lion. These fossil remains were discovered about thirty feet beneath the present surface of the ground while excavations were in progress for the new Daily Chronicle building. Besides the lion’s bones, were found the wrist bone and hip bone of a mammoth. This animal is said to have been almost identical with the African elephant of to-day. Mammoth, Reindeer, Horse, and Ox Together
Workmen were excavating in 1903 only ninety feet from this spot, to make room for new machines for Lloyd’s Weekly News. While digging with pick and shovel, the skull of a woolly rhinoceros was turned up. It was well preserved. Then further remains of the rhinoceros were found. One of these bones was a “beautiful complete skull of a young individual, in which the milk teeth were still in use” at the time it died, “and the back molars, or wisdom teeth, not yet cut.” Bones of a mammoth, a reindeer, a horse, and a great extinct ox also were found. F. E. Beddard, a fellow of the Royal Society, in writing upon the subject, is quoted by the Associated Press as asking the question, “What was a Siberian rhinoceros doing on this island?” He answers his own question with the statement, “During the period of the earth’s history which saw these great beasts grazing on the plains of northern Europe and Asia, this island was not yet divorced from the continent.” Afraid of Each Other, Yet in Company
He might have asked the further question, “What was the reindeer from the frigid zone doing in company with an elephant of the tropics?” and: “What was the horse, which is known to be afraid of elephants, doing in their company? Why all these bones within a few feet of each other?” Modern scientists who hold to the evolution theory offer no explanation of the mystery, but the word of God informs us that “this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.” 2 Peter 3:5, 6. This erroneous evolution theory which now is taught so widely in our popular colleges by well-known scientific men, is one of the signs that we are living in the very last days of this earth’s history. Peter says so in connection with the statement we have just quoted. “Knowing this first,” he says, “that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of His coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” 2 Peter 3:3, 4. He then speaks of the willful ignorance of these men concerning the Flood. What, except some great cataclysm, could have brought together all these animals, which naturally are uncongenial? But when the true statements of the Bible are candidly accepted, what a flood of light is thrown upon mysteries which otherwise cannot be explained! What a picture is flashed upon the mind as one reads, in the seventh and eighth chapters of Genesis, the wonderful narrative of the awful Flood, which covered the entire earth, leaving not a foot of standing room for man or beast! Deluged from Beneath and Above
“In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life,” says the record, “in the second month, the seventeenth day of the month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the windows of heaven were opened. And the rain was upon the earth forty days and forty nights. . . . “And the waters prevailed exceedingly upon the earth; and all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven, were covered. . . . And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man: all in whose nostrils was the breath of life, of all that was in the dry land, died. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark. And the waters prevailed upon the earth an hundred and fifty days.” Gen. 7:11, 12, 19, 21-24. Visited Because of Wickedness
That awful Flood was sent by God. It came upon the earth because man’s wickedness was great, and “every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Gen. 6:5. “As it was in the days of Noe,” said Jesus, “so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.” Luke 17:26. Here is another evidence that the end of all things is right upon us, for wickedness was never more brazen and widespread than to-day. The newspapers remind us daily that crime is abroad, that men continually are imagining evil, and suiting the act to the thought. God has promised never to bring another flood of water upon the earth. But He has not promised that He will not punish the wicked for their iniquity. “The day cometh, that shall burn as an oven,” is the warning of the word of God; “and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble, and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts.” Mal. 4:1. It was by the word of God, Peter says, that the heavens and the earth were created in the beginning, and by which the mighty waters surged forth from the fountains of the great deep. “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of Judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” 2 Peter 3:5-7. Ungodly men are not now burning; but this same earth which once was overflowed by water, is kept in store until the day of Judgment, “reserved unto fire.”7Jesus Christ, God’s Son, whose great love for mankind led Him to the cruel cross—“even this same Jesus,” soon will return to earth in clouds of glory to receive His children. He promised to return, and “is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” Verse 9. To those who refuse to believe the Bible record, or to heed its warnings, “the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?” “Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of Him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” Verses 10-14. “Scoffers, walking after their own lusts,” are one of the signs that we are even now living in the very last days of this world’s history. Not only fossil remains, but material evidences on every hand, point to the truthfulness of God’s word. It behooves those who would be “accounted worthy to escape all these things” which are yet to come upon the world, to make peace with their God, and to accept without question the precepts and admonitions of His word, serving Him in sincerity and truth.