LETTERS RECEIVED FROM MISSIONARIES, &c. SOUTH SEAS, 1837.-Navigators Islands, Rev. A. W. Murray, Aug. 27. ULTRA GANGES, 1838. Singapore, Rev. Messrs. A. and J. Stronach, March 9, (two letters,) and May 14. Batavia, Mr. W. Young, jun., Mar. 10, and May 12. EAST INDIES, 1838.-Calcutta, Rev. T. Boaz, April 25. Madras, Rev. W. H. Drew, May 7. Cuddapah, Rev. W. Howell, April 4, (two letters.) Belgaum, Rev. J. Taylor, May 3, (from Darwar.) Bellary, Rev. J. Reid, March 20, and April 17. Combaconum, Rev. J. E. Nimmo, March 22. Neyoor, Rev. J. Abbs, April 30. Rev. C. Miller, May 2. Quilon, Rev. Messrs. Thompson and Miller, March 15. SOUTH AFRICA, 1839.-Port Elizabeth, Rev. A. Robson, June 14. Uitenhage, Rev. J. G. Messer, June 29. Kat River, Rev. J. Read, sen., June 9. WEST INDIES, 1838.-Berbice, Rev. S. Haywood, July 4. Rev. D. Kenyon, Aug. 8. Rev. J. Edwards, Aug. 14, (two letters.) Rev. S. S. Murkland, Aug. 15. Rev. H. S. Seaborn, Aug. 15. Jamaica, Rev. W. G. Barrett, July 10 and 15. Rev. W. Alloway, July 13, and Aug. 7. Mr. W. Hillyer, July 18. Rev. John Vine, Aug. 6. Rev. B. Franklin, Aug. 7 and 22. Mr. James Howell, Aug. 9. THE EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE, AND MISSIONARY CHRONICLE. FOR DECEMBER, 1838. GEOLOGY AND REVELATION, BY THE REV. ENOCH POND, D.D., From the American Biblical Repository, No. 31, July, 1838. [THE following Essay contains so much that is valuable, that, for the sake of our more intelligent readers, we give it complete, as it appears in the "American Biblical Repository." By no means pledging ourselves to every sentiment it contains, we, at the same time, very earnestly recommend it to the attention of ministers, students, and enlightened Christians in general.-EDITOR.] "Thy word," saith the devout Psalmist, "is true from the beginning, and every one of thy righteous judgments endureth for ever." Other systems of doctrine and philosophy have had their day. They have risen into notice; have gathered around them abettors and followers; have flourished for a time, and then passed into silence and forgetfulness. But not so the system of Divine revelation. This has stood the test of time, and will stand when time shall be no more. It has gathered strength from the assaults of enemies, and from all the forms of trial to which it has been subjected, and is as unchangeable and enduring as the throne of heaven. "The grass withereth, and the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand for ever." "For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven." Infidels have long hoped and pre VOL. XVI. dicted, that the investigations of science would invalidate the claims of Divine revelation. In this expectation, they have turned from one science to another, and have eagerly caught at any fact or appearance which could be tortured into a sceming accordance with their views. As might be expected, they have had their eye upon the researches of the geologist. They have anxiously followed him from steep to cavern, from mountain height to the deepest explored recesses of the earth, in confident expectation that something would be discovered which might be regarded as contradictory to revealed truth. Geological investigations have not, indeed, been brought to a termination; nor is it likely that they will be for a great while yet to come. Still, enough has been discovered to entitle geology to be regarded as a science, and to lead to some very important general conclusions. My present object is to compare these conclusions-those of them which may be considered as established-with the teachings of the Bible; and to show, in the first place, that there is no discrepancy between the two; but, secondly, that, in many points, the former go to illustrate and confirm the latter. The single point in which there is so 2 z |