[7]ForstrangerepresentationsoftheCreatorandofthecreationbyone，two，orthreepersonsoftheTrinity，seeDidron，IconographieChretienne，pp。35，178，224，483，567-580，andelsewhere；alsoDetzelasalreadycited。Themostnaiveofallsurvivalsofthemediaevalideaofcreationwhichthepresentwriterhaseverseenwasexhibitedin1894onthebannerofoneoftheguildsatthecelebrationofthefour-hundredthanniversaryofthefoundingoftheMunichCathedral。JesusofNazareth，asabeautifulboyandwithanimbusencirclinghishead，wasshownturningandshapingtheglobeonalathe，whichhekeepsinmotionwithhisfoot。TheemblemsofthePassionareabouthim，GodtheFatherlookingapprovinglyuponhimfromacloud，andthedovehoveringbetweenthetwo。Thedateuponthebannerwas1727。
　　Buttothesediscussionswasaddedyetanother，which，beginningintheearlydaysoftheChurch，washandeddowntheagesuntilithaddiedoutamongthetheologiansofourowntime。
　　Inthefirstofthebiblicalaccountslightiscreatedandthedistinctionbetweendayandnighttherebymadeonthefirstday，whilethesunandmoonarenotcreateduntilthefourthday。
　　Massesofprofoundtheologicalandpseudo-scientificreasoninghavebeendevelopedtoaccountforthis——massessogreatthatforagestheyhaveobscuredthesimplefactthattheoriginaltextisapreciousrevelationtousofoneofthemostancientofrecordedbeliefs——thebeliefthatlightanddarknessareentitiesindependentoftheheavenlybodies，andthatthesun，moon，andstarsexistnotmerelytoincreaselightbutto“dividethedayfromthenight，tobeforsignsandforseasons，andfordaysandforyears。”and“torulethedayandthenight。”
　　Ofthisbeliefwefindsurvivalsamongtheearlyfathers，andespeciallyinSt。Ambrose。Inhisworkoncreationhetellsus：
　　“Wemustrememberthatthelightofdayisonethingandthelightofthesun，moon，andstarsanother——thesunbyhisraysappearingtoaddlustretothedaylight。Forbeforesunrisethedaydawns，butisnotinfullrefulgence，forthesunaddsstillfurthertoitssplendour。”Thisideabecameoneofthe“treasuresofsacredknowledgecommittedtotheChurch。”andwasfaithfullyreceivedbytheMiddleAges。Themedievalmysteriesandmiracleplaysgivecuriousevidencesofthis：Inaperformanceofthecreation，whenGodseparateslightfromdarkness，thestagedirectionis，“Nowapaintedclothistobeexhibited，onehalfblackandtheotherhalfwhite。”Itwasalsogivenmorepermanentform。InthemosaicsofSanMarcoatVenice，inthefrescoesoftheBaptisteryatFlorenceandoftheChurchofSt。FrancisatAssisi，andinthealtarcarvingatSalerno，wefindastrikingrealizationofit——theCreatorplacingintheheavenstwodisksorlivingfiguresofequalsize，eachsuitablycolouredorinscribedtoshowthatonerepresentslightandtheotherdarkness。ThisconceptionwaswithoutdoubtthatofthepersonorpersonswhocompiledfromtheChaldeanandotherearlierstatementstheaccountsofthecreationinthefirstofoursacredbooks。[8]
　　[8]Forscripturalindicationsoftheindependentexistenceoflightanddarkness，comparewiththefirstversesofthechapterofGenesissuchpassagesasJobxxxviii，19，24；forthegeneralprevalenceofthisearlyview，seeLukas，Kosmogonie，pp。31，33，41，74，andpassim；fortheviewofSt。Ambroseregardingthecreationoflightandofthesun，seehisHexameron，lib。4，cap。
　　iii；foranexcellentgeneralstatement，seeHuxley，Mr。
　　GladstoneandGenesis，intheNineteenthCentury，1886，reprintedinhisEssaysonControvertedQuestions，London，1892，note，pp。
　　126etseq。；fortheacceptanceinthemiracleplaysofthescripturalideaoflightanddarknessasindependentcreations，seeWright，EssaysonArcheologicalSubjects，vol。ii，p。178；foranaccount，withillustrations，ofthemosaics，etc。，representingthisidea，seeTikkanen，DieGenesis-mosaikenvonSanMarco，Helsingfors，1889，p。14and16ofthetextandPlatesIandII。VerynaivelytheSalernocarver，notwishingtocolourtheivorywhichhewrought，hasinscribedononedisktheword“LUX“andontheother“NOX。”SeealsoDidron，Iconographie，p。
　　Thus，downtoaperiodalmostwithinlivingmemory，itwasheld，virtually“always，everywhere，andbyall。”thattheuniverse，aswenowseeit，wascreatedliterallyanddirectlybythevoiceorhandsoftheAlmighty，orbyboth——outofnothing——inaninstantorinsixdays，orinboth——aboutfourthousandyearsbeforetheChristianera——andfortheconvenienceofthedwellersupontheearth，whichwasatthebaseandfoundationofthewholestructure。
　　Buttherehadbeenimplantedalongthroughtheagesgermsofanothergrowthinhumanthinking，someofthemevenasearlyastheBabylonianperiod。IntheAssyrianinscriptionswefindrecordedtheChaldeo-BabylonianideaofANEVOLUTIONoftheuniverseoutoftheprimevalfloodor“greatdeep。”andoftheanimalcreationoutoftheearthandsea。Thisidea，recast，partiallyatleast，intomonotheisticform，passednaturallyintothesacredbooksoftheneighboursandpupilsoftheChaldeans——theHebrews；butitsgrowthinChristendomafterwardwaschecked，asweshallhereafterfind，bythemorepowerfulinfluenceofotherinheritedstatementswhichappealedmoreintelligiblytothemindoftheChurch。
　　Striking，also，wastheeffectofthisideaasrewroughtbytheearlyIonianphilosophers，towhomitwasprobablytransmittedfromtheChaldeansthroughthePhoenicians。InthemindsofIonianslikeAnaximanderandAnaximenesitwasmostclearlydeveloped：thefirstoftheseconceivingofthevisibleuniverseastheresultofprocessesofevolution，andthelatterpressingfurtherthesamemodeofreasoning，anddwellingonagenciesincosmicdevelopmentrecognisedinmodernscience。
　　ThisgeneralideaofevolutioninNaturethustookstrongholduponGreekthoughtandwasdevelopedinmanyways，someingenious，someperverse。Plato，indeed，withstoodit；butAristotlesometimesdevelopeditinamannerwhichremindsusofmodernviews。
　　AmongtheRomansLucretiuscaughtmuchfromit，extendingtheevolutionaryprocessvirtuallytoallthings。
　　IntheearlyChurch，aswehaveseen，theideaofacreationdirect，material，andbymeanslikethoseusedbyman，wasall-powerfulfortheexclusionofconceptionsbasedonevolution。
　　FromthemoresimpleandcrudeoftheviewsofcreationgivenintheBabylonianlegends，andthenceincorporatedintoGenesis，rosethestreamoforthodoxthoughtonthesubject，whichgrewintoafloodandsweptonthroughtheMiddleAgesandintomoderntimes。Yethereandthereinthemidstofthisfloodwerehighgroundsofthoughtheldbystrongmen。ScotusErigenaandDunsScotus，amongtheschoolmen，bewilderedthoughtheywere，hadcaughtsomeraysofthisancientlight，andpassedontotheirsuccessors，inmodifiedform，doctrinesofanevolutionaryprocessintheuniverse。
　　InthelatterhalfofthesixteenthcenturytheseevolutionarytheoriesseemedtotakemoredefiniteforminthemindofGiordanoBruno，whoevidentlydivinedthefundamentalideaofwhatisnowknownasthe“nebularhypothesis“；butwithhismurderbytheInquisitionatRomethisideaseemedutterlytodisappear——dissipatedbytheflameswhichin1600consumedhisbodyontheCampodeiFiori。
　　YetwithinthetwocenturiesdividedbyBruno’sdeaththeworldwasledintoanewrealmofthoughtinwhichanevolutiontheoryofthevisibleuniversewassuretoberapidlydeveloped。Fortherecame，oneaftertheother，fiveofthegreatestmenourracehasproduced——Copernicus，Kepler，Galileo，Descartes，andNewton——andwhentheirworkwasdonetheoldtheologicalconceptionoftheuniversewasgone。”Thespaciousfirmamentonhigh“——“thecrystallinespheres“——theAlmightyenthronedupon“thecircleoftheheavens。”andwithhisownlands，orwithangelsashisagents，keepingsun，moon，andplanetsinmotionforthebenefitoftheearth，openingandclosingthe“windowsofheaven。”lettingdownupontheearththe“watersabovethefirmament。”“settinghisbowinthecloud。”hangingout“signsandwonders。”hurlingcomets，“castingforthlightnings“toscarethewicked，and“shakingtheearth“inhiswrath：allthishaddisappeared。
　　Thesefivemenhadgivenanewdivinerevelationtotheworld；
　　andthroughthelast，Newton，hadcomeavastnewconception，destinedtobefataltotheoldtheoryofcreation，forhehadshownthroughouttheuniverse，inplaceofalmightycaprice，all-pervadinglaw。Thebitteroppositionoftheologytothefirstfourofthesemeniswellknown；butthefactisnotsowidelyknownthatNewton，inspiteofhisdeeplyreligiousspirit，wasalsostronglyopposed。Itwasvigorouslyurgedagainsthimthatbyhisstatementofthelawofgravitationhe“tookfromGodthatdirectactiononhisworkssoconstantlyascribedtohiminScriptureandtransferredittomaterialmechanism。”andthathe“substitutedgravitationforProvidence。”
　　But，morethanthis，thesemengaveanewbasisforthetheoryofevolutionasdistinguishedfromthetheoryofcreation。
　　EspeciallyworthyofnoteisitthatthegreatworkofDescartes，erroneousasmanyofitsdeductionswere，and，inviewofthelackofphysicalknowledgeinhistime，mustbe，haddonemuchtoweakentheoldconception。Histheoryofauniversebroughtoutofall-pervadingmatter，wroughtintoorderlyarrangementbymovementsinaccordancewithphysicallaws——thoughitwasbutaprovisionalhypothesis——haddonemuchtodrawmen’smindsfromtheoldtheologicalviewofcreation；itwasanexampleofintellectualhonestyarrivingaterrors，buttherebyaidingtheadventoftruths。CrippledthoughDescarteswasbyhisalmostmorbidfearoftheChurch，thispartofhisworkwasnosmallfactorinbringinginthatattitudeofmindwhichledtoareceptionofthethoughtsofmoreunfetteredthinkers。
　　Thirtyyearslatercame，inEngland，aneffortofadifferentsort，butwithasimilarresult。In1678RalphCudworthpublishedhisIntellectualSystemoftheUniverse。Tothisdayheremains，inbreadthofscholarship，instrengthofthought，intolerance，andinhonesty，oneofthegreatestgloriesoftheEnglishChurch，andhisworkwasworthyofhim。HepurposedtobuildafortresswhichshouldprotectChristianityagainstalldangeroustheoriesoftheuniverse，ancientormodern。Thefoundationsofthestructurewerelaidwitholdthoughtsthrownoftenintonewandstrikingforms；but，asthesuperstructurearosemoreandmoreintoview，whilegeniusmarkedeverypartofit，featuresappearedwhichgavetherigidlyorthodoxseriousmisgivings。FromtheoldtheoriesofdirectpersonalactionontheuniversebytheAlmightyhebrokeutterly。Hedweltontheactionoflaw，rejectedthecontinuousexerciseofmiraculousintervention，pointedoutthefactthatinthenaturalworldthereare“errors“and“bungles。”andarguedvigorouslyinfavouroftheoriginandmaintenanceoftheuniverseasaslowandgradualdevelopmentofNatureinobediencetoaninwardprinciple。TheBalaksofseventeenth-centuryorthodoxymightwellcondemnthishonestBalaam。
　　Towardtheendofthenextcenturyastillmoreprofoundgenius，ImmanuelKant，presentedthenebulartheory，givingit，inthelightofNewton’sgreatutterances，aconsistencywhichitneverbeforehad；andaboutthesametimeLaplacegaveityetgreaterstrengthbymathematicalreasoningsofwonderfulpowerandextent，thusimplantingfirmlyinmodernthoughttheideathatourownsolarsystemandothers——suns，planets，satellites，andtheirvariousmovements，distances，andmagnitudes——necessarilyresultfromtheobedienceofnebulousmassestonaturallaws。
　　Throughoutthetheologicalworldtherewasanoutcryatonceagainst“atheism。”andwarragedfiercely。Herschelandotherspointedoutmanynebulouspatchesapparentlygaseous。Theyshowedbyphysicalandmathematicaldemonstrationsthatthehypothesisaccountedforthegreatbodyoffacts，and，despiteclamour，weregainingground，whentheimprovedtelescopesresolvedsomeofthepatchesofnebulousmatterintomultitudesofstars。Theopponentsofthenebularhypothesiswereoverjoyed；theynowsangpaeanstoastronomy，because，astheysaid，ithadprovedthetruthofScripture。Theyhadjumpedtotheconclusionthatallnebulamustbealike；that，ifSOMEaremadeupofsystemsofstars，ALLmustbesomadeup；thatnonecanbemassesofattenuatedgaseousmatter，becausesomearenot。
　　Sciencehaltedforatime。Theaccepteddoctrinebecamethis：
　　thattheonlyreasonwhyallthenebulaarenotresolvedintodistinctstarsisthatourtelescopesarenotsufficientlypowerful。Butintimecamethediscoveryofthespectroscopeandspectrumanalysis，andthenceFraunhofer’sdiscoverythatthespectrumofanignitedgaseousbodyisnon-continuous，withinterruptinglines；andDraper’sdiscoverythatthespectrumofanignitedsolidiscontinuous，withnointerruptinglines。Andnowthespectroscopewasturneduponthenebula，andmanyofthemwerefoundtobegaseous。Here，then，wasgroundfortheinferencethatinthesenebulousmassesatdifferentstagesofcondensation——someapparentlymerepitchesofmist，somewithluminouscentres——wehavetheprocessofdevelopmentactuallygoingon，andobservationslikethoseofLordRosseandArrestgaveyetfurtherconfirmationtothisview。Thencamethegreatcontributionofthenineteenthcenturytophysics，aidingtoexplainimportantpartsofthevastprocessbythemechanicaltheoryofheat。