Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

662 A VKW llEMARKS In the 16th verse it is said that " God made two great lights ; the greater light to rule the day, the lesser light to rule the night : the stars also ;" that is, he made the stars also. It is not stated here that the Almighty made all the stars at that time ; nor can I, after consulting very able men, find any passage of such an import. That all the stars dependant upon, or connected with, our solar system, namely, the planets and their satellites, were then created, seems to be evident from the fact of their revolving round our sun ; but farther than this, it is not thought necessary (may we not presume) for man to know ; therefore it is not revealed to us. In the ancient book of Job, the creation of the world is thus alluded to. " Who laid the corner stone thereof, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." * But the earth was finished, and vegetation produced, before the creation of stars mentioned in Gen. i. 16; therefore, unless the ' corner-stone' alludes to man, it may be inferred that there were stars in existence besides those made on the fourth day. Of course, the ' singing of the stars' is a figurative ex- pression ; but as we do not meet with any similar metaphor in the Bible, unconnected with some object that we know exists we may infer that stars existed when the allegorical, or mys- tical corner-stone was thus laid.-f- In verses 29 and 30, the food for man and beast is mention- ed, and with reference to the Deluge this should be borne in mind. It may be said that the teeth of some animals are so formed as to be fit only for grazing, or browzing ; that beasts of prey have teeth adapted to tearing and gnawing ; and that man requires meat ; but we must remember that dogs and wild beasts thrive upon a vegetable diet, and that some men never touch meat, even in the present state of the world : very * .lob. xxxviii. 6, 7. t Much must depend upon the limit attached to the meaning of the word Heaven in the 1st Chapter of Genesis, and Heavens in the 2nd ; viewed in connection with verses ], 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 17, and 20 of Chap, i.; 1, 4, of Chap, ii.; verses 5, 7, 10, 13 of 2 Peter iii.; and very many other passages ; not omitting the Lord's prayer.