Journal: Bibliotheca Sacra
Volume: BSAC 66:263 (Jul 1909)
Article: The Glacial Epoch And The Noachian Deluge
Author: Herbert William Magoun

BSac 66:263 (July 1909) p. 431

The Glacial Epoch And The Noachian Deluge

Herbert William Magoun

II.

In ancient times the desire to explain things led to the formation of myths. The same desire now leads to the construction of hypotheses. These are “scientific,” if they satisfy all the conditions, are rational, and meet with a general acceptance. As such hypotheses necessarily underlie science, it may almost be said that Science is a lineal descendant of Myth. The word “science” is to some extent a misleading term. As it comes from a root meaning ‘to know,’ it is popularly supposed to deal only with positive knowledge. Superficially, it does; but its foundations are fairly honeycombed with hypotheses, of which little is heard.

Nature’s methods of work, commonly called laws, are familiar enough; but the ultimate constitution of things and their true exciting causes elude analysis. No man really understands what mind is or what matter is or what the actual operation of gravity is or what that of sight is or even what that of digestion is, although some claim to know all about it. There is always something left which man cannot fathom, though he is constantly trying to do so. In recent years, the “indivisible” atoms of antiquity have been subdivided into ions, or ‘goings/ and matter seems to be reduced by such a theory to a form of motion. Concerning some things men can only speculate.

BSac 66:263 (July 1909) p. 432

So long as this is true, no apology is needed for attempting to provide a working hypothesis which shall account for and harmonize with the scientific data referred to in the previous discussion. Such an hypothesis is plainly needed, and it ought not to be unduly difficult to construct, if every fact is given its due weight. The first thing to be considered is the marvelous accumulations of ice during the Glacial Epoch, for which an adequate cause must be sought. A partial cause may be found in the elevation of the land; for geological investigations show that the greater part of Europe as well as the northern portion of North America was once much higher than it is now, the elevation in places being possibly three thousand feet greater than that of the present day. Such a change of altitude could not fail to affect climatic conditions as they now exist; but now is not synonymous with then. A tropical climate once prevailed in what are now the Arctic regions. Of this there is abundant proof. What caused it?

The only tenable solution thus far offered appears to be that suggested by Dr. Percival Lowell, who holds that this peculiarity was due to the internal heat of the earth itself. Such a conclusion is not only reasonable but it is also an inevitable outcome of both the nebular hypothes...