unquestionable discoveries of modern science. Long before a human
being had appeared upon earth, millions of individuals--nay,
more, thousands of species and even genera--had died; those which
remain with us are an insignificant fraction of the vast hosts
that have passed away.

A consequence of great importance issued from the decision of the
Pelagian controversy. The book of Genesis had been made the basis
of Christianity. If, in a theological point of view, to its
account of the sin in the garden of Eden, and the transgression
and punishment of Adam, so much weight had been attached, it also
in a philosophical point of view became the grand authority of
Patristic science. Astronomy, geology, geography, anthropology,
chronology, and indeed all the various departments of human
knowledge, were made to conform to it.

ST. AUGUSTINE. As the doctrines of St. Augustine have had the
effect of thus placing theology in antagonism with science, it
may be interesting to examine briefly some of the more purely
philosophical views of that great man. For this purpose, we may
appropriately select portions of his study of the first chapter
of Genesis, as contained in the eleventh, twelfth, and thirteenth
books of his "Confessions."

These consist of philosophical discussions, largely interspersed
with rhapsodies. He prays that God will give him to understand
the Scriptures, and will open their meaning to him; he declares
that in them there is nothing superfluous, but that the words
have a manifold meaning.