vapors that still surrounded it-the interposition of a "firmament," dividing "the waters which were under the firmament from the [vapors] waters which were above the firmament." This must have been followed by the subsidence of the liquid surface, and the emergence of a land surface-the waters gathered together to let the dry land appear. At this stage began those vegetable growths, which the geologist still finds fossilized, and which bear marks of having flourished in a perpetual twilight. It was not until after all these changes that the atmosphere became so transparent as to render the "great lights" visible in the heavens. We need not trace such correspondencies any further. Although we may not yet possess the key to all its treasures, the first chapter of Genesis is apparently richer in scientific fact than it has ever been deemed to be. Doubtless the author saw, in inspired vision, the whole process of creation, and was divinely assisted in noting down what he saw. What we have to do is first to reproduce in our own minds the phenomena of the vision, so that we may see them just as he saw them; and then, scientifically, to explain and account for the phenomena. Let us take, as a third instance, the picture, so frequent in the New Testament, of Christ coming in the clouds to judg ment. Orthodoxy and heterodoxy, good sense and folly, claiming to read the Bible literally, have alike toiled to calculate the date, latitude, longitude, and altitude of Christ's encampment in the clouds; to explain away the acoustic and optical difficulties as to his being seen and heard at once by all the inhabitants of the earth. They have shown, by interminable computations and hypotheses, how all the bodies of the dead and living can be gathered into one place, each consisting of what properly belongs to it, and of nothing that belongs to any other; and have variously pointed out the precise condition and locality of human souls and bodies, from the time of death to that of Christ's coming. In view of such elaborate schemes, skepticism has declared the judgment-day an empty myth. Allegory has pronounced the judgment picture to be, in some instances, a highly wrought emblematic account of the destruction of Jerusalem; and, in other instances, a similar account of some other event. And a score of various compromises have characterized a score of different theories. Without stopping to criticize, we may at once notice these passages as word-pictures. The current delineation is one easily sketched,-Christ appearing in upper air, with regal and judicial pomp, attended by angel guards and heralds,the bodies of the dead, from every quarter of the horizon, reanimated at the trumpet call, and hastening to meet the Lord in the air, the living, in awe and expectancy, looking on, until they, too, are caught up,--all peoples thus gathered around the judgment-throne, the wicked, conscience-stricken and terrified, sent to the left for punishment, and the righteous, happy though humiliated, called to the right. If, at the outset, we view this as statistical fact, difficulties at once arise. In the distraction of solving them, we may lose the pith of the instruction. But to imagination these difficulties have no existence. It is perfectly easy for any one to locate the picture in his own horizon, and to contemplate it as a picture: This being done, he immediately feels sure that it represents some momentous reality. Otherwise, God would not so persistently urge it upon our notice, as the basis of so many important lessons. The exact nature of this reality no one pretends to know. And, however important it may be, or however worthy of study, we may yet, without knowing it, be fully impressed with the lessons it conveys. Christ, for instance, infers from it the precept: "Be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." What if we are ignorant of the exact realities of his coming? We yet know that there are such realities. We have them urged upon us in such methods of expression as must arouse every mental power. Could any statistical knowledge of them be more impressive? Paul, writing to the Thessalonians, draws another lesson from the judgment-picture: We should not sorrow for the dead as those who have no hope. Were we familiar with every de tail of the actual event, we should no more fully feel the force of its consolations, than when we simply notice that the picture represents the dead in Christ as even nearer to him, and more under his loving protection, than the living. Let no one, indeed, neglect to study the reality itself. Let us find out all we can about it. But let us not make the mistake of delaying to learn the great lessons taught, until we understand the full details of the event by which it is taught. And in studying that event, we may well remember that, for ignorance we substitute error, instead of knowledge, if we take words whose office is simply to sketch a picture, and assume for them a connection which they do not possess with the realities represented in the picture. We may spare ourselves the easy task of adding other instances to these three. The principle established is this; We may not assume, that words and phrases used in sketching a picture have, in the same passage, some other use. If there is an emblematic meaning, it is to be inferred from the whole sketch, and not from particular expressions. The picture may, indeed, be so constructed, that the latter shall also have an emblematic significance. But the presumption is against such a state of things. Its existence is never to be admitted, unless it can be proved. Evident and simple as this rule is, its effect is, not only to give us clearer and more perfect views of the Scriptures, but also to turn nearly every so-called attack of science upon the Bible into a positive proof of the inspiration of the Bible. In most, or all, the instances where it applies the teachings that bear directly on duty are perfectly clear. In regard to these, Christians have always been agreed. The same is true of the literal facts, so far as they are needed as a basis for the practical precepts. There is no imperative need of hastening beyond this, to hunt up statistics. Such investigations, however important or interesting, may be pursued at leisure, and with care. Many of their results will be mere conjectures. As such, they have great value, but must not be held or promulgated as ascertained verities, by which the word of God or the faith of Christians are to be tried. Neither pictures nor things that are true only with reference to some lesson they teach, should be mistaken for statistical facts. In short, imagination should do its proper work, and only its proper work, in interpreting the Holy Scriptures. ART. VIII. OUR CURRENCY, AND SPECIE PAYMENTS. Since the Article on the Currency Question in this Review, for July 1864, was published, the financial condition of the country has become perilous and alarming. We can at present notice only, in the briefest manner, some aspects of the case relating specially to the question of specie payments. We have been living, for years, as if enjoying great prosperity. Our imports of foreign commodities have cost from one hundred to three hundred millions per annum, exceeding the proceeds of our exports, valued by the same rule. The balance has been managed by transferring and selling our National Bonds, and other securities, at a heavy discount; by open accounts, and by drawing and re-drawing Bills; and, lastly, by the most exhaustive and ruinous process of carrying off our specie, the first and essential requisite and element of industry and of all social rights and usages. Our coin, the very basis and life of our paper currency, is abstracted and exported to other countries. Our currency being secured by National Bonds is of no avail-being by law convertible into coin, it is of little value when the coin is withdrawn and not to be had. Depreciation of the currency, high prices and stagnation, ensue; interest on National Bonds is enhanced by the premium on gold to almost nine per cent. per annum. With such a progress of things, fraud and crime increase and produce panic and terror. A resumption of specie payments is loudly called for as indispensable to any security against universal plunder and bankruptcy. Our public debt, and the absurd attempt to maintain two conflicting currencies, one for the government, the other for the people the latter, limited in the amount issued, and by law redeemable in coin on demand at pleasure, we must pass by for the present. The debt would be a matter of small concern were it all owned and kept at home. But, as it is assigned to third parties and exported, the nation is to pay it twice; once for private commercial debts for goods imported, whenever the foreign holders choose; and again for the money originally borrowed, when the bonds are at maturity. On the bonds held abroad, the annual interest in gold is a constant drain, amounting now to a very large part of our annual exports of products. It is generally felt and acknowledged that specie payments must be resumed and maintained, or the present evils will continue and grow worse till bankruptcy and confusion ensue. To prepare for a resumption at some future and uncertain time has been the theme of innumerable essays. Two plans in particular have been proposed. First, that of thorough depletion, by withdrawing the Treasury Notes and the National Bank Notes from circulation till the scarcity and the demand for currency shall force specie back into the country, and force what notes remain in use to rise in value, and the gold to fall. This plan-this sheer-mechanical operation, has been tried partially, and by fits and starts, for several years, and is said to have failed and been abandoned by those who were its patrons. It has been discovered that if the Government, or individuals, were to attempt to withdraw the notes from circulation, they must pay their value for them, and they must pay in gold. To withdraw enough to effect the object in the slightest degree, both Government and the people are wholly powerless. It would require a stock of gold amounting to hundreds of millions. We are totally unable to purchase gold and retain it, in order to a resumption; and if we could buy enough of it, or the hundreth part of enough, the moment it was let loose here, it would be exported to pay debts and to buy twelve or fifteen hundred millions of National Bonds and other securities, and open credits and debts due to foreigners for the merchandise they have trusted to us. With |