But, in point of fact, we are not required by our belief in Scripture to find any date for the origin of man, at least not within any moderate limits (not extending to scores of thousands of years).  The Bible was not intended to enable us to construct a complete science of geology or anthropology, and the utmost that can be got out of the text is that a date can be suggested (not proved) for one particular family (that of Adam) by counting up the generations alluded to in Holy Writ before the time of Abraham.  But these are manifestly recorded in a brief and epitomized form; nor do all the versions agree.  We may well believe that a watchful Providence has taken care of the record of inspiration, but we know it has been done by human and ordinary agency.  The Bible is God’s gift to his Church, and the Church has been made in all ages the keeper of it.  Now in the matter of early dates and numbers, an unanimous version has not been kept.  According to the construction adopted in the Septuagint, the creation of Adam would go back 7,517 years, while the Vulgate gives 6,067 years.  Dr. Hale’s computation makes 7,294 years, and the Ussherian 5,967;[1] the Samaritan version is, I believe, further different from either.

As it is, the facts show nothing inconsistent with an approximation to these several periods.

As to any absolute date for the appearance of man as a species, no calculation is possible, because of a certain doubt, which no one can pretend to resolve, as to whether the Scriptures do assert the creation of all mankind at any one period.  If, owing to more positive discoveries in the future compelling us to put further back the date of man’s first appearance upon earth, we have to suppose a beginning before the time of Adam, we are reminded that there is an allusion in the sixth chapter of the book called Genesis to “the sons of God” and the “daughters of men.”  Now this passage cannot conceivably refer to angels; nor can we ignore its existence, however doubtful we may feel as to its meaning.[2]

[Footnote 1:  I take these figures from Mr. R.S.  Pattison.]

[Footnote 2:  The text which speaks of God making “of one blood all nations for to dwell on the face of the earth,” would naturally apply to the races existing when the speaker uttered the words:  it would be as unreasonable to press such a text into the service of any theory of the creation of man, as it was absurd for the Inquisition to suppose that the Psalmist, when asserting that God had made the “round world so fast that it could not be moved,” was contradicting the fact of the earth’s revolution round the sun.]