Büchner, L. (1864). Periods of the creation of the Earth (J. F. Collingwood, Ed.). In L. Büchner & J. F. Collingwood (Ed.), Force and matter: Empirico-philosophical studies, intelligibly rendered (pp. 56-62). London, Great Britain: Trübner & Co.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/12202-009
The investigations of geology have thrown a highly interesting and important light on the history of the origin and gradual development of the earth. It was in the rocks and strata of the crust of the earth, and in the organic remains, that geologists read, as in an old chronicle, the history of the earth. In this history they found the plainest indications of several stupendous successive revolutions, now produced by fire, now by water, now by their combined action. These revolutions afforded, by the apparent suddenness and violence of their occurrence, a welcome pretext to orthodoxy to appeal to the existence of supernatural powers, which were to have caused these revolutions in order to render, by gradual transitions, the earth fit for certain purposes. This successive periodical creation is said to have been attended with a successive creation of new organic beings and species. The Bible, then, was right in relating that God had sent a deluge over the world to destroy a sinful generation. God with His own hands is said to have piled up mountains, planed the sea, created organisms, etc. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)