Statement by Wilbur A. Nelson

Nelson - 6.

conditions which gave rise to our world and the other planets of our system. Through the telescope and spectroscope, the astronomers have solved many of these secrets.

But what of the age of the earth measured in years as we measure other happenings? From the brief outline just given one can see that it has been in existence unknown millions of years, but just how many it is impossible to say.

We can, however, measure back to the more recent events in Geological time to the last ice age, before which we know man existed, and got a fairly accurate result, in terms of years. Geologists from the scientific studies they have made, have reached the conclusion that from the present time back to the close of the glacial slate known as the Wisconsin, the period of the last ice stage, that the time interval is between twenty-two thousand and thirty-five thousand years, and man is known to have existed before this time.

One of the most accurate ways in which to measure such time intervals, is by measuring and counting the light colored and dark colored bands of clay, deposited by the melting of the ice sheet in the fresh water lakes which existed on the edge of these continental glaciers, as it retreated to its present position in the north polar regions. Each dark layer of clay was laid down during one winter and each light layer during one summer. By such detailed studies, it has been determined that it has taken, approximately, 5000 years for the glaciers of Sweden to melt back 270 miles, and it is further known that [crossed out] time [end crossed out] this melting took place 8500 years ago. We know that the glaciers in North America extended into the northern part of the United