When Did Mt

When Did Mt. Mazama Blow?

In the lower rock layers of eastern Oregon and Washington are plant and animal fossils suggesting a mild, temperate and wet climate, in contrast to the semiarid climate of today.

We must assume that these lower layers were buried first, and that upper layers represent more recent times.

Above these layers are thousands of feet of lava, molten rock which spread out over 200,000 square miles of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Each lava flow might run 20 to 100 feet deep, then be succeeded by another. These layers are called the Columbia River Basalt. There were several such catastrophes. After some flows there is evidence of weathering, followed by the formation of soils, and the return of plants and animals.

Then both plants and animals would be destroyed by yet another volcanic eruption. In some cases the lava flowed about large trees, preserving their form. Near Blue Lake in eastern Washington is preserved even the mold of a rhinoceros.

Above this basalt are sediments formed by lakes and peat bogs. These were later eroded by wind and rain. Some were scoured by glaciers.

Then came more layers of lava, in some places nearly 2,000 feet of lava. Eventually there were more lakes and peat bogs, which collected sediments.

Among the peat sediments is a layer of volcanic ash which came from the eruption of Glacier Peak, northeast of Seattle. Then came many more layers of sediments.

At this point let us describe Mt. Mazama. The mighty volcano appears to have been over 12,000 feet high. It grew in stages, sometimes spewing out lava, sometimes ash, pumice and other debris. Eventually it had glaciers 1,000 feet thick and ten miles long. The glaciers retreated; there were more eruptions, the glaciers grew back, three times.

Finally Mt. Mazama destroyed itself in an eruption which charred trees up to 35 miles away. The wind was from the southwest, spreading a cloud of ash over thousands of square miles. This ash settled to form a specific layer in the peat bogs, far above the layer made by Glacier Peak.

The mountain blew itself hollow; the peak and upper valleys collapsed into the caldera, which filled up with water. We are left with beautiful Crater Lake, five miles across and 2,000 feet deep.

When did this terrific explosion take place? Some of the trees killed by the blast were preserved in the ash. By radiocarbon dating their wood is over six thousand years old.

How accurate is radiocarbon dating? It correctly dates the Dead Sea Scrolls at 2,000 years. It correlates with Egyptian history as far back as 5,000 years.

Where does the biblical Flood fit into this story? No one knows for sure. If the Flood is blamed for burying the thousands of feet of lower sediments, we must conclude that the volcanoes and glaciers happened after the Flood. The older forms of life have lost their carbon and cannot be dated by that method. More recent life has endured repeated volcanic catastrophes. The Mt. Mazama eruption is considered recent at 6,500 years.

Can I fit all of the above into 6,000 years? I don't see how I can, nor why I should. The 6,000 year concept was first proposed in the pseudepigraphical book of First Enoch, 2,000 years ago. It was taught in the seventeenth century by Archbishop Ussher. It has since the eighteenth century been printed in the margin of English Bibles. This is true of Ellen White's Bible, and of mine. But the 6,000 year time span is not a Bible doctrine.

God gave the Bible to teach us the way to heaven. But He did not provide dates for either the Creation or the Flood. Yes, I would be interested to know the age of the earth. But to this point I don't know, and honestly admit my ignorance. The question must remain open.

Perhaps some day I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. Meanwhile how shall I relate to those who disagree with me? With faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.