Q PREFACE. 



author addresses himself especially to men of his own 

 profession — the gospel ministry; and would earnestly urge 

 them to become, as far as possible, the interpreters of 

 nature as well as of the written word. Thus may they come 

 most fully into sympathy with the Great Teacher, who 

 pointed to the " fowls of the air " and the " lilies of the 

 field " as the most instructive object-lessons of a practical 

 faith. Let the pastor go w^ith the little ones of his flock 

 to see the nest of the Oriole in the orchard, or of the 

 Pewee under the bridge; and he will not only go to the 

 orchard and to the bridge, but he will find his way into 

 the little heart. If he cannot become a naturalist, he 

 may acquire, at least, a general intelligence of natural 

 objects, thus finding many hours of healthful and happy 

 recreation, furnishing his own mind with food for thought, 

 and discovering ready avenues to other minds. In this 

 day of almost universal thirst for natural science, the 

 minister can ill afford to be ignorant of the natural world 

 around him. Happy, indeed, will it be for his ministry 

 if, instead of leaving the interpretation of nature to the 

 ungodly and the atheistic, he may show to the people 

 the thoughts of an infinitely wise and good Creator 

 embodied in the universe. What is said to the preacher 

 on this topic may apply also to the Sunday School teacher, 

 and, indeed, should apply to the secular teacher of every 

 grade. 



