EXPLANATION NIGHT 99 



His realm there is no triclvery or magic, nothing Avith- 

 out a reason, nothing sudden or unforeseen. So this 

 growth of our planet from a fiery ball to the earth we 

 know took millions of what we call years, and, at first, 

 there was no plant life, but only a molten mass which, 

 when it cooled, turned to rock, making a crust. 



" After a long time, when the first animals were 

 needed, they were made to suit the earth as it was then ; 

 Init the surface of the earth was constantly changing — 

 heating and cooling as the top of a cake changes and 

 cracks in the baking. Land came where Avater had 

 been ; forests Avhere all was barren ; then the animal 

 life was changed and changed again and adapted, always 

 growing of a higher kind, until the earth was ready as 

 a home for man himself, who is the King of Animals, 

 — living on the top branch of the same animal tree to 

 l)e sure, but separated and raised above his blood 

 brothers by wearing the image of God, Avhich is the 

 soul. 



'^ The different periods through which the earth and 

 its vegetable and animal life has passed can be seen 

 by digging down through the earth's crust as you 

 would cut through a layer cake. Some day we will 

 study about this, but now Ave must return to ]\Ian, 

 the two-handed, tAVO-legged King, and look at Avhat lie 

 sees from the top of his tree, as he looks down on his 

 subjects and blood brothers, most of Avliom have four 

 legs, though some, as you Avill see, have none at all." 



"But, father," asked Olive, "do you think there Avill 

 ever l)e any higher sort of animal than man ? " 



" There may be a more perfect race of men than 

 those Ave knoAv ; for of the living races some are more 



