20 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY. 
comparison? These old bones—this giant tooth,—not only do they suggest 
to the comparative anatomist kindred forms, or to the imagination times 
long since gone by, when beings fierce and fearful had the rule of our 
world ; but they help to establish our belief in the unity of creation, the 
oneness of the great all-creating Mind. While to the uninitiated all things 
around appear as a confused multitude of unlike and unlinked existences, 
to me, there is a glorious law of unity prevailing throughout. Whilst every- 
where there is variety, and nowhere dead and dreary uniformity, yet 
everywhere we learn that creation has been formed after one general plan, 
the beau ideal of the Divine Mind. The little Water Lizard that sports as 
the plaything of childhood, and the massive Ichthyosaurus that preyed 
amidst the waters of the old world in bygone ages, were formed after the 
same general principles, though probably representatives of different 
creations, they are members of the same kingdom, and were modelled by the 
same hand. The skull of the great Kangaroo, and the lately discovered 
head and jaws of a small Marsupial of the Oolitic creation, were made 
after the same type, so that the unscientific observer can trace the resemblance 
and understand that they belong to the same family. But both of these 
bear the strongest scientific affinity to the monstrous skull of another 
and fossil Marsupial (Dipratodon Australis), which approaches in size to the 
massiveness of the elephant. Ye despised old bones, we delight to stand and 
gaze at you, and say with delight and wonder—‘ Can it be—that this slender 
and elegant bone which an infant’s handling might be too rough for, and that 
giant head the remains of one who might have matched the Mammoth in 
strength, and more than matched him in agility,—are members of the same 
family and bound together by the closest affinities?’’ The unity of 
creation is a wonderful and glorious fact. Whether we seek for illus- 
trations amongst these old bones which carry back our thoughts to ages 
long since forgotten in the lapse of time, or draw our examples from 
animals that live in our own day, these common types of creation not only 
proclaim, the hand that made me is Divine; but they teach us the unity of 
the Godhead—the oneness of that Mind that made and harmonised these 
various creations. Allow me, then, with all the enthusiasm of nature’s 
lover, to urge on you attention to this glorious source of knowledge and 
enjoyment.. Next to revelation God demands from us the study of His book 
of creation. The instructions of the Divine Redeemer teach us that His 
exalted and holy mind could fully appreciate the beauties of nature, and 
the instructions which all things around breathe upon the soul. Begin 
anywhere. The waving grass-blade—the fluttering leaf—the modest flower 
—the buzzing insect—the chalk quarry—the lightning flash—those twinkling 
lights above in the night season, that look down so laughingly and lovingly 
upon our world,—they are all waiting for your notice, They all invite 
your contemplation and study. They will all repay you for your en- 
