130 



ON THE GENERAL DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE. 



way wr another, arrive near the tops of mountains, 

 where springs generally abound. But such a 

 supposition is not only highly improbable, when 

 we consider the vast mass of earth and rocks, 

 several hundreds of miles in thickness, through 

 which the waters would have to percolate, but 

 directly contrary to the known laws of nature ; 

 for nofluid can rise in a tube above the level of it* 

 source, which in this case it behoved to do. Mo 

 dern experiments and discoveries, however, have 

 satisfactorily accounted for this fact, on the prin 

 ciple of evaporation, to whicji I have just now 

 adverted. From the surface of the ocean and of 

 the rivers themselves, there is carried up into 

 the atmosphere, in the form of vapour, nearly 

 three times the quantity of water sufficient to re 

 plenish the sources of all the rivers in the world. 

 The vapour thus raised is carried by the winds, 

 in the form of clouds, over every region of the 

 globe, and falls down in rains to carry on the va 

 rious processes of nature. One part falls into the 

 sea, another on the lowlands, and the remaining 

 part is sufficient to replenish the sources of all 

 the rivers. So that the assertion of Solomon is 

 strictly and philosophically correct, that &quot; to the 

 place whence the rivers come, thither they return 

 again.&quot; They first fall into the ocean ; a por 

 tion of their waters is then raised by evaporation 

 into the atmosphere ; this portion of vapour, af 

 ter traversing the regions of the air, falls down 

 in rain, mists, and dews, and supplies the nume 

 rous springs &quot; which run among the hills.&quot; 



Such illustrations, which might be indefinitely 

 extended, not only throw alight on the meaning 

 of the sacred writers, but tend likewise to show 

 the harmony that subsists between the discove 

 ries of science and the truths of revelation. As 

 the Author of Christianity and the Author of the 

 system of nature is one and the same Being, 

 there must exist a harmonious correspondence 

 between truth in the one, and fact in the other ; 

 and the more they are studied with intelligence, 

 and in connexion with each other, the more will 

 their harmony be apparent. 



It is a circumstance that has frequently forced 

 itself upon my attention, that whatever scene of 

 nature we contemplate, and however brilliant and 

 unexpected the discoveries which modern science 

 has brought to light, however far they have 

 carried our views into the wonders of the minute 

 parts of creation, and into the immeasurable re 

 gions of space, where myriads of suns are light 

 ed up, and however much the mind may be 

 lost in astonishment and wonder, at the magnifi 

 cent scenes which they disclose, we shall find 

 eentiments and expressions in Scripture adequate 

 to express every emotion of the soul when en 

 gaged in such contemplations. Are we contem 

 plating the expanse of the ocean, and the vast 

 mass of waters which fill its mighty caverns ? and 

 do we wish to raise our thoughts in adoration of 

 the power of that Almighty Being who formed it 



by his word ? We are presented by the inspire* 

 penmen with expressions in which to vent our 

 emotions. &quot; He holds its waters in the hollow 

 of his hand ; he taketh up its isles as a very lit 

 tle thing.&quot; &quot; He gathereth the waters of the sea 

 together as a mass ; he layeth up the depth as in 

 storehouses.&quot; &quot; He dividelh the sea by hi? 

 power; he hath compassed the waters with 

 bounds, until the day and night come to ariend.&quot; 

 &quot; Thou coveredst the earth with the deep as 

 with a garment ; the waters stood above the 

 mountains:* At thy rebuke they fied ; at tho 

 voice of thy thunder they hasted away. Thou 

 hast set a boundary that they may not pass over, 

 that they turn not again to cover the earth.&quot; 

 &quot;He hath placed the sand for the bounds of the 

 sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass 

 it ; and though the waves thereof toss tnrrn- 

 selves, yet they cannot prevail; though they 

 roar, yet can they not pass over it.&quot; He hath 

 said to its rolling billows, &quot; Hitherto shall thou 

 come, and no farther ; and here shall thy proud 

 waves be stayed.&quot; Are we spectators of storms 

 and tempests, especially in the terrific grandeur 

 they display in southern climes? Our emotions 

 will be expressed with the greatest emphasis in 

 the language of inspiration, in which we are 

 uniformly directed to view the agency of God in 

 such phenomena. &quot; Clouds and darkness are 

 round about him : He hath his way in the whirl 

 wind and the storm, and the clouds are the dust 

 of his feet.&quot; &quot; When he uttereth his voice, 

 there is a sound of waters in the heavens ; he 

 causeth the vapours to ascend from I he ends of 

 the earth ; he maketh lightnings with rain, and 

 bringeth forth the winds out of his treasuries.&quot; 

 &quot; The God of glory thundereth ; the voice of the 

 Lord is full of majesty ; the voice of the Lord 

 divideth the flames of fire ; yea, the Lord brep.k- 

 eth the cedars of Lebanon.&quot; &quot; Who can stand 

 before his indignation? The mountains qnake 

 before him, the hills melt, and rocks ate shivered 

 at his presence.&quot; 



Again, when we contemplate the immense 

 number and variety of animated beings which 

 glide through the waters, move along the earth, 

 and wing their flight through the air ; together 

 with the ample provision which is made for 

 their accommodation and subsistence, where 

 can we find language more appropiate to express 

 our feelings than in these words of the Psalmist ? 

 &quot; How manifold are thy works, O Lord ! In 

 wisdom hast thou made them all ; the earth is 

 full of thy riches ; so is the great and wide sea, 

 wherein are things creeping innumerable, 

 both small and great beasts. These all wait 

 upon thee, that thou mayest give them their meat 

 in due season. Thou Divest them, they ga 

 ther ; thou openest thine hand, they are filled 

 with good.&quot; When we survey the .structure oJ 



Referring to the XAogt 



