A J H A' t 



PKEFAClL A" / ^ ' *-2sJ r \ 



less lofty word. The grain of dus.t is a th<4u^Ut o^ 

 God ; God's power made it ; Go'dV wisdom . gave it 

 whatsoever properties or qualities it may 'possess ; 

 God's providence has put it in the place where it is 

 now, and has ordained that it should be in that place 

 at that moment, by a train of causes and effects which 

 reaches back to the very creation of the universe. The 

 grain of dust can no more go from God's presence, or 

 flee from God's Spirit, than you or I can. If it go up to 

 the physical heaven, and float (as it actually often does) 

 far above the clouds, in those higher strata of the atmo- 

 sphere which the aeronaut has never visited, whither 

 the Alpine snow-peaks do not rise, even there it will 

 be obeying physical laws which we term hastily laws of 

 Nature, but which are really the laws of God : and if it 

 go down into the physical abyss ; if it be buried fathoms, 

 miles., below the surface, and become an atom of some 

 rock still in the process of consolidation, has it escaped 

 from God, even in the bowels 'of the earth ? Is it not 

 there still obeying physical laws, of pressure, heat, 

 crystallisation, and so forth, which are laws of God 

 the will and mind of God concerning particles of matter ? 

 Only look at all created things in this light look at 

 them as what they are, the expressions of God's mind 

 and will concerning this universe in which we live 

 "the Word of God," as Bacon says, "revealed in facts" 

 and then you will not fear physical science ; for you 

 will be sure that, the more you know of physical science, 

 the more you will know of the works and of the will of 

 God. At least, you will be in harmony with the 

 teaching of the Psalmist : te The heavens," says he, 

 " declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth 

 His handiwork. There is neither speech nor language 



