Object of tJic Lowell Lectures. s*^ 



tural Religion, but that it either embraces the Bible 

 as a part of its complete development, or at least 

 that it so harmonizes with the Bible as to show their 

 unity of origin, that led the generous founder of this 

 Institute to direct lectures to be given on this subject. 

 His design is best expressed in his own words, which 

 we here give as our guide in limiting the range of 

 this discussion : " As the most certain and most im- 

 portant part of philosophy appears to me to be that 

 isliich shoiss the connection between God's revelations 

 and the knowledge of good and evil implanted by 

 Him in onr nature, I wish a course of lectures to be 

 dclircrcd on Xatural AY//-/7 its conform- 



tJiat of our Saviour." We have here the re- 

 cognition of the great truth .that there is but one 

 religion, and that nature and the Bible are parts of 

 the same divine revelation. If this is so, if the 

 founder of this lectureship was not mistaken in 

 what seemed to him the most certain as well as the 

 most important part of philosophy, then nature and 

 the Bible must be studied together; and those who 

 would separate them, are like those who would 

 study astronomy and ignore the sun ; or, charmed 

 with the glorious effulgence of the day, scorn to 

 study the brilliant hosts that bestud the canopy of 

 night. 



We find ourselves in this world like children in a 

 palace built and furnished by a royal father whom 

 they have never seen. They admire its grandeur 

 and beauty, and wonder at its marvellous adaptations 

 to their wants. As they increase in age and their 



