"WE KNOW IN PAKT." 33 



by searching and experiment. Yet while it 

 catches a sure glimpse of this and other general 

 laws, it also beholds phenomena of which it may 

 take a dim cognizance, but as yet cannot com- 

 prehend. Do we ask why? The solemn voice 

 of revelation answers, " Now we know only 

 in part." The foreground mists of ignorance 

 disappear indeed before the light of science ; 

 eternity and space, in their unfathomed realities, 

 lie beyond. 



If, then, it has pleased Grod to rear this 

 beautiful creation upon so small a comparative 

 number of predominant elements; if it has 

 pleased Him to show his glorious attributes of 

 power and wisdom in the formation of such 

 multifarious products out of, in the main, but a 

 few materials ; what powers of developing new 

 and exquisite harmonies, fresh and yet more 

 lovely combinations of matter than earth has 

 ever beheld, does chemistry suggest to us, 

 should it be consistent with his will, in the form- 

 ation of a new heaven and earth, to call into 

 more extensive use the elements which in the 

 present plan take so comparatively an insig- 

 nificant part in the work of creation! If, as 

 we may be permitted to conjecture, out of such 

 limited resources such an astonishing variety 

 has been produced, what may not the beauty 

 of creation be, should all the resources we know 



D 



