XVI. 



THE MINISTRY OF NATURE. 



" To him who in the love of Nature holds 

 Communion with her visible forms, she speaks 

 A various language." 



BBYANT. 



; AS Nature any ministry higher than that 

 which seeks man's material welfare ? 

 Has she any revelations of her Author 

 to make, to us, or can she throw any 

 light, however feeble, upon our relationship to 

 God ? In the principles of the Divine government, 

 in the processes of God's providence, in the working 

 out of His vast purpose to make all sentient beings 

 happy, in our Heavenly Father's plan for the re- 

 demption of the human race, is there room, or is 

 there need, for Nature's teaching? Those who 

 interpret the phenomena and laws of the universe, 

 can they peaks to men on these vast themes with 

 words that are intelligible^enough to be understood 

 and wise enough to be accepted ? 



The human conscience needs all the light it can 

 get wherewith to make the path of duty clearer ; 



