OATS. 33 



How wonderfully and how wisely is every thing in 

 nature formed ! Observe, for instance, the process 

 of evaporation. Were evaporation stopped, the hea- 

 vens would soon exhibit no clouds to our view ; no 

 rainbow would span the great arch above, and the 

 earth would retain all its water. Hence no rain, no 

 dews, no frosts would fall to nourish and cherish the 

 products of the earth. The washerwoman might 

 hang out her clothes, but they would never dry ; and 

 even the sweat which pours forth on the body of man, 

 would always remain to render him wet and misera- 

 ble. How wisely formed then are the works of that 

 sublime Being, who spoke the universe into existence ! 

 How wisely he has framed every thing for the enjoy- 

 ment of man ! But man, ungrateful man, pays no re- 

 gard to His gifts, but destroys them as he has the land, 

 which the Deity intended never should wear out. 



Now that the land should never be left naked eith- 

 er in Winter or Summer, may be proven by taking 

 one acre of land and planting it in corn, while you 

 suffer another acre to lie idle and uncultivated in any 

 grain; yet you are to work the land as though some- 

 thing were raised on it. The acre which is culti- 

 vated according to my plan, will every day grow 

 richer and richer; whilst the other acre, which is 

 worked every day without any product, will every 

 day become poorer and poorer. Is not this a proof 

 of the position assumed ? Is not this a proof that the 

 land is not exhausted by what is grown upon it? 



