HISTORY OF DERRYFIELD, 23 



recognized work carried on in the laboratories of nature, asking 

 only time and patience, how many inconceivable changes have 

 been already wrought. Time and patience — given these what 

 wonders have been achieved in the brief span of human effort ; 

 with these, nature will continue to supplement her tireless work 

 until the hills that remain shall follow those which have gone 

 before. Slowly but surely water is performing its allotted work 

 — the rivers are removing mountains. 



Let no false conclusions be drawn from the record, and no 

 theory of unmixed evil be too hastily reached. Nature knows 

 no wrath. Earth, rent and torn in its early struggle with titanic 

 forces, succeeded to a period of rest and preparation. The 

 ordeal through which she passed was not beyond the measure 

 of her endurance, the baptism of water and fire was a consecra- 

 tion to a nobler use. Nothing is sweeter than the memory of 

 hardship and privations passed ; our planet shivered in a wintry 

 night, with rattle of driving sleet, a season of frowning skies, 

 a burden of icy sheets and snow-piled plains ; but in the infinite 

 reaches of time, healed and pacified, there came a spring of 

 grace and glory, a summer of fruitful seed, a harvest of plv^nty. 

 So, from the womb of appalling danger, has been begotten the 

 last inheritance — life. 



In the menacing roar of the thunderous fall, in the rainbow 

 of its mist, and in the sea that swallows all, we seem to behold 

 a glorious trinity of Power, Law and Order ; we bow reverently 

 before the majesty of that Creative Will which walked in dark- 

 ness upon the face of the primeval deep, which brooded upon 

 the face of the waters. 



