THE CHRISTIAN NATURALIST. 25 



possessed of. After all that might be said or written 

 on this subject, St. Paul's conclusion is the best and 

 wisest, ** God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, 

 and to every seed his own body." Interesting as 

 it might be, to understand something further of this 

 mystery of the natural world, it is of more importance 

 to remark the beneficial consequences of this operation, 

 and to be thankful to that providential wisdom which 

 so orders it, that when a man has cast his seed into the 

 ground, " it springeth up and groweth night and day, 

 he knoweth not how.** 



Another fact, which ought equally to engage our 

 feelings of devotional wonder at the present season, is 

 the adaptation of the climate and the soil to the seed 

 which is now deposited in the bosom of its mother 

 earth. In the temperate Zone many circumstances 

 concur together for this purpose ; as for instance, the 

 increase of temperature, the drying winds which 

 usually prevail in the month of March, and which are 

 so necessary after the relaxing effects of rain and frost, 

 as well as that moderate degree of heat and moisture 

 which are so essential to germination. Either of these 

 circumstances, being deficient in any considerable 



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