THB CHRISTIAN NATURALIST. 7 



only resemble the great vicissitudes of nature, which 

 are so regulated by their Divine Author as to become 

 pregnant with blessings at each revolution ! 



In this feeling of decay and vicissitude, there is 

 assuredly much to soothe as well as solemnize the 

 Christian mind. The character of the opening 

 month of the year, considered as a link between 

 WiQter and Spring, is one which supplies a striking 

 analogy with religious experience. The observer of 

 nature is unable to mark any peculiar difference 

 between this and the foregoing month. As yet no 

 advances seem to be made towards a better season. 

 The woods still wear the same hoary aspect of 

 desolation. The sky still lowers with the same dark 

 and oppressive load of vapours ; and except that here 

 and there may be seen a snow-drop rearing its lovely 

 and pensive head amidst the frozen clods, we might 

 imagine that a death-like palsy had seized upon all 

 the vegetable world. But although there is thus an 

 apparent stagnation, the machine is not stopped in its 

 course. Silently, but surely, and majestically, it is still 

 moving forwards according to the plan appointed by 

 its Creator. No sooner has the sun passed the Tropic 

 of Capricorn than he begins to approach us a little 



