160 THE CHRISTIAN NATURALIST. 



the faithful together by the holiest and most powerful 

 ties. It is only by communion with this Church that 

 the streams of public piety are kept continually flow- 

 ing, and the blessifags of religion are brought home to 

 every door; True religion also, be it remembered, 

 bears this further resemblance to the Sea, that though 

 it is always flowing, and always full, it has its pe- 

 riodical tides, some of which rise higher than others. 

 Twice every day at least, it pays its tribute of prayer 

 and praise at the footstool of its Creator and Re- 

 deemer; and on the Lord's day, and at Sacramental 

 seasons especially, it enters his Courts with the spring- 

 tide offering of devotion ; there paying its vows to the 

 Most High, and offering the sacrifices of righteousness 

 in all the beauty of holiness, with the same fulness of 

 energy, with the same extraordinary flow of holy emo- 

 tion that the Sea approaches the shores, and flows up 

 to its highest point, when the moon and the sun exert 

 their united influence upon its tides. 



The Sea, in whatever light we view it, whether we 

 watch the grandeur of its movements, analyze its con- 

 tents, or survey its magnitude, will yield much matter 

 for pleasing and serious contemplation. How astonish- 

 ing is it that this stupendous mass should be thus ever 

 kept in motion, and so strongly impregnated with salt. 



