196 THE CHRISTIAN NATURALIST. 



ness of the flakes, and how curiously disposed in 

 chrystals of various forms ! And then, how marvel- 

 lous the process by which water in its descent from the 

 clouds is thus suddenly changed into a substance as 

 entirely unlike rain, as rain is unlike air. This is one 

 of the wonderful transformations of nature upon which 

 many, perhaps, gaze heedlessly, because they have so 

 often seen it before. Did they reflect a little, they 

 would see that there is nothing in nature more remark- 

 able, or more worthy of admiration, than this rapid 

 conversion of water into snow or ice. Those, indeed, 

 who from always living in the hot climates of the 

 world, have never witnessed such a spectacle, can 

 hardly be brought to believe in the possibility of it, even 

 upon the strongest testimony. And we who have seen 

 it so frequently, are almost as much in ignorance of 

 the precise laws by which this change takes place, (and 

 this too in the age of Chemistry, ) as before that sur- 

 prising science was discovered. Surely, then, this ig- 

 norance should teach us no smaU degree of humility 

 and modesty in speaking of the things pertaining to 

 the kingdom of God ; for if we are at a loss to under- 

 stand the secrets of a drop of frozen water, how can 

 we presume to fathom the depths of God's Almighty 



