84 THE OLIVE LEAF. CHAP. 



not unlike that which science has disclosed in nature 

 are we not justified in attributing the same origin to 

 the Word as to the works ? He who showed to Moses 

 on the Mount the pattern of the tabernacle, according 

 to which every object was constructed with the most 

 precise numerical proportions and relations, is the same 

 who showed to Kepler the numerical laws of the 

 planetary movements which have formed historically 

 the foundation of modern astronomy. And the dimen- 

 sions of the altars of burnt-offering and incense, and 

 the ark and the mercy-seat, were arranged upon the 

 same numerical principles which regulate the disposi- 

 tion of the leaves of a plant around their stem, and 

 the teeth of a moss round the mouth of its seed-vessel. 

 It was as imperative that the altars should be four 

 square, so representing the completeness and fulness 

 of the work effected thereon, whether of sacrifice or 

 incense the same perfect measure and estimate being 

 thus presented every way, whether towards God or 

 towards man as that the teeth of a tiny moss gleaming 

 under the sunbeam on its woodland bank should be 

 in fours and multiples of fours, so indicating the uni- 

 formity and perfection of the plan upon which the 

 whole great class of plants to which it belongs is 

 modelled. The law which arranges the series of leaves 

 round a stem, so that any two numbers added together 

 shall form the succeeding one, is of the same character 

 as the law which ordained the brazen altar to be of 

 such dimensions as to be capable of including all the 

 other vessels of the sanctuary within it, and to be 



