274 THE UNIVERSE 



smiling human face, every generous impulse and 

 noble thought, every worthy deed, every fragrant 

 flower, waving field, and golden harvest testify to 

 a God who cares. 



But what of the "red claw" of the tiger. What 

 of the big fish that eat the little ones, or the de- 

 struction of life by flood and storm, or human 

 trials, sickness and death? Are these things con- 

 sistent with a God who cares ? They may be. The 

 tiger devours to appease his hunger, the big fish 

 eat the little ones for the same purpose, and both 

 obey the law of self-preservation and the survival 

 of the fittest. These two laws are necessary to pre- 

 serve the life of their kind, and perfect their species 

 for the benefit of mankind. It seems a sad spec- 

 tacle to see the strong destroying the weak, but 

 it is in the earlier stages of existence the only way 

 under the law of evolution to preserve and improve 

 the best of each species, and is a kindness and a 

 blessing in the end. 



As to the destruction of life by flood and storms, 

 these are nature's efforts to preserve the equili- 

 brium of her mighty forces, and where a few are 

 injured, millions are benefited and blessed. And 

 as to man's sickness and tribulations, they are one- 

 half imaginary, and a half of the other half are the 

 result of their own folly in the violation of the laws 

 of health, and the remaining one fourth are dis- 

 ciplinary for the purpose of developing character, 

 which is an ample reward and compensation. 



As to death, it is as painless as going to sleep; 

 it is the dread of death that hurts. And if it is 

 the transition process, as millions believe, by which 

 souls drop their brief tenement of atoms, and soar 



