HALF AN HOUR WITH THE WAVES. 3 



along sea-bottoms, just as sediments are forming at 

 the present time. Living creatures then enjoyed the 

 pleasure of their lowly existence. The great ocean 

 was composed of water, as it is now was agitated 

 by tides, hurricanes, and storms. Its ripples broke 

 against nameless and forgotten shores, as they are 

 now spending themselves at our very feet. The 

 whole animal and vegetable worlds have since then 

 been progressing, until they have ascended from 

 the animalcule to the man from the diatom to the 

 oak. But the sea has never changed its character. 

 Like its Maker, it is " the same yesterday, to-day, 

 and for ever." It has been the great menstruum of 

 Life ; and along its floors have been laid the foun- 

 dations of continents, and the solid materials of 

 mountain chains. 



Whatever we may think of the doctrine of evolu- 

 tion, few will deny the broad evidences of design 

 which appear in the combination of two gases to 

 such a degree as to make up a volume of water like 

 that which fills the oceans and seas, the lakes and 

 rivers of the globe. What a space must have been 

 taken up by this hydrogen and oxygen before they 

 were combined and condensed into water ! One can 

 hardly wonder at the diffused and attenuated con- 

 dition of that "world-stuff" which forms the 

 nebulae, and of which our own planet possibly con- 

 sisted before God 



" Fashioned it and hardened it 

 Into the great, bright, useful thing it is." 



