THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 25 



the best in a glass darkly, and most things we cannot see and 

 little that we do see can we truly interpret. Eclipses may be 

 calculated, orbits of double stars may be measured and intellec- 

 tual conquests of a very high order can be achieved, but when 

 we consider the vast problems of physics and astronomy the 

 masters of science are at the best but — 



" Children crying in the night, 

 Children crying for the light, 

 And with no language but a cry. ' 



And if we students of astronomy are not lifted from nature up 

 to nature's God, unless the book and volume of the firmament 

 does not reveal to us much more than mere stellar points, then, 

 indeed, we fail in our pursuit. A Swiss scientist, whose name 

 I do not presently remember, heard a sermon in a French Ca- 

 thedral from a Bishop who inveighed fiercely against science 

 and scientific men. The poor man was troubled with the nebu- 

 lar hypothesis or w^ith the six literal Genesis days or something 

 of that kind, and with a repetition of that condemnating vigor 

 that launched Galileo into prison he thundered away. At the 

 close of the service the Swiss astronomer went to him and said : 

 " Monseigneur as tu jamais vu Dieu ? " " No," said the startled 

 churchman, " I never did." " Then, Monseigneur, I have," 

 was the reply. " I have seen Him in the great cathedral of the 

 universe ; I have felt Him in the movements of creation ; I 

 have witnessed His workings from nebula to star and from star 

 to planet ; I have read these scriptures of the sky which you 

 have not ; I have touched His robe and have known Him as a 

 visible being." Our intellects were given us to use them to cope 

 with lofty difficulties and to surmount them ; let us as humble 

 students use w^hat mind and gift and opportunity we have. 



" God did annoint thee with his odorous oil 

 To wrestle, not to reign." 



It is the oil of the palaestra we have and not the chrism of a 

 king. Let us wrestle here valiantly, earnestly, honestly and 

 prayerfully, no matter whether successfully or not, and we shall 

 reign there. It is strange, and to a humble Christian a sorrowful 



