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THE NATURAL SCIENCES: THEIR NEWNESS AND VALUE. 485 
This human body is strangely and wonderfully constructed. A grain of one 
substance may nourish, of another cause instant death; one plant may furnish 
delicious food, another deadly poison. We should all certainly know the value 
of one organ of the body above another. We should all know how murderously 
ruinous it is to constrict the organs upon which the very life depends. We 
should all know enough of human physiology to understand that the cramping 
of the Chinese foot is less suicidal and barbarous than the constriction of the 
American chest. We should all understand Nature well enough to know that 
violation of her laws will surely be punished—that she permits no sinning on her 
estates. Were all properly versed in Nature and her laws, ‘‘ perpetual motion ”’ 
and kindred topics would drop into utter oblivion. But we must pass on. From 
a social standpoint, the study of Natural Science is valuable. Nature presents 
herself in multitudinous aspects, and no two eyes ever see just the same aspect. 
Hence the experience of each mortal observer is different, in a greater or less 
degree, from that of all others of his human kind. Hence if all should be tutored 
in the great fundamentals of Nature, then when the social company was assem- 
bled, subject for conversation need never fail. There would need be no silent 
sitters because the topic in hand was one never studied—was one of which they 
had no experience. Of a natural tendency to use Nature as a subject of conver. 
sation, note how people universally say ‘‘good morning,” ‘‘rainy day,” ‘‘disa- 
greeable night,” etc., when greeting each other. 
Again the study of Natural Science has its value to the teacher. All through 
the country, in every district school, what a glorious chance for the teacher to 
lead the children away from the dry tasks of text-books and regale them at the 
feast of Nature forever and unstintedly spread out around the door! In Summer 
and Autumn, in Winter and Spring, an endless profusion of objects and changes 
invite to their study—a study that is a pleasure and not a task. 
Lastly, and rising in value far above all things we have mentioned, the study 
of Nature expands our souls as well as our intellects. Studying Nature, how 
easy it becomes to look for and adore Nature’s God—the Creator of all! What 
study of letters, or grammar, or figures, or problems, ever appeals to anything 
but the intellect? But the study of Nature presents such evidences of beautiful 
design and such unapproachable wisdom that the intellect bows down before it 
and sends its high priest—the Spirit—into the Holy of Holies to worship at the 
shrine of the Omnipotent One. After that we live nobler lives and pay deeper 
devotions to ‘‘ Our Father who art in Heaven.” 
I sum up as follows :— 
Science is classified knowledge, and may be divided into 
Imitative Science ; 
2. Experimental Science ; 
Inductive Science. 
Natural Science is mez 
1. Because classified knowledge of Nature is of recent origin ; 
IV—32 
