120 THE HEAVENS 



togetherness. It burns in each star and shines 

 forth from it, and yet holds the whole together as 

 we see it every night in that circling vault around 

 us. The Activity does not appear to us to 

 emanate from some Invisible Being dwelling 

 wholly apart and isolated from the stars and this 

 Earth, and sending forth invisible spiritual rays, 

 as the Sun stands apart from the Earth but sends 

 out rays of sunlight to it. It seems rather to dwell 

 in the very heart and centre of each st^r, and the 

 stars seem spiritual rather than material beings. So 

 this Power, as we experience it in the desert, does 

 not impress us as being awful and reniote, gloomy 

 and inexorable, enforcing unbending law and exact- 

 ing terrible penalties. Our impression of it is that, 

 though it preserves order with unfailing regularity, 

 it is yet near and kindly, radiating with light and 

 warmth. We not only feel it to be something 

 steadfast, something on which we can rely and in 

 which we may have confidence ; we also feel warmed 

 and kindled by it. 



So what we get from a nightly contemplation of 

 the stars is a sense of happy companionship with 

 Nature. The Heart of Nature as here revealed is 

 both dependable and kindly. Nature is our friend. 

 And in her certain friendship the balm of peace falls 

 softly on us. Our hearts blend tenderly with the 

 Heart of Nature ; and in their union we see Beauty 

 of the gentlest and most reassuring kind. 



