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the Almighty Creator, “ Let there be light, and there was 
light ;” thus the vibrations of the luminiferous ether appear 
to be the first response or echo, as it were, to the word of the 
Almighty Creator.* 
50. The creation of light having been thus recorded, and the 
distinction established (lest we should fall down and worship the 
lightf ) between the Creator and the creature, we are more fully 
instructed in the relationship of the spiritual to the material. 
We are told of the Almighty “ dwelling in the inaccessible 
light,” as though there were a yet more .retired sanctuary, a 
holy of holies, into which we could not penetrate, and where 
light and life found their primal source and full accord, for 
“ with Thee is the fountain of life. In Thy light shall we see 
light.” 1 must not pursue this deeply interesting subject, 
but the writings of the beloved Apostle will tell, to all who 
desire it, the secret how the life and the light were together 
manifested, and how the heavenly city “ had no need of the sun, 
neither of the moon, to shine in it, for the glory of God did 
lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.” 
51. I cannot forbear to notice, however, as specially remark- 
able in reference to the action of the spiritual world upon the 
material, the description given of the appearance of the Lord 
Jesus to Saul. Suddenly there shone round about him a light 
from heaven, and “ through the glory of that light ” his sight 
was for the time extinguished, and when miraculously restored, 
“ there fell from his eyes as it had been scales.” The whole is 
narrated to us by Luke, “ the beloved physician,” who evi- 
dently entered with interest into the physical result of the 
heavenly interference. 
52. It is obvious that no metaphysical meaning is here in- 
tended, that no merely mental process is implied, and that we 
are led to conceive an effect upon the organs of vision similar but 
superior to the damaging result of the too near approach of a 
flash of lightning. 
53. The different accounts we have in Scripture of the appear- 
ance of angels — the messengers of the heavenly court — seem 
to imply that they have spiritual bodies, which may have strong 
analogy in their composition with that of the luminiferous 
ether. It is said in Scripture that “ He maketh His angels 
spirits, His ministers a flaming fire;” that is, as I suppose, 
capable of so assimilating to themselves the particles of ether as 
* The last portion of the sentence in Hebrew, exactly repeats the first, as 
creation must be supposed to repeat the idea of the Creator. 
f Or rather the Ughtbearers — the sun, moon,, and stars — mentioned after- 
wards as such. 
