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have occurred to send the tiger into the jungle ; and another, 
to prepare the jungle for the tiger. Another, to set one 
species of fish swimming in the waters ; and another, to pro- 
duce one insect for its food. There must have been a peculiar 
arrangement for starting the feathered race; and a multitude 
of subsidiary arrangements in the feathery division to get up 
each distinctive tribe ; and another multitude for the peculiar 
food of each. 
From the smallest conceivable existence to the largest we 
know, the inanimate is called upon for myriads of separate and 
distinct commixtures for their production. There may be 
minds that can comprehend an aggregation of atoms, and an 
application of forces, bringing about an existence ; then 
changing the formula, bringing about a second and totally 
different existence ; again changing, and bringing about a 
third ; and so on, till the peopling of the air, and of the earth, 
and of the waters, with animal and with vegetable in all their 
varied species, had been accomplished. I think the minds that 
can conceive it must have very wide margins for credulity. 
This system, — or rather this purely speculative fancy, for 
system it is not,— is put forward by some, as showing the might 
and grandeur of Jehovah in an aspect far superior to that of 
a direct Creator. Can this detail work, however interesting 
and however beautiful they may consider it, compete with the 
majesty and display of Omnipotence, embodied in the most 
sublime line in the English tongue, — * 
“ Let there be light, — and there was light ” ? 
The Christian world is told that it believes the introduction 
of life to have been “ done in a marvellous way, and not in 
the way of nature.” How was nature itself done ? Is there 
nothing marvellous in the creation of the physical ? Think of 
the first appearance of that host of magnificent worlds now 
peopling space — and who can say, let their creed be what it 
will, it is not marvellous exceedingly? But we can learn 
without much difficulty many of the general facts of the mate- 
rial. We can bring its grand and mighty forces into our service ; 
our messages are sent on the wings of electricity, and the wind 
is our servant. Hence, easier familiarity with the seen than the 
unseen. The real wonder seems to be, that through any 
pretence of science it can be said, the home and the food of 
life were created , while life itself was to ‘proceed from that which 
was tobe its dwelling-place and its support. 
One gigantic source of modern error on this subject appears 
to be the hasty deductions of geology, whereby we are shown 
VOL. IV. n 
