We are grateful for the confirmation afforded to nature's testimony by direct revelation, made through the agency of men who were empowered to work miracles, to foretell distant events, to speak' with a wisdom and purity affording internal evidence of the truthfulness of their message, and in other ways to show plainly that they were the expounders of the Divine mind and will. We are grateful, also, that these teachers, so commissioned from heaven, do more than merely sanction those lessons which may be proved from the external world. Nature speaks of God, but discloses not all that we wish to know concerning Him who made us, and on whom we depend. We gather, from the vastness of His works, that the power of God must be unlimited; from the harmony of His works, that His wisdom must be unlimited; from the sustentation of His works, that the presence of God is unlimited. But we are unable to decide, with any degree of certainty, with what views He regards our own race. An observer may fix his attention on what is pleasing in our condition, until he is ready to believe that he can hear in nature the declaration, "God is love." Another observer is compelled to bend his mind chiefly to the contemplation of what is distressing in our lot, until he is sure that "the whole creation groaneth," and is ready to think that nature speaks of her Creator as a Being of awful wrath. Hence "the world by wisdom knew not God." The wisest of men have felt themselves in an obscurity which they could not penetrate. Enigmas were continually presented,

which they could not solve, but which were of sufficiently awful interest to agitate and distress their inmost souls. The painful mysteries of earth led heathen poets to fable concerning war among the gods, or a throne in hell equal to that in heaven; or in other ways to attempt a solution of what still remained inexplicable. Now, we are thankful that the Gospel furnishes the clue by which even an infant's mind may be rescued from these labyrinths. Yet would we not undervalue the testimony which nature bears for her Maker. That testimony is to be found everywhere. Every creature that God has made furnishes some evidence of His existence, unity, and majesty. Throughout this vast temple there is no cloister, however diminutive and retired, in which there is not heard the voice of ministering priest pronouncing the sacred Name. To learn all concerning the Supreme, we must pass into the holiest of all; but in the outer courts there are witnesses to tell of His power and wisdom. "The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead." We linger for a few moments in one of those innumerable cloisters, and listen to the testimony there borne.

1. Mark the adaptation of the instrument for the desired end. Is there evidence of design in the raised printing provided for the blind? Thousands have been taught to read in this manner. Thousands now

find instruction and pleasure, while with their fingers spelling out the books which have been prepared for

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their special benefit; and we have reason to hope that many, reading the Book of God, have been made wise unto salvation. But what we ask is, Are there not marks of design in such a book? Do not these evidences of kindly purpose irresistibly carry us back to some individual, or individuals, who made this peculiar kind of book? To say that paper must assume some shape, and this shape being of service to the blind was preserved, is felt to be no sufficient reply to the question, How came this book, printed in raised letters, to exist? Of course, somebody made it, and somebody possessed intelligence to adapt the book to the case of the blind.-Let us now repair to some large market-place during the ordinary transaction of business. Here are several hundreds of persons gathered together. In the course of a few hours, thousands of inquiries must be made and answered, or the affairs of the day will be neglected. Suppose the power of speech taken away: how is the business to be accomplished? The embarrassment of that one day would be felt at all times, and in all places. If by some extraordinary intervention the race had been raised to a state corresponding to our present European civilization, must it not necessarily degenerate into barbarism? In such circumstances the brain-power of Homer, Socrates, Aristotle, and Archimedes,-of Milton, Locke, Newton, and Stephenson, would never have been developed. If our race is to flourish, there must be a ready communication of ideas among us. Is the gift of speech no evidence of an intelligent Creator?

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2. Observe the countless number of ideas which may conveyed by this one instrument.-Let us suppose a number of South-Sea Islanders gathered around the crew of an English ship which has recently arrived in their bay. The natives have had a little intercourse with white men, yet not enough to make them familiar with articles of European manufacture. The object which just now attracts their attention is a musical box, placed before them as an object of barter. They look upon it with wonder. Tune after tune is played. These are, of course, entirely unlike anything which the islanders have been accustomed to hear. They are, however, pleased with the music, though it seems somewhat feeble and dull. To allay any superstitious fears, which might cause the affair to be regarded as an undesirable acquisition, the mechanism is partially explained to them, though without any reference to the maker. Soon afterwards the bartering is at an end, and the ship sails away. The question is asked by some native child, how the box came to be? Would not the reply be, that somebody made it? Though the natives know not the maker, and never heard his name, they would feel quite sure that there had been a maker. The power of producing half a dozen tunes, or half a score, proves that a designer, though unseen and unknown, has here employed his skill. What shall we say concerning that marvellous instrument which has been committed to our care? The barbarian islanders would be in danger of becoming tired of their purchase. When the limited variety of tunes had been played a thousand times,

the listeners would wish for new ones, but wish in vain. The human tongue has far more extensive powers. The ploughmen who now cultivate our fields have more numerous and enlarged ideas than those possessed by our brave but rude ancestors who, nearly two thousand years ago, fiercely disputed the landing of Cæsar and his Roman legions. Hence their vocabulary is not only different, but more extensive. Yet the tongue can utter each sound. An eloquent speaker, addressing an educated audience, employs far more variety of terms than the husbandmen of Devonshire or of Lincolnshire; and his tongue refuses not to utter any one of them. Our dictionaries provide us with thousands of words not employed, on ordinary occasions, by any judicious speaker; but if, by any chance, one of these should be required by the subject under investigation, or if any youthful orator deems that these lengthy and high-sounding words may serve to conceal a scarcity of thought, the tongue will not refuse to pronounce the ponderous syllables. Again: We, the men of the nineteenth century, have not exhausted the stores of knowledge. Ideas we have never conceived, and never shall conceive in this world, will have to be expressed in human language. Orators of succeeding ages will employ a more copious diction. Multiplied thoughts will demand multiplied words. The tongue will pronounce all that are necessary. The requirements made are fully met by this choice instrument. Can the musical box, with its few tunes, bear witness for its maker, though unseen, absent, and unknown; and shall