The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-06-03
From the Golden Rule.
The Teachings Of Nature.

Who has not felt the enlvening and soul
elevating influence of natArai scenery The
heart must be callous iHueel that feels not
the moving power Of Natnre's music, s'.d he
person can have little claim to refinement Of
taste who sees not The perfection OF beauty IN
the works of the great Architect. Nature
has, indeed, a speaking voice, and whether we
gaze upon the wild, foamng cataract, or listen
to the gentle, murmuring brook, as 1T JOINS
the full chorus Of feathered songsters wheth-
er we roam in the wild, uncultivated Forest or
survey the portions transformed by the hand
of cultivation, and studded with the habita-
lions of men; if our minds are not as dull
and grovelling as the beasts that perish, we
are insensibly led to feel the presence Of that
Being whose breath fans the heaving lungs of
every living creature, and whose power Wis
dom, and GOODNESS have fixed the laws that
govern the world of matter and of mind A
mere culsory view Of natures works is calcu-
lated to fill the mind with feelings of wonder,
admiration, and gratitude, which language is
too poor to express; bat he who studies most
infinitely and scientifically the various phc-
nomena presented in the animal, the mineral,
and the vegetable kingdoms must find at ev-
cry step, new cause for these emotlons.-
What more striking proofs, aside from those
presented in the inspired volume, could the
Deity have given rs Of his WISDOM power,
and love, than are exhibited in the map Of
creation spread out before us? Through its
almost infinite variety Of objects, animate and
inanimate, there may be traced-as far as hui
man intelligence can trace the Creators work
"a perfect harmony; no discord has ever
reigned, in heaven or earth, aside from what
sin has caused. OF the Creator it is said in
1. ,,,,,,lys Y,orfnni'' --nnrfnnt M
only in themselves, but perfect in their ten,
dency to elevate man to the station for which
he was designed-to companionship with an
gelic spirits and with God himself. We may
pass through the city's crowded mart, we may
gaze at the stately edfce,we may take an en-
tire survey of the works of art, and though
we may be struck with admiration at the skill
and perseverance displayed, yet, there are
bounds to our admration-we can conceive
that human ingenuity is equal to the task of
80 combining and arranging the materials fur
nished beforehand by creative power and
wisdom, as to produce specimens of eXquis-
lite workmanship; but when we pass beyond
the sphere of human achievements, when we
enter the precincts Of creative power, while
we are delighted with an array of all that is
beautiful, we are lost in wonder and astonish.
ment at what is vast and ncomprchensible.-
Here, the loftiest intellect, after taking its
widest range, must acknowledge that it can
not comprehend the existence of even the
smallest insect, or the growth Of the humblest
plant
The works of nature should never be lost
sight of in the training Of our children
Those parents and teachers who lead the
young minds under their care to be familiar
with them, and to look through nature up
to natures God" are doing much to enlarge
their conceptions, purify their imaginations,
and elevate them above the Temptations of
vice Did time and space permit we might