Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-03-28
O. 0 m N unita MS.
FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
Wisdom, Design, and Adaptation seen
in Nature.


ESSAY NO. 1-DEDICATED TO MISS JOS. AxLEY.
There is God. Christians usually be-
lieve that it is impossible for any person to
believe otherwise. Most wicked men doubt !
il there are any sincere Atheists, Every
thing in the vast field of creation seems to
have been created for some definite purpose,
and to complete that Eternal chain which
links together the past, the present, and
the future, that unites the subtle gases
the infinite globes rolling through infinite
space-the vegetables ON their surfaces
the animals which dwell on these-man who
again preys upon them-the sentient prin-
ciple which connects the body with the soul,
and the soul which blends with the Creator
and Designer of all we can see, fee,, know,
and of which we can conceive, prove thee
istence of God, and exhibits his wisdom and
design.
If we see a quantity of brick hurled i'm,
petuously into the street, we call their po,
sition the result of accident or casualty. We
mean that mind was not brought into requi-
sition or action in directing their locations.
Butifwe seethem arranged in shapely wall,
forming magnificent mansion, we at once as
sert that their position is the result Of thought,
and not of accident-mind was brought in
to requisition.
Upon this principle shall point out some
Of the more important links in the chain o
Nature.
If we walk out on clear evening and
cast our eyes upward, we see numerous ra-
dating points harry out as so many orna
ments to the cerulean, encircling canopies
of Heaven. If we put our eyes to goot
telescope, and apply the rules of Mathemat
les, new world, or worlds, burst upon US
The being we call God assumes another char
acter, and we feel ready to cry out with the
Psalmist, How excellent is thy name in al
the earth thou hast set thy glory above tn
heavens. | will consider the heavens tn
work Of thy fingers; the moon and star
which thou hast ordained The unassis
ted eye can form no just conception of tn
number, distance, size, grandeur and sui
Unity of the worlds that exist in in6nit
space. Viewed through the telescope. tn
heavens are grand spectacle. Stars whic
but feebly twinkle, become immense globe
with atmosphere, land and water, mouutair
, and valhes, summer and winter. days an
) nights, and enlightened by suns and moon
Each star you can see is sun. Beyon
| these are other suns, giving light and life
: other systems, not a thousand, or two tho,
: sand merely, but multiplied millions witho
end, ranged all around US, at immense d
: tances from each other, attended By te
thousand worlds. all in rapid motion; y
, calm, regular, aud harmonious all spa
e illuminated, and every particle Of light
1 world.
e To give some idea of the number of worl
y that exist, we will state that DR.. Hersc}
o saw and counted 588 stars in single sp
d While he kept his telescope firmly fxe
g there passed over his field Of vision, in I
e space of one quarter of an hour, 116, 0
le starr, and at another time, in forty minut
v no less than 2,58O,000 When examini
le a section in the GALAXY or Via Lactea,
er parently not larger than yard in bread
Or and six in length, Che discovered 500
at stars, and he suspected that there were tw
is as many more, which, for want of light
h bis telescope, he saw only now and then.
,h Mrs. Carter says,
us Throughout the Galaxy's extended line,
ed Unnumberd orbs in gay confusion shine;
ce Where every star that gilds the gloom of nj
l., With the faint tremblings of distant light,
-. Perhaps illumes some system of its own,
81 With the strong influence of radiant SUM-"