Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-10-30

There is moral influence in the calmness of
nature, which would be well for us if we would
initiate. Ever moving onward with irresistible
force, and filled with the mightiest energies, she
is always calm, and perfect harmony is in all
her motions. The Spring, with all her varied
beauty advances quietly-the maturing summer
puts forth the waving grain-the dark forests
bend gracefully to the wind-and the Autumn
evening sleeps as the still moonlight sheds luster
on meadow and hill. The dazzling orbs of light
roll silently onward through the blue fields of
ether, performing their annual round without a
minutes variation from the time marked out to
them by unerring Wisdom. No one with a
due appreciation of the works of nature, can
not but be impressed with the calmness which
peryades her stupendous revolutions. There
may be startling outbursts, such as the rushing
tornado-the crashing cumberland the vivid
lightnngs, which burst upon us with astound-
ing fury but we should remember they were
all silently forged in the summer skies.
In the beauty of nature there is also moral
influence. There is beauty everywhere, and
this world would be paradise if it were not
sorciy marred by the degenerate sons of Adam.
The hills, the wales, and the mountains are rob-
ed in beauty. Every tree and plant and flower
has some peculiar grace-a variety of hue and
form and fragrance. None but degenerate soul
can look upon the beautiful scenery around him.
and not be grateful that he is blessed with "eves
to see and ears to hear" Rut when he heholds
Ill i.
ming flash, and listens to the rolling thunders,
reverberating from hill to hill, and the variegat-
ed rainbow spanning the dark clouds his soul
not elevated and purified in exaltation to the
Divine Fountain for the sublime beauty which
surrounds him What is more magnifcently
beautiful than the thunder cloud, suspended in
the blue expanse? Yet how few there are that
give such gorgeous scenery passing notice.
The Divine Fountain in its infinite fullness has
overfowed creation, till it CLEANS and sparkles
on every side. The impenetrable Wilderness
the majestic ocean, the heights of illimitabe
space-all seem filled from the same inexhaust-
able source with Divine form and beauty. Be
fore forms existed, they were ideas in the Di-
vine mind. He willed them to exist. They
were thoughts before they sprang into existence
and when they so sprang the thing created re-
sembled that thought from which it originated
In the works of nature therefore we see visibly
what was Divine thought.
Wisdom and Love are attributes of the Gre
ator; and they shine upon us but dimly as the
sun when yelled by a cloud; and the materia
world is but veil to soften the ineffable eful
gence, which else would be too overpowering fol
mortal vision. Thus through creation we car
commune with the Creator, the Author of al
that is beautiful and glorious. In the floating
mist-the foaming torrent-in the cloud-cap
ped mountains,-and in all the myriad glorie
with which nature is crowned, the Infinite ha
manifested to us mortals the grand and tn
beautiful that we may rise through these to tn
good and the true.