Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-08-28
NO. 2o4.
Calls aud Sketehes.
THE IMPRESSION OF THE ALPS,

l confess the impression is very depre-
ssing. These terrible mountains crush
me with their awful weight. They make
me feel that am but an atom in the uni
verse, a moth whose ceasing to exist would
be no more than the blowing out of can
die. And am not surprised that men who
live among the mountains are sometimes
SO greatly overwhelmed with the great
ness of nature, that they are ready to aqui-
esce in their own annihilation, or absorp-
tion in the universal being.
Talking with Father Hyacinth. the other
evening, Gas we sat on the terrace of the
Hotel Beau Rivage at Geneva, overlooking
the lake, he spoke of the alarming spread
of unbelief in Europe, and a distinguished
professor of Zurich, Of whom he spoke
with great respect, as man of learning
and OF excellent character, who had frank
ly confessed to him that he did not believe
in the Immortality of the soul and when
Father II yacinthe had replied in amaze
ment, " Ii l believed thus wonld go and
throw myself into the lake of Znrich," )" the
professor answered with the utmost seri-
BUSINESS, THAT is not a just religious feel
ing ifyou believe in God as an infinite
creator you ought to be willing to cease 10
exist, feeling that God is the only being
who is worthy to live eternally,"
Marvellous as this may seem, yet some-
thing ofthis feeling comes to the thought
full and serious minds from the long and
steadfast contemplation Of nature. Oneis
so little in the presence Of the works of God.
that he feels that he is absolutely nothing;
and it seems of small moment whether we
exist hereafter or not and he could almost
be willing that his life should expire, like
lamp that has burned itself out; that he
should indeed cease to exist, with all
things that live; that God might be God
alone. If shut up in these mountains, as
in prison from which could not escape,
could easily sink into this gloom and de-
spondency. "A Il
Pascal has tried TO break the force Of
this overwhelming impression of the great
ness OF nature in one of his most striking
thoughts, when speaking OF the great
ness and the littleness OF man, he says:
"It is not necessary for the whole universe
to arm itself to destroy him a drop of wa
ter, a breath of air, is sufficient to kill him..
And yet even in death man is greater than
the universe, for he knows that he is dy-
ing, while the universe knows not any
thing This is finely expressed. but it does
not tighten the depth OF our despair. For
that, we mus. turn to One greater than
Pascal, who has said, mot sparrow fall
eth to the ground without your Father; be
of good cheer therefore, ye are OF more
value than many sparrows. Nature is
great but God is greater. sts
In riding through the Alps-especialy
through deep passes. where walls of rock
on either hand almost touch the sky-it
seems as il the whole world were q realm
of death. and this the universal tomb. But
even here see erected on almost every
hilltop cross Qor the Savoyards are
very religious people), and this sign Of
our salvation, standing on every high
place, amid the lightning and storm, and
amid the winter SHOWS, seems TO bea pro-
test against that law of death which
reigns on every side Great indeed Is the
realm of death, but still greater is the
realm of lile.-Rer. FL. N. Field in The
Evangelist. ,r-. 80 sses