Vicksburg weekly herald., 1877-07-06


ACADEMY, THURSDAY EVENING, JUNE
2STH, 1877.
Footprints Of the Creator. Where
shall we find themp Shall we seek in
the hidden haunts and mystic homes OIL
spirit beings bright and fair? Need
we search In some seQuestered spot un.
trod by mortal foot? or shall we Wend
our way in pilgrim garb and mien, Ia
the favored Orient shores of Holy
Land, there to seek amid the somber
shades of hallowed Golgotha aud upon
the mountain height of 0livet for the
traces of footprints left by our God
man in the yielding rocks? 1t is true
they would here be found; but such a
search Is needless. His footprints are
around, about US; wheresoever we
turn they greet us. In the skies above,
the sands below-we find them every
where We need no microscopic power
TO find their traces, as when we search
into His miniature creation. Each
tree, each leaf, each smiling shrub and
flower, each tiny ripping stream, be-
speaks His holy presence. With what
meek but persuasive force do nature 5
many.voiced creatures spesk2 Some
portray His greatness and His power !;
others His all prevailing love. When
scaling the dizzy height Of some snow
capped Alpine peak, how we are start
led by the traces of His footprints,
which even here await us, and the mind
loses sight of all the sublime aspect
here laid out before it, in the mere
reflection on the presence Of its Crea-
tor! Leaving the grand aud lofty sum-
nit, let US descend into the lowest
depths OF the briny deep, and what do
we find? Still as ever, the footprints
of our God. Here, hidden from all
the world beside-here, below the
fathomless depths of the mighty ocean,
as on the mountain summit, we are
struck by the nearness OF sovereign
power--for here as elsewhere, we find
the same perfection in design, the
same plan in execution, the same
beauty combined with usefulness, which
marks the most sublime OF all His
worka. No spot Is too sequestered, no
part too insignificant TO deserve His
overlooking influence.
Can it be wondered that studying
nature as the Pagaus did, unsided by
revelation, and being unable to COM
prehend the one great All, who BY
His omnlpresence rules the whole, they
should make each separate spot aud
each new beauty the special abode OF
some one of the countless gods, with
whom they love to fill the universe.
Were they not truly religious peo-
pie? and apart from their gross immo-
ralities, more 10 be admired than the
migrate atheist, who in the presence Of
such countless proofs OF 3 Divine
Originator, sneeringly remarks, "it Is
chance" Yes, it is chance guided
and sustained by fAtherly Creators
hand. Truly the aucients knew
more Of the need Of an AIl-pro-
viding care, than do the wise sophists
of the present day. since we read in
the myth OF their great AppOlo, that
once vanquished by paternaI love, he
yielded to the enlreaties of Phateon,
aud gave into his care the sun chariot
for but one day but though the chariot
was the same, it lacked the sapient
hand TO guide the reins, and 10 before
one minimum OF the daily course was
run, the world was saved from dire
con1agration by the intervening power
OF Jupiter, who struck the young
charioteer into the river Pc. Aud yet,
the great sun chariot, was but one OF
the many charges, which our modern
atheists would have US leave to chance.
Ah no chance has no hand IN all the
grand planning and ruling of this great
universe, 1t Is the work of that intin.
ite mind, whose creations we love 10
trace in all around us. He has left His
footprints, His impress here, and
though man may scoa at His power
and withhold the homage which mani.
mate nature yields with boundless
force, His providence is ever The
same ale maketh the sun to slime OF
the just and the unjust, and -"Udett
the rain on the good and the bad But
ii man has time 10 doubt, God aas etc
wv! W plONCs
Since the Creator mas - v,vid,. i'm
pressed His footprints GU he mani
mate objects around u, what shall w
say of man, the masterpiece Of Hi
creation! In him we nnd, not the foot
prints only, but the very semblanCe o
Himself, His image. I this creature
the Creator has given the mind with IL
, faculties, by which gift, he stands para
. mount regent of all the broad domair
of his Almighty Fathers earthly king
dom swaying that minds triple mys
terry, which battles all the skill OF mate
, riahsts 10 solve. But this faculty, uu
ike The material objects which sur
round us, attains perfection, and arrive
, ht lis destined greatness, only by tn,
, strenuous efforts OF liberal education
{ This culture is the task imposed upoI
: us by our Maker; and difficult as i
msy seem in youth, it IL, a
all other good deeds well done, ampl,
r rewarded BY the power which it give
]. US of appreciating all the beauties lai,
/ out before US in this world, aud th
\ still moro endless beauties of our hom
f beyond the skies. This thought o
\ mind culture, brings me TO my ObjeC
I. in addressing you this evening. Ii