The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-01-19

upon this earth that gives to Christianity
Its superiority over all the PHILOSOPHERS
and religions of the world The God of
our modern scientists is something infin-
itely removed from us; not only without
human affections, but devoid of emotional
qualities altogether.
We can see now that there was an emf
nent propriety in the assumption of hu-
man nature by the Divinity. 1t was
there alone, 60 far as we can Judge that
Humanity and the Godhead could meet
We are told by astronomers that the
immensely of space is inconceivable.
President Reynolds, of Zion College, is
reported to have spoken as follows:
The vast system, of which the earth is a
member Is Fastening on, with meteors, comets
satellites, asteroids, sun, from the southern rich
region of stars-the neighborhod of CAMS Major
Columbo, and Lepus-to the northern rich re-
gion, where the chiefest SPLENDID is gathered in
Cygnus. We are speeding along relatively
barren path, from rich past to a glorious flu
ture, at rate of 154, 1856 900 miles the year; we
are circling centre in the direction of Alcyone
star of the Pleiades, of which Job (xxxvii 81
said long ago, "Canst thou bind the sweet influ,
ence OF Plelades 2" Round some central sun, or
central void without any preponderate mass, or
ID great vortex-rng we move as parts in
scheme of movement too wondrous and COM
pllcated to- be as yet interpreted by astronomers
and we complete the course in about Is 200 600
years. AS the earth and other planets are
carried on their orbits continually advance
the earth, as bthed from the sun, is but dust
mote In his beams; and the actual path, We r
g nnCh frac 4 h.
sun, a among other suns, and the planetary
orbits. as seen from the fixed stars those orbits
are little more than point and the sun
is invisible. What unknown possibilities lie
IN that measureless extension of space where
worlds are sprinkled as dust of gold. for the
display OF intellectual and moral life Our sun
and his fellow suns are connected with groups of
MINOR suns, with clusters of star dust with
masses of star mist with whorls and convolu
lions of nebulous matter, sometimes combined
In vast spherical gatherings of worlds. There
are orbs lying In such close order that we think
great brlliancy is in those heavens but after
strlcter examination, they are found wide apart
as the inconceivable between our sun and his
nearest fellow. Farther off STILL are stars whose
ray take thousands, perhaps millions, of years
to reach the earth. The arrangement is of
striking order and the possibility of it having
sprung up by chance is ridiculously small
that Quetelet calculates it as nothing.
Now, without Jesus Christ, how could
we deal with the Being that is behind all
this? But now we have the record of
that beautiful life delineated in the four
Evangelists, and we see the love which
existed between him and his disciples,
and see him nailed to the bitter cross for
the sins of the world We witness that
mysterious union between God and Man,
and learn that the Son of God takes the
most especial interest in the descendants
of Adam. That he took their little chill
dren in his arms and blessed them. That
no cried unto all who are burdened and
sick at heart, "Come unto me, and I will
give you Rest.
This is the God of the Christians not
an abstraction, but Personality with
sensibilities and affections And what is
the essence of this powerful God2 What
is the essential trait and principle in his
nature that seems to underlie and form
the basis for all the others? We think
this question is answered in the declara-
ton. that "GoD is LOVE" Love is the
basis of the Divine Essence. There is no
declaration in the Bible more precious
than that. The universe is full of mys-
terry; and the world is full of sorrow.
Behind us in the past we see the rocks of
the earth marked with the skeletons of
extinct forms of being. Around us We
have the awful havoc of sin; before us
we have the judgment to come, and the
fearful doom of the wicked.
But over all, and higher than all, we
catch the strains of that celestial music
breathing into our anxious, listening ears,
that COB is LOVE. That is the Rock on
which we must nlant nnr feet