The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-04-23
NATURE AND TIE OLD TESLA.
MENT.

We are so used TO think Of the Bible
in the light of the New Testament that
we forget some of its most precious and
some of its most remarkable parts.
There is no other such literature as that
Of the Old Testament. Look through
the whole range of classic writing, and
through the whole range of modern
writing; although there are illusions to
the supremacy of God in nature, there
are no such detailed descriptions of,
and no such loving, lingering glances
upon natural scenery and phenomena,
as are to be found in the Old Testa-
ment. We are accustomed TO look at
the seasons from a purely commercial,
utilitarian point of view. AT the most
we only leaven this with some senti-
ment, with some poetic feeling. In the
main, most men learn TO regard things
in the light Of seliishness. When we
look out Of the window in the morning,
it is not to see what new phase Of power
God has manifested, il is not TO see what
is the peculiar drapery of the day Qor it
is not always the same); il is 20 see
whether our purpose, or business or
pleasure, Is likely to be checked or
favored by the weather. Everlasting
egotism is that which actuates. us. All
through the day we estimate the wealth
er according to its effect upon our con-
venience and comfort, whether we are
on journey, on an excursion of pleas
ure, or on an enterprise of profit. We
think Of the seasons and Of the phe-
nofnena around about us almost always
simply with reference 10 what they can
do for us, or what they can do to hinder
us. The natural philosopher, perhaps,
10 all this adds still further develop
ment, because he looks at things in the
light Of science. The vapors have q
meaning TO him. Heat, cold, and the
products Of heat and cold. mean some
thing TO him. He notices them, but TO
him they are so many ideas, so many
facts, so many links in the chain Of a
theory OF system. All is mundane, all
Is earthly, TO his thought.
The poet looks in still a third way at
nature. To him light is intrinsically
beautiful, IL has such adaptation TO
the eye. The seasons have some po-
etry 10 him. But never was there such
grouping together Of these in adequate
measure rs in the time Of the Hebrew
poets. The Psalmist contemplated ma
ture with great gratitude. The harvests,
the focks, the kne-Gll tokens Of pros
perity-are brought up in many psalms,
and distinctly pointed out as topics for
grateful thought. Summer and winter,
the time for sowing and the time fol
reaping, are set forth in an economic
point Of view. And the language il
poetic The Old Testament does moi
contain any minute dissecting, as Of ar
artist mind; or any scene-painting
seeming TO have been done for effect
or art pictures, as they are called; ol
descriptive writing; but It contains thai
which produces the poetic sentiment
only upon higher plane. The con
temptation Of natural things is not in
the line Of our lower tastes. The tone
Of mind Of the Hebrews was nobler and
higher than that Of most occidentals
They saw natural. objects In their rela.
tion TO God. When they looked at the
clouds, their first thought was not thai
they bad rain for us, nor that they fur.
nished facts for the natural philosopher
but that they were Gods chariot, and
that He rode on them and controlled
them. The mountains and hills were
Of God; summer and winter had some.
thing Of God; the trees clapped theil
hsnds in praise Of God. And though
.hey did not register these things a
dern science has registered them
~ saw them better than II, and REQ