Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-05-09
NATURE AND THE BIBLE.

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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 Tesla
ment. We are accustomed to look at
the seasons from a purely commercial,
unitarian 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 seltishness. When we
look out of the window in the morning,
it is not to see what new phase of power
God has manifested, it is not to see what
is the peculiar drapery of the day (for it
is not always the same); it is to see
whether u 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 a journey, on an excursion of pleas
ure, or on an enterprise of profit. We
think of the seasons and of the phe-
ncmena around about us almost ALWAYS
simply with reference to what they can
do for us, or what they can do to hinder
us. The natural philosopher, perhaps.
to all this adds a still further develop
ment, because he looks at things in the
light of science. The vapors have a
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 manv
facts, SO many links in the chain of =
theory o. system. All is mundane. all
Is earthly, to his thought.
The poet looks in still third way at
nature: To him light is intrinsically
beautiful, it has such adaptation to
the eye. The seasons have some DO
etry to him. But never was there such
a grouping together of these in ADEQUATE
measure as in the time Of the Hebrew
poets. The Psalmist contemplated ma
lure with great gratitude. The haryests.
the f1ocks, the kine-sll tokens of pros.
perlty-are brought up in many psalms.
and distinctly pointed out as TOPICS for
grateful thought. Summer and winter.
tne Time Tor sowing and the time for
reaping, are set forth in an economic
point OF view. And the language is
poetic The Old Testament does not
contain any minute dissecting, as of an
artist mind; or any scene-paintino.
seeming to have been done for effect:
or art pictures, as they are called. ~
descriptive writing; but it contains that
which produces the poetic sentime era'
only upon a higher plane. The con,
temptation OF natural things is not in
the line of our lower tastes. The tona
Q u mind of the Hebrews was nobler and
mlgher than that of most occidentals
iney saw natural objects in their rela.
lion to God: When they looked al; tho
clouds, their first thought was not that
they had rain for us, o that tbev f.,s
hn facts for the natural philosopher.
that they were Gods chariot and
ina lie rode on them and controlled
tnem. The mountains and hills ,yara
oi uoo; summer and winter had some
thlng OF God; the trees clanned thn;-
hands In praise of God. And tbo,eh t
they, did not register these th;nns og :
modern science has registered - as
lucy saw them better than it, and rec.
ognlzed ! them argument for nraisa
and gratitude to God. praise
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