The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-12-10
GOODNESS OF GOD.
It Is Expressed in the Universal Hap
piness Of the Whole Animal
Creation.
In the Blessings That Are Showered
Upon Mankind From Year
to Year.

10, IL, Is: Beasts and all cattle
creeping things and flying fowl; both
young men and maidens; old men and
children; let them praise the name OF
the Lord"
What scene it was when last Thurs
day at the call OF the presidents and
governors, this nation assembled to
chant the praises OF God. But the
day was to short to celebrate the di-
vine goodness ofsuch ayear. The sun
did not rise over Brooklyn until one
minute before 7o'clock that morning,
and it set at o'clock and IS minutes
that evening. What small space OF
time in which to mediate upon l2
months OF benefactlons. So I add to
that day this Sabbath morning service,
and with the fruits and harvests of the
earth still clarifying the pulpit and
the galleries, ask you to continue the
rehearsal Of the divine goodness
BY A SUBLIME EGOTIsM III.
man has come to appropriate this
world tc himself, when the fact is that
our race is in smaller minority. The
instances OF human life, as compared
with the instances of animal life are
not one in million. We shall enlarge
our ideas Of Gods goodness and come
to better understanding of the text
if, before we come to look at the cup
of our blessing, we look at the good
ness of God to the irrational creation.
Although nature is out Of Joint, yet
even in it's disruption am surprised
to find the almost universal happiness
of the animal creation. On O. summer
day, when the air and the grass are
most populous with life, you will not
hear q sound of distress unless, per-
chance, heartless boy has robbed a
birds nest, or a hunter has broken a
birds wing and there goes up Il Dleat-
ing from the focks. The whole earth
is filled with animal delight-joy
feathered, and scaled, and horned,
and hoofed s,.. f.. ...l, ..
The worm squirming through the
sod upturned OF plowshare, and the
ants racing up and down the hillock,
are happy by day and happy by
night. Take up q drop OF water under
the microscope, and you find that
within il there are millions OF crea-
lures that swim in a hallelujah Of
gladness. The sounds in nature that
are repulsiye to our ears are often
only utterances of joy-the growl, the
croak, the bark, the howl. The good
God made these creatures, thinks OF
them ever, and will not let a plow-
share turn up a mole's nest, or fisher
mans hook transfx q worm, until, by
eternal decree, it's time has come.
Gods hand feeds all these broods, and
shepherds all these flocks, and tends
all these herds. .,a'#
WHY DID GOD MAKE ALL THESE,
and why make them so happy? How
account for all this singing, and dane
ing, and frisking amid the irrational
creation? Why this heaven for the
animalcule in a dewdrop? Why for
the condor throne on Chimborazo?
Why the glitter OF the PHOSPHORUS in
the ships wake on the sea, which
is said to be only the frolic
of millions OF insects? Why
the perpetual chanting of so many
voices from the irrational creation in
earth, and air, and ocean-beasts, and
all cattle, creeping things, and flying
fowl. permitted to join in the praise
that goes up from seraph and arch
angle? Only one solution, one ex-
PLANTATION, one answer-God is good.
''The earth is full of the goodness Of
the Lord. - a..
I take a step higher, and notice the
adaptation of the world to the COM
fort and happiness of man. The
sixth day Of creation had arrived.
The palace of the world was made,
but there was no king to live in it.
Leviathan ruled the deep; the eagle
the air; the lion the field; but where
was the sceptre which should rule all?
A new style Of being was created.
Heaven and earth were represented in
his nature. His body from the earth
beneath; his soul from the heaven
above. The one reminding him OF his
origin, the other speaking Of his des-
tiny-himself the connecting link be-
tween the animal creation and angelic
intelligence. In him strange COM
mingling of the temporal and eternal,
the finite, and the infinite dust and
glory. The earth for his floor, and
heaven for his roof; God for his
Father; eternity for his lifetime.
The Christian anatomist, gazing up
OH the conformation Of the human
body, exclaims: "Fearfully and won
derfully made" No embroidery so
elaborate, no gauze so delicate, no
color SO exquisite, no mechanism
so graceful, no handiwork SO di-
vine. s
VOLUMES HAVE BEEN WRITTEN.
OF the hand. Wondrous instru-
ment! With it we give friendly recog-
milton, and grasp the sword, and
climb the rock, and write, and carve,
and build. It constructed the
Pyramids and hoisted the P arthenon.
It made the harp and then struck out
of it all the worlds minstrelsy. In
the white marble OF Pentelicon mines
dreamed itself away into immortal
sculpture. It reigns in the swift engine;
it holds the steamer to it's path in the
sea; it snatches the fire from heaven;
it feels the pulse of the sick child with
its delicate touch, and makes the
nations quake with it's stipend ons
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