Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-03-02

Lastly, the heritage underneath these
trees and shrubs is completely covered
with snails of prodigious size and of
the best sort, and however uninvlting
such repast might appear to us. they
are here esteemed great dellcacy.
They are so plentiful in this valley
that it may be literally said that 1t Is
difficult to take one step without tread
ing on them"
So the She-.~u creatures saved the
hosts of Israelitcs on the march to
the promised land, and the attack Of
intidelity ut this point S defeated by
the facts, since it is founded on ig
norancc. In writing and printing our
Interrogation point has at the bottom
4 mark like period and over it Il
flourish like the swing of Il transfers
whip, and we put this Interrogation
point at the end of Il question: but in
the Spanish language the Interrogation
point is twice used for each question.
At the beginning of the question the
Interrogation point is presented up
side down and at the close Of the Qucs
puts a question about the Scriptures.
question ought to be printed with two
Interrogation points. one at the begin
ming and one ut the close but both up
side down.
Thank God for the wealth of mol
l,lsks all up and down the earth. wheth-
cr feeding the Israelites on their way
to the land flowing with milk and
honey. or. as we are better acquainted
IN IN
beach of lake or sea. There are three
great families of them. If l should
ask you to name three of the great
royal families of the earth. perhaps
you would respond, the House OF Stu
art. the House Of Hapsburg. the House
of Bourbon. but the three royal families
Of mollusllS are the univalve or shell
of one part. the bivalvc. or shell Of
two parts. and the multivalvc, or shell
in many parts. and l see God
in their every hinge. in their
every tooth, in their every car
tilagc. in their every ligament
in their every spiral ridge. and
in their every color. prism on prism.
and their adaptation Of thin shell for
still ponds and thick coatingS for boist-
erouS seas. They all dash upon me
the thought of the providential care Of
God. What is the use of all this archi-
lecture of the shell. and why is it pict-
urcd from the outside lip clear down
into its labyrinthS of construction? Why
the intni1y of skill and radiance i'll a
shell: What is the use Of the color
and exquisite curve of Il luing so in
significant as a shcll-tish? Why. when
the concuologist, by drcdge or rake.
fetchcS the crrlStaccouS specimen to the
shore. does he find at his feet whole
AlhambraS and ColloScums and Parthc-
mons and Crystal Palaces Of beauty in
miniature. and these bring to light
only an intinitcSimal part OF the opu-
lencc in the great Subaqueous world.
LinnaeuS counted 300 species Of shells
but conchology had then only begun
its achievements. While exploring the
bed of the Atlantic ocean in prcparl-
ton for laying the cable. shelled ami
mails were brought up from depths
of 1000 fathoms When lifting the tel
cgraph Wire from the Mediterranean
and Red seas. shellcd creatures were
brought up from depths of 1000 faith
oms The English admiralty. exploring
in behalf of science. found mollusks at
depth of 24}o fathoms, or 14,21O
feet deep. What Il realm awful for
vaStnesS!
AS the shell is only the house and the
wardrobe of insignificant animals of
the deep. why all that wonder and
beauty Of construction? Gods care for
them is the only reason. And il God
provide SO muniticcn1ly for them. will
he not see that you have wardrobe
and shelter? Wardrobe and shelter for
u pcriwnlile: shall there not be ward
robe and shelter for Il man: Would
God give Il coat Of mail for the defense
of Il nautilus and leave you no defense
against the storm: Does he build Il
stone house for 4 creature that lasts Il
season and leave without home soul
that takes hold on centuries and aeOns?
Hugh Miller found The Footprints
of the Creator in the Old Red Sand
stonc,' and I hear the harmonies of
God in the tinkle of the sea shells when
the tide comes in. The same Christ
who drew a lesson of providcntial care
from the fact that God clothes the
grass Of the field instructs me to draw
the same lesson from the shells.
In almost every mans life, however
we'll born and prosperous for years,
and in almost every WOman'S life,
there comes Il very dark time. at least.
once. a conjunction Of circumstances
will threaten bankruptcy and homeless
ness and starvation. 1t may be that
these words will meet the car or will
meet the eye Of those who arc in such
state of forcboding. Come. then, and
see how God gives an ivory palace to
Il water animal that you could cover
with Il 1D-cent piece, and clothes in
armOr against an attack. Il coral no
bigger than Il snowflake. 1 do not
think that God will take better care of
Il bivalvc than of one Of his own chill
drcn rake to your feet with the
gospel rake the most thorough evil
dcnc.s of Gods care for his creatures.
l pile around you great mounds of
shells. that they may teach you most
comforting theology. Oh, We Of little
faith. walk among these arbOrs Of
coralinc, and look at these bouquets
of shell tit to be handed a queen on
her coronation day, and see tnese fallen
rainbows Of color, and examine these
lilies in stone these DrimrOSeS in stone