The Progress. (Shreveport, La.) 1892-1900, 1898-01-01
SCULPTURE OF THE DEEP.
Rev. DR.. Talmage Talks About
God Amid the Coral Reefs.
The Wonderful Masonry Of the Minute
Marine Insects-Lessons From the
Coral-God's Love of the
Beautiful.

''te dlmdSe IeauS MS aQCltOri
through rare channel of contempla
lion OF Gods wonders. The text is:
No mention shall be made OF coral-Jot
xviii ls
Why do you say that, inspired drama
list? When you wanted to set forth
the superior value of our religion, you
tossed aside the onyx, which is used
Tor making exquisite canoes, and the
sapphire. sky blue, and topaz of rhorn.
bic prism, and the rub by of frozen blood,
and here you say that the coral, which
Is miracle OF shape and transport
OF color to those who have studied it,
Is not worthy of mention in comparison
with our holy religion. mo mention
shall be made Of coral" At ST. johns
bury, VT, in a museum built by the
lchief citizen, as / examined a speci-
men On the shelf, / first realized what
molly OF holes God can build and
mas built in the temple Of one piece of
coral do not wonder that Ernst
Heckel, the great scientist, while in
Ceylon, was SO entranced with the
specimens which some Cingalese divers
mao brought up for his inspection that
ne himself plunged in to the sea, and
went clear under the waves at the risk
OF ms lie, again, and again, and again,
that he might know more of the coral. |
not even be guessed by those who have |
only seen it above water, and after the
.Poiyps, which are its sculptors and
architects, have died and the chief
Riories OF these submarine flowers
nave expired. Job, in my text, did not
mean TO deprecate this divine sculp-
lure IN the coral reefs along the sea |
coasts. No one can afford to depre-
ciate these white palaces of the deem.
Ouiit under Gods direction. He
never changes His plans for the |
oniiding OF the islands and shores; and
AOr uncounted thousands of years the |
Sorai gardens, and the coral castles. |
anu Ine Coral battlements go on and !
up charge you that you will please
uod and please yourself if you will go
Into the minute examina ton of the
corals-their foundations, their pima
cles. their aisles, their pillars their
curves, their cleavages, their reticula- Il
'aon. their grouping-families of them.
owns OF them, cities of them y
md continents OF them. Indeed 81
'ou can not appreciate the meaning of NJ
NJ text unless Won know something Of tt
ne coral Labyrinthian, stellar. CO. -
nna ar. horal. denied like shields from In
-. e spotted like leopards, embroi- nc
ere ere. ace, hung like upholsterv- III
80 - durOraS and ann on
$50 beauty! From deep IN
'imson milk-white are ;ts an
'iors. AoE may find this work Of God RET
rough the nnimalculen eighty faith tn
as down, or amid the breakers VIC
here the sea dashes the Widest and as
aus the mightiest, and bellows the tut
uoesI These sea creatures are ever am
sy. NOW they build islands in r.. WI
n tor OF the Pacific ocean. Now thar the
barriers around the continent In lou
IA ocean, Red sea and coast of Ian VIII
,ar have specimens of their in sto
ieesimal but sublime masonry. Al all
} recession OF the tides yo,, ma
ne places sec the top of their Alr,,a Ing
vatlons, while elsewhere noth;nr and
the deep-sea soundings from the But
As OF the Challenger. the Porcu- cum
ana the Lightning of the British som
editlon can announce them upb
ancient Gauls anr,a. NOR
tn nd