The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-20
GODS GREATNESS REVEALED
IN SUMMER ZEPHYR AS WELL
AS IN WHIRLWIND.
Rev. J. b. Silcox Discourses on the
Might and Wisdom Of the
Creator.


Creator.
At the morning service in the Con-
gregational Church yesterday the
from Job (36:26,7, Behold, God is
great, for He maleth small the drops
of water Also from Isaiah (4O:12),
"Who hath measured the waters in
the hollow of His hand, and melted out
heaven with a span, and comprehend
ed the dust of the earth in a measure
and weighed the mountains in scales,
and the hills in the balance?
The theme of each chapter from
which l select these texts, said the
pastor, is the greatness of God One
writer says God is great, for He
nlaketh small the drops of water. The
other writer infers that God is great
because He comprehendeth the dust of
the earth. Put the words of the two
together, and learn a great and whole
some truth Behold, God is great, for
He maketh small the drops of water,
He comprehendeth the dust of the
earth To complete the moral teach
ings of these passages add the words
of Jesus. HE that is faithful in that
which is least is faithful also in much,
and he that is unjust in the least is
unjust also in much"
When we think of greatness we gem
orally think of it and look for it in
things big and vast. The words l
have read teach US to look for it in
the opposite direction. Both Elihu and
Isaiah saw the greatness of the Gre
ator in the minute things of creation.
God is great, for He maketh small the
drops of water, He hath comprehend
ed the dust of the earth. A drop OF
water, as truly as the mighty deep,
the dust of the earth, as truly as the
monarch mountain, reveal the wisdom
and power of the Almighty. So also
actions that are least reveal the moral
quality of men, as truly as actions
that are more conspicuous and CO.
lossal.
We are more apt to associate the
thought of God with things Infinitely
large and vast, than with things in
finitely small and minute. We are i'm
pressed with His power displayed in
the storm, but fail to behold His
grandeur in the calm. We think OF
Him as being in the earthquake and
the whirlwind, but do we discern Him
in the still small voice of the summer
breeze? We are more disposed to look
for Him in the immensities OF meas
ureless space than in the minute or
ganization of an animalcule. The vast
dome of the heavens, the infinite
armament, those abysses of space filled
with millions of stars and suns and
worlds, impress every thinking mind
with the might and wisdom of the
Creator.
The mind of man cannot conceive the
vastness and grandeur of creation. The
nearest fixed star is millions of mill
ions of miles from our earth. 1t Wouil
take a ray of light, travelling at the
rate of 1871, 900 miles a second, four
years to reach this earth from the
nearest fixed star Astronomers tell
us that there are one thousand mill
ions such stars already discovered, anu
there may be millions of suns yet be-
yond the range of our most far-reach-
ing telescopes. Those infinite expanses
and depths which go farther than
dreams can reach, filled with innumer-
able worlds. are all under the super
intending control of the Almighty. he
telleth the number of the stars. He
giveth them all their Names Great
is our Lord and of great power His
understanding is infinite. God fills all
space He rules over all His works.
While we behold God in the things
infinitely distant and large, We should
learn to behold Him in things infinitely
near and small If we are observant
we can behold Him in the infinities be
low as truly as in the infinities beyond.
The world unveiled by the microscope
is as marvellous revelation of God as
the world revealed by the telescope
Chemists are able to ascertain the
relative position of atoms so minute
that millions of them can stand upon
a needles point. The world OF atoms
that chemistry deals with Is as mar
yelous ard immeasureable as the Woflo
of stars that astronomy investigates
The Almighty is seen in the atom as
truly as in the star. THE name comes
close behind a stomach syst, the
simplest of creation He is tabernacied
in a dewdrop as truly as He is en-
throned on the ocean. A sunbeam IS
His palace as we'll as the city Oh
splendor John saw in Revelation y
single snowflake reveals the glory OF
the Creator as fully as does the mighty
glacier that sits like a crown Jewel on
the mOuntainS crest Inc liNiSlot0
germ of life in a mustard seed is as
full of mystery as the monarch trees
of Calaveras Men look with admiration
and awe upon Mount Shasta or Mount
Blanc. A pebble or atom of earth at
the foot of the mountain is as fuil OF
mystery as the great mountain itself.
The mountain is only an aggregation
of atoms and pebbles. God is great,
not because He can compass the
mountain. but because He can COM
preheud the mystery and majesty OF
the dust atoms out of which the
mountain is made.
Do we not begin to see the sublime
truth taught in our texts? God is
great. for he maketh small the drops
of water and hath comprehended the
dust of the earth. The greatness Oh
God is revealed in the creation Oh
minute things He paints the wings
of. an insect with pigments as rich ds
the colors of the rainbow. He shows
as great an interest in and affectiol