Catoctin clarion., 1904-09-29
WHAT CREATION MEANS
A Bright Sunday Discourse By Rev.
E, l. Palmer.
There Is No Riddle Of the Univsrse-The
Answer Is Immortllty.

''What the Creation Means" He took his
text from Psalm l04:24, 80 Lord, how
manifold are Thy works, in wisdom hast
Thou made. them all. the earth is full of
Thy riches"
Won Humboldt says: "That this Psalm
represents the image of the whole cosmos
1t is astonishing to find in q lyrical poem
of such limited compass the entire uni
verse, the heavens and the earth, sketched
with few bold touches. Fhe calm and
toilsome labor of man from the rising OF
the sun to the setting of the same, when
his daily work is done, is here contrasted
with the moving life of the elements OF
nature. This contrast and generalization
is the conception of the mutual action OF
natural phenomena, and this retrospectlon
of an omnipotent and omnipresent invisl'
be power which can renew the earth or
crumble it to dust, constitute solemn and
exalted rather than glowing and gentle
form of poetic creation
1t is thus hymn OF creation. written by
whom we know not. In the Sept it Is
aGcribed to David but is ANONYMOUS in
the Hebrew psalter. The phraseo'ocy and
spirit are not unlike David, and the sub
icct matter may have been arranged in his
day as well as at any time. In the author
izel edition of the English Bible the All
thorshp is accredited to David The Eng.
lish and American editions of the Revised
Version made no mention OF its writer,
but many and potent are the reasons which
lead us to the conclusion that the hymn-
o'ogist of Israel composed this song for the
peop,c OF God. 1t was f'tllng lhat II
sh"n,d be used in the tempe. and 1t IL
still consistent TO 'nps"y H. Sinrc IL eA'
presses truth That time cannot chahSe'
Unlike many of the Psalms this one is
capable of analysis, the natural and logl-
cal plan beinp n rcOrOluctiOn of the SIX
creative periods. ihs Is not only cVideht
to the careful reader nut IS cnni1rmcd Dy
the most rchab'e sources. ANA TINS Is not
iInlmportant. since 1t Is anothcr argument
IN favor OF the unan'mlty OF opinioh con
ccrnlng the plan that GOD followed when
lie created the universe; me work OF the
first and second days, hight, the sky clouds
winds, lightning, occupy verses IT, me
original chaotic state, ana INC separation
OF and iron water on the (hi'd daN' verses
%. The third creative day continued that
which had been commenced on the Prece"'
ing. Inc ,CroWth OF pants ana tre'S
Which mpIlcs irrigation by r'ouds ana
streams. here tne poet introduces D'rus
ana creatures OF the hc,n ana forest. Wh'ch
40 not appear IN the Mosaic narrative nh
Il. much later. verses l4-IS' me work OF
the tourth gay, the sun ana moon hot WIN
sPcclal rel'remre TO men ana hn'h'aS'
t H. it r t7 ,l Is ,Lo
ven ih'n ms song part VI 'h' ""ih "' wv
1l''l "nu SNon , n"lS; n"M 'TS",',S ~ II, "''
utScIihes the sea WIlh itS IlVlhg creatures
lhese WIN all e'se' 'he Who'c NlHlp'e ctea'
toh ~ ah>oilte dcpehutmC' upon nou,
verses Z4'5'. III verses "l", 'ne sahiiiS'
describes ms longing to see the brlsht orig
nal restored
Inc text Dcing thc 24lh verse Is part OF
INC oiViS.2h lncNuHihi verses J." ~ Nntn
.t IN Ia a
'l'"' oi 'ne io"i III ""N "JiM WIZ ; ;ne
sun "nn imo'n M's' n'3i'e, n"' '''trtl .rt lrS
p"I 'i'uial'! VI nv" "'" "',i','''s n,n im,,e
can De no "ouht resprrIinR lhc ihlerpFeia'
20 Mohi because inc ntcra' 'ranra,'on Lraas:
y LorG, now maillo;d are my WorN'' III
Wisd2m sii ha1. as hou mao" 'hchi an 'he 'ar'h
is ,uii ,m %l ny freat"leS' a.,
c!' me : 'aI'lT' 1h'coE,'l|ts w'oH as !nc
h'o'" 'nN "o'hs' N,'1lnS
~ inspiration does hot necessarily pte,,
tiuae % lne use OF proVlnci9'lSW' pro'ia'd
. t,ol sutl' corIScuN u'scIi"I .'r'S, NMhu M
.hef may DC 'hl"rI"d re, OK 'nouI''u III oratr
TO pT accurate ne doctrine taHIn, III
prtNa!Ilne aI tIe l'iHc Oh us com I'o''lloh
ana M since t1"V therG was Il uho "h'h ohy
Iod existed ana that tHere came a time
MheIi lhe N universe was lorWeu; l. Is ,nc
teach'hg OF all the ancient iaIths that TN.
universe dih not spring INTO cNlstenre OF
us own Eoli'ioll' put was maze out "t noun
ing by Almighty "od. often however, the
conception Is vague ana confused and even
meaningless because destitute at that hight
winch hghteth every man coming INTO the
world. IL Is the clear Implication OF the
Scriptures that there was a time when
God was alone. and that the time came
When lie eihpioNrd illS power TO fashion
the heavens and tn" earth
Only the great God could conceive such n
compilation and complication of organic
and inorganic matter. Since creation many
wonderful thoug hts have occupied the
minds of men, but none have suggested
themselves., They have been waited into
and born through the channel of human
thinking by the appearance of some sug.
geestive, occurrence. We think our thoughts
NOT tb;nl, of tn ,n,e,s r;1hont so,,, o"",u
NV ~" W WV "'i '''' "'"'uC nccl'S