Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-07-06

God is not the author of con-
fusion, but of peace."-1 Cor. 14:33
The car shops of modern railway
present many active and interesting
scenes. They cover acres of ground
and employ many men, and bear wit
ness of the prowess of man in the
realms of knowledge and industry
and of the glory of God, his Creator.
The morning is serene. Not a
breath of air is stirring, and the
sun pours his golden beams in floods
of light upon a group of grimy build
ings. Tall chimneys lift their sooty
throats heavenward, and belch forth
clouds of dense, black smoke into the
clear blue sky, while here and there
many small pipes shoot jets of snow
white steam across the rolling bill
lows of inky smoke, as If to brighten
a somber and forbidding picture. But
we are invited by a friend to look
through the great establishment We
gladly follow our guide, and as We
approach the open door, the very
ground quakes beneath our feet; and
as we enter, the huge building seems
trembling in every timber and every
window rattles. We pass ionWard.
Massive wheels are revolving, heavy
belts are running like rivers, and in
tricate machines are whirring on all
sides of us. Men are busy every
whbre. Unearthly sounds of grinding,
saving, filing, and hammering meet
the ear and confuse the senses DoZ-
ems of machines are answering the
behest of powerful steam engines, and
add their voices to the anthem of in
dustry; and bedlam seems to be let
loose.
An hour soon passes away; and
we are glad when we emerge from
the terrible din. AS we step into the
open air, we are wondering what good
can possibly come of all that confus-
ion. But on the track before us
stands locomotive. 1t is bran new
1t has never pulled train. But there
it stands. Steam is up, and the shin
ing engine is ready to go out on the
iron highway, to take up the burden
of civilization. We then remembered
that every part of this locomotive was
made in that noisy shop. So when
we saw the locomotive, it dawned up
on us there was no confusion in those
shops after all, for every machine
was working in an orderly way to
turn out its essential part; every man
was working intelligently to make and
fit the parts together, and out of the
seeming confusion rolled a splendid
mechanism to minister to the needs
of society.
Likewise we explore natures work.
shop. The mind is often bewildered
as it contemplates the giant forces at
work in the mad rush of waters, the |
thunders crash, and the earthquake
shock. But when we behold the rich
es of life and thought-the finished |
products of natures workshop-we
then can understand that, God is not |
the author of confusion, but of peace"
We all know that a combination of
various agencies, working together
and bringing about a given result, is
the work of intelligence. Every bolt,
rivet valve and wheel of the locomo-
tive bears witness of the knowledge
and purpose of the engine-builder.
An intelligent mind is the originator
of the combination of agencies. and
certainly foresaw the result. Like
wise, in the world around us We shall
find many witnesses of the Creators
and kindly purpose.
The atmosphere is such a witness
for God 1t is a veritable ocean. II
consists of substance, just as surely
as granite, though it is invisible. 1t
has many properties. 1t is so elastic
il can be compressed. 1t is so firm
it sustains the man in the parachute.
Birds beat their wings against it, and
lift themselves into the higher alti-
tudes. Yet it is so light and movable
as scarcely to retard the flight of the
smallest insect.
But the air is subject to several
great forces. 1t is attracted by the
sun and moon, and responds in tidal
motions, as does the watery ocean.
This power tends to rob the earth
Of its atmosphere 1t is also subject
to the power of heat. Heat causes
every particle of air to repel every /
other particle. Under the influence
Of heat the air becomes like a huge !
bent spring, which constantly strug- Z
zles to break away from its moOrings. 4
and fly of, a fearful ascending hurri- ,
zane. to be lost in space. Such an /
event must be fatal to all life Ii
The Creator. however. has ordained !
l force which prevents such catss- {
.rophe The air has weight. 1t clings {
10 the earth at the sea level with a (
pressure Of fifteen pounds to the 7
,quare inch; it weighs rs million tons {