Year: 1868

Z i've III Il MoIll- all the dEIduEt-
ments of which are the effects of inf
mite wisdom. We are surrounded with
wonders on every hand and, therefore,
we cease to admire or to fix our atten-
tion on any Of the wonders daily per
formed by God We have never been
accustomed to contemplate, or to inhabit
a world where beneyolence and wisdom
are not displayed; and therefore, we are
apt to imagine that the circumstances of
our terrestrial existence could not have
been much otherwise than they actually
are We behold the sun in the morning
ascending from the east-a thousand
shining globes are seen in the canopy of
of the sky, when he has disappeared in
the west. We open our eyelids, and
the myriads of objects which compose
an extensive landscape are, in a moment,
painted on our retiRa-we wish to move
our bodies, and in an instant, the joints
and muscles of our hands and feet per-
form their several functions We
spread out our wet clothes to dry, and in
a few hours the moisture is evaporated.
We behold the fields drenched with rain,
and in few days it disappears, and is
dispersed through the surrounding at
mosphere to be again embodied into
clouds. These are all common opera
tions, and therefore thoughtless and un-
grateful man seldom considers the obi
cations he is under to the Author of his
existence, for the numerous enjOyments
which flow from these wise arrange
ments. But were the globe we inhabit,
and all its appendages to remain in their
present state-and were only the prinei-
pie of evaporation and the refraetive
and reflective properties Of the air to be
destroyed-we should soon feel By the
universal gloom which would ensue, and
BY thousand other ineonveniences we
should suffer what a miserable world
was allotted for our abode. We should
most sensibly perceive the wisdom and
goodness we had formerly overlooked and
would most ardently implOre the restor-
alton of those arrangements for which
we were never sufficiently grateful


And why should we not now-while we
enjoy so.many comforts flowing from the
plans of Infinite Wisdom-haye our at
tention directed to the benevolent con
trivanees within Us, and around US, in
order that grateful emotions may be
hourly arising in our hearts, to the
Father Of our spirits =? For the essence
of true religion consist chiefly in graft
tude to the God Of our life, and the
author of our salvation; and every
pleasing sensation we feel from the haF-
monies and the beauties of nature, ought
to inspire US with this sacred emotion.
Hearken unto this, 0 man stand still
and listen to the wonderful works Of
God. Contemplate the balancing of the
clouds, the wondrous works of him Who
is perfect in aEoElsdee. He hath made
the earth by his power, he hath estab-
lished the world by his wisdom. When
he uttereth his vieee there is a noise of
waters in the heavens he causeth the
vapors to ascend from the ends of the
earth. aud hriageth the wipds out Of his
treasures. While it is shameful for
man to be inattentive to the wonders
which surround him, what can bp more
pleasing and eangeHisi 10 a rational and
deyoHt mind than eontemplations on the
works Of the Most High? " What can
be more gratifying, says Sturm, ethan
to contemplate, in the heavens, in the
earth, in the water, in the night and
day, and, indeed, throughout all nature,
the proofs which they afford of the wis
dom, the purity, and the goodness of
our great Creator and PreserYer What
can be moFe delightful THAI to recog-
nize, in the whole creation, in all the
natural world, in everything we see,
traces Of the ever,working providence
and tender mercy of the Father of all. :