"Darkness shows us worlds of light
We never saw by day."

They are charmed with the changes of night and day and the wonders they unfold, and they say, with reverence and love towards God, "When I behold the heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and stars which thou hast made, what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him. Thou hast made him but a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor." They go into the fields and groves at eventide to meditate. They can make a pillow of rocks by the wild brook, far from human habitations, and lie down to dream through the watches of the night, of the ladder reaching from earth to heaven, and of angels ascending and descending thereon.

The question now arises, What occasions this difference between these two classes of men to which I have directed your attention? We find the cause of this difference in ignorance, superstition, and sin, on one side, and in knowledge, Christian faith and virtue, on the other. So long as one class of men receive little or no instruction from science or revelation, they will not be likely to interpret the various manifestations of God's power in such a manner as to attain serenity and joy. So long as the other class learn and receive the lessons of science and revelation, they will be able to so explain all dark instructions and events, that they will be evermore free from the burdens and sorrows of doubt and superstition; evermore above and beyond the reach of error and transgression.

Thus we see, that if we would ourselves be strong, confident, and cheerful through all seasons of life; if we would be able to interpret properly the various and strange phenomena of nature; if we would always be sustained and soothed by an unfaltering trust in God; if we would read a lesson of goodness in every spectacle, and hear a message of love in every tone, must give heed to the teachings of knowledge, we must attain the wisdom of this book of books, this revelation from the Most High.

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We need the true knowledge of God as unfolded to men in this volume. Let this be the possession of our minds, and we shall discern the grand and beautiful meaning of all the displays of nature and Providence, of every show or sound of earth, air or sky.

What though we do call ourselves Christians? what though we do say that we believe in the only living and true God? If we have not the true knowledge of his nature and character, we shall lack the one thing needful; we shall not be able to pursue our way through all times and all events without fear. I repeat, a true knowledge of God is what we need, if we would be free from weakness and doubt, if we would go forward in life with joy and peace.

We should consider with Christian faith the lessons of nature and revelation, and thus learn that God is love, and how to worship him; and thus learn how to love our race, and how to overcome evil with good.

In every holy book, on every page glowing with the light of heaven, we are taught that God overrules in wisdom and goodness, all his worlds and all his crea

tures; that he is everywhere watching over and furnishing supplies for the wants of his children; that he numbers the very hairs of our heads; that he is a universal Father, more careful, tender, and provident towards his offspring, than earthly parents are to theirs; that none of his children are ever dead to him; that those who have gone from the earth are still under his eye, are still provided for and ministered to, under his direction, from his boundless store; and that though they cannot come to us, as they have done hitherto, in outward form, we shall go to them; we shall at length see them with spiritual vision, and be united with them in spiritual life. And being thus instructed by the lively oracles of truth, we can be conscious that no one is so near to us as our heavenly Father; and that, as he is infinitely wise and good, there is no reason why we should not love him, and walk in his presence, wherever we go, in gladness.

It is a great and cheering thought that our father is always with us in the form of Christ. If it is a solid conviction in our souls, we shall never be disturbed or overthrown by the untoward events of life. We shall see that the various changes which take place in the outward world; that the various shows of the seasons, the upshooting blades and unfolding buds of spring, the leaves and flowers of summer, the ripening corn and fruits of autumn, and the snows and frosts of winter, declare the eternal and omnipresent God, and the wisdom and benevolence of his providence; and we shall see, too, that the political, intellectual, moral, and religious revolutions which occur on this earth, are the

results of the workings of his divine energies, as manifested partly in nature and providential influences, and partly in the lessons and deeds of his prophets and ministers.

The speaking of an angel is not a rare occurrence to those whose minds are enlightened by the Christian religion; whose ears are attuned to hear the highest and sweetest notes. Such men meet an angel of God in every form; hear the voices of God's angels every day, every hour. Unto them the thunder, the howlings of the wind, the tones of the tempest, the roar of the sea, as well as the rustling of leaves, the murmur of brooks, and the singing of birds, are messengers of love and peace from the all-wise and the all-good. How true are the words of our own poet, Bryant :

"To him who in the love of nature holds
Communion with her visible forms, she speaks
A various language for his gayer hours
She has a voice of gladness, and a smile
And eloquence of beauty: and she glides
Into his darker musings with a mild
And healing sympathy, that steals away
Their sharpness ere he is aware."

How true it is, that all who have spiritual sight, see the light of God's presence in every form, from the smallest flower to the largest planet, as Moses saw it in the burning, unconsuming bush; that such men read the clearest lessons of infinite wisdom and love, in the ruddenly written, terrible, and startling hieroglyphcs of the lightning on the darkened sky, and hear, in the awful thunder of the clouds the voice of God, saying, I am God, and there is no other. My power purifies

the atmosphere. I make my goodness visible in all the forms and movements of the outward, creation. And just as plainly do I show my might and beneficence in the moral universe. I send forth my messenger before my face. In him my name shall be glorified, and shall fill the world with love and light.

When God spoke in answer to the Saviour's prayer of submission and trust, some "said that it thundered." This was the retribution of those who occupied the lowest plane of life. To their ears the voice of heaven came in the awful appaling tones of thunder. "Others said: An angel spake to him." This was the reward of those who stood higher- who were nobler in mould, and purer in character, and so the sound that was so terrible to their companions, was the voice of an angel to their ears. But the compensation of the highest, though the smallest class in the crowd, was this: They heard the speech of the Almighty. To their ears came the very words of the Holy One. "The pure in heart see God," and hear him, too. When, in response to the prayer, "Father, glorify thy name," God said: "I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." The Saviour, and John the disciple whom he loved, heard the sublime, encouraging words; and they are recorded in the New Testament for our instruction and consolation. Are we high enough in moral life to comprehend their meaning? Are we near enough to God to understand them? If so, no presence will terrify us, no voice make us afraid. If so, we shall have the spirit and