and, by earthly discipline, do fit themselves, by the grace of God, for newer and better worlds. "It is not but the tempest that doth show The seaman's cunning; but the field that tries T' have been undone, had they not been undone !" Our researches indicate that men are surrounded with more light, as to future worlds, than they use. Scientific minds are aware that the existing laws of nature minister to processes of worlds' renewal. The creative influence, progressing in the occupation of space, is achieving new victories over chaos. Knowledge makes evident that worlds, not so specially differentiated as the earth, are assuming similar peculiar conditions; and general uniformity of advance is consistent with great individual catastrophes. Even the apparent combustion of stars, the existence of pain as a means of discipline, assures us that a physical and spiritual advance is rendering the capacities of sentient, intelligent, moral beings, commensurate with the improved conditions of the newly created worlds. It seems impossible for any well-balanced mind to believe that the vast display of power and wisdom, seen in the worlds, will come to everlasting nothingness; nor can we entertain the thought that the beneficence to Iman of the Eternal Creator will leave human life an unfinished thing-hopes disappointed and yearnings unsatisfied. We conclude that our life, and the worlds in which we live, are not an accidental efflorescence of matter; but are parts of a slowly adjusting universe, whose vast operations are extending in space; and, as they occupied all past time, will spread into all the future. Glorious worlds, and blissful perfected creatures, being the ripened fruit of material, vital, mental, moral processes. Nature is not deaf, nor blind, nor irresponsive to our loves and hopes. She does not give us expectations to belie them, nor affections that they may be outraged. There are not only more but better things than common philosophy knows of. Even in childhood, we cared for flowers because of their beauty and fragrance, not knowing that science would open our eyes to a new world of splendour within them. Now that we are men, we are filled with admiration; for all things contain deep mysteries, undeveloped powers. Our scientific students helping the theologians with vast and accurate knowledge; we know that we have a clear revelation of worlds to come, not less beautiful than all that our hearts desire. "The voice of Nature loudly cries, And many a message from the skies, Robert Burns, New Year's Day. INDEX. Acorn, 84 Agnosticism, 139 Alford, Dean, 97 Anaxarchus, 137 Animals, 142, 143; in a future life, Anselm, 262 Aquinas, Thomas, 177, 178 Argyll, Duke of, 41, 48, 57, 261 Arnold, Edwin, 39, 90, 176 Atheism, unnatural, 121; by affinity, Atoms, doctrine of, 42; indestruc- Bacon, Lord, 91, 135, 196, 217 Belief, necessity of, 25 Beneficence of Nature, 23, 26, 36, Bichat, 121 Bickersteth, 60, 116 Blackwall, 83 Blake, William, III, 112 Body, the, for the soul, 173; ever Browning, Eliz. Barrett, 63, 102, Browning, Robert, 7, 32, 47, 48, 80, Bunyan, 220 Burns, Robert, 114, 160, 161, 304 Butler, Bishop, 136 Campbell, Archdeacon, 272 Clarke, Herbert E., 117 33 Conservation of energy, 5, 24; Cox, Rev. Samuel, 90 Crystals, embryology of, 184, 227, Daniel, S., 303 Dante, 230, 257 Darwin, Charles, 200, 201 Darwin, Erasmus, 199 Davies, Sir John, 121 Death, 145, 245; state after, 269; comes not to every living thing, Degeneration, 108, 113, 114 De Morny, Philip, 237 Departed spirit, intercourse with, 193, 251; forbidden, 210 Ear, construction of, 28 Egg, process of development of, 55, Elemental matter, 267, 290 Emboitement, theory of, 233 Eternity, three aspects of, 239 medium, 55, 239 Evolution, true view of, 70; no ex- Eye, 29 Fable, of the pig, 162; of the pig Faraday, 251, 263 Flint, Professor, 277 Force, convertibility of, 36; morpho- Future state, the, a universal belief, Galvanism, 20 Gaye, Simon H, 201 Germs, 84, 151, 174, 204 Golden bowl (illustration), 164 Grimshaw, William, 136 Growth, natural, 151 Hades, 270; Christ in, 271, 273 167, 261, 279 Havergal, Frances Ridley, 35, 122, Heine, Heinrich, 252 Hemans, Mrs., 79, 100, 104, 144, Herbert, George, 17, 41, 45, 79, 141, 153, 213, 238, 255 Hesiod, 96 Holly, 142 Homer, 193 Horsley, Bishop, 275 Houghton, Lord, 299 Huxley, Professor, 56, 146 Imagination, 167; use of, in science, life, 137, 159; an intuitive belief, Insects, metamorphosis of, 287 Intuition, 91, 92, 268; as to im- Jenkyn, Dr., 119 Jesus, Christ, the great Exemplar, Jews, knowledge of the, 44; as to Judd, Professor, 184, 221, 247, 286, Keats, John, 206, 229, 297 Lange, 261 Language, 123, et seq. |