God reveals Himself to faith, and " without faith it is impossible to please Him," or to know Him.

For centuries science has been making its boast that it is "seeking truth." Its real object, however, has mostly been to set truth aside. A naturalist, one at the head of his profession, told me recently, " Science explains no mysteries; it deepens them." Yet this scholar turned away contemptuously from the Word which explains what otherwise is a mystery to man, and offers Christ to meet all the sinner's need. Like Solomon, this scientist desired to know " the reason of things," but he had not come to Solomon's conclusion to "Fear God," in the remembrance that " God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good or whether it be evil" (Eccl. 12:13, 14). This man had burrowed in the earth, had excavated in deserts, blasted into hills, dug up bones and shells, searched seas, and climbed into mountains, to find what the word of God settles perfectly with very few words. And at the end he was as far from settling one doubt, or establishing one permanent theory as to the origin of things, as he was before he began his labors.

And this is but one of a class in this peculiar and fascinating school, who are studying, toiling and spinning continually, and producing nothing but perplexing theories that satisfy none-not even themselves.

One of the features of the Bible is the contrast between the New and the Old Testaments, while their moral teaching is found to be precisely the same when the soul, in humble dependence upon the Spirit of God, is made to see the character and object of each dispensation. One thing that has particularly impressed me is, that in the former the creatorial work of God is given a large and important place, while the New Testament is almost silent on that subject. What may seem to be a surprising silence in the New Testament upon the vexed question of the "origin of things" is of the deepest significance. Faithless inquisitors there were in those days as now; yet there is no record of any such questions being raised or answered in the New Testament.

And why should there be ? Had not God at the very beginning of the Old Testament given an outline of the facts and order of His works in creation for man to follow the clues there given, and reverently inquire in the book of Nature into which God introduces him ? To discuss or repeat them in the New Testament would only dishonor the Old. But " science" refuses to be so guided, and too often conducts its researches with a view to contradict what God has said. So it goes on building its theories which the next generation gives up, while seeking to establish new ones.

We might think that a chapter in one of the Gospels would have forever settled the strife and perplexities of Science; but Divine Wisdom would not permit this. To one who desired to have Lazarus return and testify to his brethren on earth, the answer is, "They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them" (Luke 16:29). God has spoken; let men take heed; for He will not condescend to the world's debate on such matters. Yet in grace our Lord let fall a word which, if accepted, might lead Science into the secrets which it so vainly endeavors to discover. "Consider the lilies," He said. The great Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these; and He adds, "If God so clothe the grass"-it is God's handiwork; the very same who in Gen. i:n had said:" Let the earth bring forth . . . and it was so." But Science, cursed with an unbelieving, yet itching mind, has expended God-given energies in the fruitless task of approving truth!
And this scientific infidelity was never more active or pronounced than at present. Men of large means have placed their wealth in the hands of scholars who labor to construct a theory of creation, and the order of things "that were made," in the shells and fossils they are at such pains to collect and reconstruct.

In the vaunted "Origin of Species," as tabulated and arranged by Science, no place is given for an intelligent Creator. utility is its foundation for spontaneous generation. The earth stored coal, because cold was to be experienced; salt, because there was need of preservation from corruption; it produced herbs, fruit, and vegetables, because hunger was to be satisfied. Variations are the result of climate and a blind instinct of self-preservation, and so on. How this instinct came about is "a mystery." Thus through a long and heartless series of reasonings the Creator is sought to be eliminated from all His works. But creation itself-rebukes them. "Consider the lilies" ? Who painted their stripes ? Who formed their cups ? Who gave them their odor? Cattle do not browse them; man does not need them; if there was anything which the earth could have well done without it is the lily. Yet "Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Why expend all this splendor upon the useless lily ? Why should not Science "consider" them? The striations of bronze and purple and gold, the pistils and stamens, the calyx and hood, the perfume and shape, may make such revelations of His truth that " Science", abashed and repentant, may fall before the Divine Majesty and own its folly and sin. H. C. Christy