that
the higher class of vertebrata did not exist in those remote times."
"The remains of vertebrate animals are already found in the lowest
fossiliferous rocks, and, in addition to that, the highest forms of
each class appear first."

There is nothing so well evinced in all the realms of scientific
investigation as the utter impossibility of getting, by the light of
nature, away from the idea of the Christian's God. _Everywhere_ we trace
his footsteps. Traveling through the ages to the beginning, in thought,
our first view is that of "an unlimited expanse of unoccupied space,"
or, if aught exists, it lies hidden in the invisible state. But all at
once, as if by magic, and in obedience to the will of the Eternal
Intelligence, the invisible becomes visible, worlds exist and become
obedient to law. The divine perfections are to be displayed through
future ages. And now, if we look out upon the surging billows of the
ocean, our mind swells with the thought that God is there in all his
majesty. With our thoughts confined to our earth we pass from age to age
tracing the divine power from the laws of motion to chemical action and
crystallization, until we behold a wonderful change upon the face of
nature. And now, for the first time, a new principle is manifested, a
new order springs into being--it is vegetable life and being in all its
lovely grandeur. It matters not to us whether it came about gradually or
all at once, for wisdom is there. All nature seems to turn to this new
principle. "The elements of the inorganic world are subserving the
purposes of organic life." The Creator has bound them to organic life.
Every plant selects its food from the elements of earth by a chemistry
of its own. The atmosphere around us is no less to the vegetable kingdom
than a great pasture field. Every leaf is feasting, and every fiber is
touched by the light. What wonderful correlations meet us at every turn!
What adaptation of means to ends! Above all the beauty and grandeur of
the vegetable kingdom we find the glorious animal, with man at the head,
as lord over all below him. With man the moral government of God begins;
physical creation is over. The subsequent manifestations of the divine
glory are to be realized in the training and discipline of men and women
as moral beings; and their mutual association with him, in the eternal
world, is the ultimate.

C. R.

PANTHEISM IS DECEPTION AND HYPOCRISY.

"Understand, ye bruti