LESSONS FROM THE NATURAL WORLD.
By Arthur Fox
THERE are many lessons to be learned from the various objects of the natural world. If observant we can see that they are obedient to the will of their Creator; that they never deny God, or ever refuse obedience to any intimation of His will. Fallen beings alone refuse to yield full obedience to their Maker. "There is nothing that lives to itself except the selfish heart of man." Their works and words are at variance with God, and are "not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." "Those professed Christians who are constantly whining and complaining, and who seem to think happiness and a cheerful countenance a sin, have not the genuine article of religion. Those who look upon nature's beautiful scenery as they would a dead picture, who choose to look upon dead leaves rather than to gather the beautiful living flowers, who take a mournful pleasure in all that is melancholy in the language spoken to them by the natural world, who see no beauty in the valleys clothed with living green, and the grand mountain heights clothed with verdure, who close their senses to the joyful voice which speaks to them in nature, and which is sweet and musical to the listening ear,—these are not in Christ." The beautiful lessons we learn from nature if brought into our homes will make those around us happier, and our own lives brighter. In many homes a rigid precision becomes a very disagreeable feature, but this is not in harmony with the great plan of Nature. Have you not noticed that God has not caused the flowers of the field to grow in regular beds with set borders? Instead of this, He has scattered them like gems over the greensward to beautify the earth with their various forms and colors. Neither do we find the trees of the forest grouped in regular order. "It is restful to the eye and mind to range over the scenes of nature, over forest, hill, and valley, and the beauty with which trees, shrubs, and flowers are grouped in nature's garden, making it a picture of loveliness." Christ employed the flowers He had created, with trees, shrubs, and plants, and the things of the animal world to illustrate divine truths. While it is impossible to gain a perfect knowledge of God through imperfect nature; yet the things of nature, blighted as they are with sin, inculcate truths regarding the skilful Master Artist. "The sun, the moon, the stars, the rocks, the flowing stream, the broad restless ocean,—all teach lessons that we would do well to heed." Do you delight in lovely paintings, and are you ready to admire the talent that can produce a beautiful drawing? If so, pause a moment and consider. Where do those who devote their lives to this work obtain their designs which they paint upon the canvas? It is from no other source than from nature. Art can never equal the perfection attained in nature, be the work ever so fine. "I have seen many who would go into ecstasies over a picture of a sunset, while at the same time they could have the privilege of seeing an actual and more glorious sunset almost every evening in the year." If we but listen, God's created works will teach us precious lessons of obedience and trust. Ignorance may seek to support false views of God by appeals to science; but the book of nature and the written word shed light upon each other. We are thus led to adore the Creator and to have an intelligent trust in His Word, which says nothing of the independent laws of nature. "Those who have a true knowledge of God will not become so infatuated with the laws of matter or the operations of nature as to overlook, or refuse to acknowledge, the continual working of God in nature. Nature is not God, nor was it ever God." It simply testifies of God. As the flowers die only to spring forth into new life, we are thus taught the lessons of the resurrection. All who love God will bloom again in the Eden above. Nature alone can not, however, teach the great and marvelous truths of God, so in order that we might not remain in darkness, we were met by the God of nature in the person of His Son, who was the revelation of the Father. In the fourth commandment of the Decalogue we have the Sabbath, an institution which was ever intended to be a memorial of the work of Creation, and those who love God should do what they can to make the Sabbath a delight, not by seeking their own pleasure in sinful amusements, but by exalting it in their families and making it the most interesting day of the week. Parents, educate your children in the beautiful things of God. Walk out with them in the open air, sit with them in the groves and in the bright sunshine, and give the restless minds something to feed upon by pointing out the beauties of nature, and inspire them with love and reverence for nature's God. Such an education begun in this life will be continued in the life to come.