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works of God. In human affairs, ars est celare artem, greater skill conceals the art; and Moses, when he made known the fact that light preceded the luminary, and began that marvellous work which the sun had appointment to rule and perfect, was guided by a higher wisdom than is common to man. An experiment may illustrate this. Converge the rays of an electric light by means of a concave mirror. Place between

the luminous focus and the source of rays a solution of iodine in bisulphide of carbon. Now the light is cut away, but the dark hot rays are still there; try-your hand cannot endure even for a moment the intense heat. At this focus you may burn all that is burnable, and that which cannot be burned raise to white heat and light. At the opposite end of the spectrum, the invisible cold ultra violet rays may have their refrangibility lowered and become visible. Thus beautiful colours shine visibly forth, and light is extracted from darkness to discourse in harmonious tongues of musical flame. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge."

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The creative architectural beautifying and vivifying process in our earth began with that wonderful going-forth of energy by whose operation light sparkled into existence. This statement is not too scientific for Scripture, though Scripture is no teacher of science. We are not would-be discoverers in Bible language of latent physical systems, but endeavour to "bring forth things new and old." "If any one were to suggest that the nebular hypothesis countenances the Scripture statement as to light, by showing how the luminous matter of the sun might exist previous to the sun itself, we should act wisely in rejecting such an attempt to weave together two heterogeneous threads; the one a part of a providential scheme, the other a fragment of a spiritual speculation." Despite this, if Scripture is assailed by perversion of science, we are warranted in the use of scientific weapons for defence. If, with the growth of science, our ideas and knowledge of nature are enlarged; so is it the crown and glory of Scripture to reveal deeper depths of meaning in the recesses of sacred language as they are searched with clearer, purer light. "I think it to 1 "Philosophy of the Inductive Sciences:" Wm. Whewell, D.D.

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Light a Revelation.

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be the character of Holy Scripture (as it is in a measure of all deep sayings, even though human) that it contains much more than at first sight appears; that it requires to be searched into, i.e., below the surface; that it yields mines of treasure when so searched, which those who are content to remain on the surface do not see." We rightly refuse explanations-fashioned by ignorance, scorn concessions, prompted by cowardice, and rebuke those whose defences are rather surrenders than vindications of sacred mysteries. The Bible

speaks with words that live for ever, and utters truths which only ages of advanced intelligence can fully understand; artless for the childhood of our race, and in highest style of wisdom, for those who are great in truth.

In stating the scientific aspects and explanations of light, we not only aim at vindicating the accuracy of the Mosaic account, but convey other lessons. In those simple but grand words," Let light be and light was," we have in briefest form the most comprehensive expression of Almighty Power working according to Infinite Wisdom. Light stands at the summit of things, so subtle, so delicate, almost supersensuous, as were it a link between spirit and matter. A creature, shall we say, of infinite extent, of unsurpassed beauty, entering all worlds and passing beyond all worlds, itself unseen yet revealing all things, being a revelation of the works as Holy Scripture is a revelation of the thoughts of God? Light, alone among all the divine workings and products of nature, is found worthy to symbolise the Divine Being Himself. In it we have deep and real analogies of the seen and the unseen; and in it, as an unspotted mirror, we behold the image of God's goodness; light is revelation.

It is time for all who would live the higher life, to learn that contemptuous negation of Scripture—that other Revelation, is not wise nor safe. Men of faith are supplementing faith by knowledge. Men of science must add faith to knowledge. Before fighting as to the colour of a shield, both should regard the other side. The two hemispheres of faith and knowledge unite in the full orb of a perfect life. The faith that listens and obeys, ennobles the science that greatly

1 "Daniel the Prophet," Intr. p. Ixxv.: Dr Pusey.

achieves. The physicist, as physicist, can know nothing concerning the true doctrine of Holy Trinity; nor can the chemist, as chemist, solve the salutary doctrine of redemption; these sacred verities are the other side, the spiritual view of things, which the natural man cannot discern so long as he will only see the near and physical. The perfect man possesses that scientific mind and that religious mind which, as two eyes of the soul, view both aspects of the universe. As an accurate thinker of widest range, his piety, chastened by actual knowledge of nature; and his science, elevated by more and more discernment of the spiritual in the secular; he is prepared to dwell in everlasting mansions with Him whose visible garment is the beautiful life and glowing splendour of many worlds.

Shall we, whom religion and science unite to teach that creation is extending dominion over chaos, use light only to photograph Egyptian sepulchres? Shall we, while carrying it into subterranean depths, forget that spiritual phenomena are also a definite part of the organic manifestation? Are all high things explained by the lower? or, rather, shall the lower find true meaning in the higher? Space exists for matter, matter for life, life for spirit; is there no existence, no life, apart from matter? May there not be intelligences existing neither in space, nor out of space, but with eternity as home? Are not space and time two sides of the ladder, whose rungs are those grades of infinite organisms, those ascents of life, those elevations of human soul, by which intelligence travels up to heaven, and above heaven unto God? Holy Scripture speaks of angels, of archangels, and of bright abodes for the spirits of just men made perfect. Why not believe it all? Some maligners of Scripture seem to have lost all that divine magnetism by which the good and true are drawn heavenward? Are we, who possess it, to deny the blessed influence? If the internal structure of an atheist's mind, has, by continual denial of the Divine Spirit, become wholly material and sensual; shall we account the churl liberal, the unbeliever devout, and declare that we also are nothing but atomic arrangements containing certain mixed gases? Some critics call Shakespeare a wild genius without arrangement. Truer

Ascents of Light.

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critics find that he is an artist of first order and accuracy; ever rising to that height which, as he cannot be followed by the feeble, nor the ascent be seen by the dim, is by them counted mystic and unreal. These are the men who find the Bible a common book, and complain of every part. What matter? despite wit and malice, perversion of learning and wickedness of unbelief, it guides the intellect and cheers the heart of the greatest of our race. It is the light of truth sent out by the Almighty to lead them, and bring them into His holy hill.

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STUDY IX.

DAY II.-"GOD MADE THE FIRMAMENT."

"Was wär' ein Gott der nur von aussen stiesse,

Im kreis das all am Finger laufen liesse !
Ihm ziemts', die Welt im Innern zu bewegen,
Natur in sich, sich in Natur, zu hegen.

So dass was in Ihm lebt und webt und ist
Nie seine Kraft, nie seinen Geist vermisst."

GOETHE.

"Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."

ISAIAH.

THE second day's work was not praised for being good. We know not why, unless the work, being imperfect as to the earth until the third day, and not complete as to heaven till the fourth day, the blessing waited for the delicately formed plant and the cheerful sun, when it would be well seen that God filled the earth with the fruit of His works, and covered Himself with light as with a garment.

The sacred narrative of the earth's early state would naturally have that meaning applied to it by early and unscientific men, which the appearance of things suggested. Being told of a firmament dividing the waters above from the waters below, they possibly thought of a transparent floor in the skies, on which the upper waters rested, and may have pictured "the earth standing in the centre of a hollow crystal sphere, in which the stars were fixed like golden nails;" but observation and reason soon showed that rain could not descend through such a floor, and that the waters above the firmament were, as St Augustine thought, in a state of vapour. Even a rustic would not think that the sky was a solid vault, nor call the stars bright nails fixed in to hold it up. The Hebrew people saw birds soar aloft, and the moon cross the

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