Danger in the Dark - ZseZse

166 DANGER IN THE DARK.
persuade myself; that I am not an atheist; yet am I
inwardly conscious of bordering upon it."
"Alas! my son, that is a comfortless theory; a chilling,
dark, and dismal prospect for the mind's eye to
look upon! But I see not how, with such reasoning
faculties, you can possibly resist the abundant evidence
everywhere unfolded to us, that there is a God
of infinite power, wisdom, and goodness, and that the
human soul is of immortal destination. The Creator
is seen in his works; his glorious attributes and perfections
are impressed upon everything around us;
they are unfolded in the heavens above, and in the
earth beneath I"
" I know 'tis common to extol the works of nature;
we laud creation as complete and all-harmonious;
but can we find nothing defective 1 Is there no
clashing nor discord ill the operations of nature ~
Have we not seen the vernal season gayly usher in,
nature put on her beautiful garments of living green,
and the blooming earth everywhere give promise of
abundant fruits - then suddenly, and in a day, the
warm, balmy, and life-giving breath of spring, is
changed to a chilling blast; there comes a nipping
frost, like a cold-blooded assassin with cruel intent,
blasting the numerous tribes of flowers, tender plants,
and budding fruits! Yet see we no disharmony in
nature's vast empire 1 Whence come pestilence, famine,
floods, droughts, desolating tempests, earth.
quakes, and volcanoes 1 Undeniably, there are disorders
in natnre; beside, the world is full ofmorsl evilI