Page:Dealings with the dead.djvu/223

 symmetry and beauty, can only be outwardly conveyed or expressed; if by the voice, by harmony, music and rythmical speech and sound; if by the pen or type, only in characters themselves geometrically perfect, and harmoniously so. "Now," said Thotmor, "you have seen much—heard much. I have just given you a key, and to prove your proficiency in learning, I propound a question. It is this: "What thinkest thou of Nature?" Now I, to whom this was addressed, could not precisely comprehend what he meant by 'Nature;' but naturally supposed that reference was had to the elemental disturbances and the fearful exhibition of material energy we were witnessing, and which was at that moment unabated in the least; for the storm still raged with as much fury as ever—not over the same portion of the earth, it is true, but in its own track; as it moved on its southward march. I, therefore, answered in the same silent language, "that, in view of all that had just been witnessed, it was evident that an overruling power existed, ever wakeful, ever on the watch; that His power was exercised for the greatest good of all the creatures of his love; and that God worked mysteriously through nature, expressly to effect the good of human kind." To this general answer he responded: "Right: but what think you of Nature?"

Here was a repetition of the identical question already propounded. It caused me to ponder a little more deeply, and after a while, thinking that this time he was perfectly understood, I replied: "It seems to me that what we call 'Nature' is simply God in action; and that God in the sublimer sense is Deity in repose."

"Apt learner," said he, "right again. But what 10