Page:God Manifest.djvu/297

 need of medicinal drugs. It is a beautiful arrangement, indeed, of Divine Providence, that since evil does exist, it should be in a manner its own cure; that one material form or effect of moral evil should be made the instrument of removing another, probably a kindred one: thus far, at least, the homœopathic principle would seem to be founded in truth. As to the consumption of things in a corrupt state by insects and other filthy animals, there appears to be observable the same or a similar law, namely, that like cures like,—and also the working of a similar good Providence, turning bad things to the best account. The effecting of these few and comparatively trifling uses, however, is not sufficient to account for the creation or existence of such animals; for the same ends could be obtained at a much less expense of comfort. The farmer, for instance, would very readily be at the pains of burying all the carcases that might be found on his land, if he could be spared the discomfort and loss caused him by noxious insects and destructive worms. Besides, it is, after all, only a very small portion of these noxious things that can be turned to any use whatever. What is the use performed by the tiger and the panther? what is the use effected by the locusts,—which come in armies, and, crossing a country, consume every green thing off the face of the ground? No! we must not expect to escape from the difficulty in this manner;—we shall find but little satisfaction or success in seeking to account for the existence of the innumerable noxious and destructive things in the three kingdoms of nature, by supposing that, after all, they are not noxious, but useful,—not evil, but in some mysterious way beneficent and good. No! the real truth is, that these things are