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lating waters. 2. Erasion. Every drop of water which falls on the land surface also does its appointed work of cutting away the land and bearing it away to the ocean. It is in this way that mountain and valley, peaks and gorges, hill and dales, and nearly all that constitutes scenery, has been gradually formed. Thus, throughout all time, circulating water has been doing its appointed work of chiselling and sculpturing the face of the earth into higher and still higher forms of beauty. 3. Strata. But are the debris of this chiselling, the dust and chips of this incessant work, thrown away? By no means. Nothing is thrown away in the work shop of nature. On the contrary, it is garnered up in the treasury of nature, as one of her most precious things. This apparently useless rubbish is carried down by rivers, neatly sorted and arranged as stratified sediments, in lakes and seas, and thus have been gradually formed stratified rocks—the leaves of the book of Time, in which is recorded the history of the earth.

Organic Matter. The circulation of water and air is a mechanical circulation, and the work which it does is correspondingly coarse and mechanical; but the circulation between organic nature and the atmosphere, as we have seen, is of a far more subtile kind, and the work which it accomplishes is, also, far more refined and beautiful. Matter in its downward rush from the high plane of organic nature to the lower plane of mineral matter, accomplishes work of several kinds which had been accumulating throughout all time. 1. One portion does not completely decompose and return, does not entirely complete its cycle, but in its downward course stops half way and accumulates as immense beds of coal-sun-force stored away by provident nature, which, after a sleep of millions of years, is even now awaking to complete its cycle and expend its energies in the work of civilizing man. As the great but uncontrolled power of circulating water is often stored by man in reservoirs or mill-ponds, and thus made subject to his will, so, also, provident nature, far back in paleozoic times, stored away the force of circulating carbon in immense reservoirs which man now uses as the great agent of human civilization. 2. Another portion of circulating organogens completes its cycle indeed, but in doing so accumulates iron, the second great civilizer of man. The process of accumulation of iron ore by circulating organogens is so beautiful a scientific point, that I must stop a moment in order to explain.

It

Of all known elements, oxygen has the most powerful and universal affinities. Nearly all the great chemical processes going on around us are processes of oxidation. Respiration, combustion, general decay, are all processes of oxidation. The whole surface of the earth is in an oxidized condition. The general tendency of chemical forces, therefore, is towards universal oxidation. Now, the great antagonist of chemical force in this respect is organic force. Organic matter is the great deoxidizer—and, in the laboratory of nature, the only great deoxidizer is so directly, in life-for in vegetation plants deoxidize carbonic acid and fix carbon. It is so indirectly, in death, for even here its ruling passion is still strong-if it must give itself up to oxidation it will at least deoxidize whatever it comes in contact with. It has so strong a desire for oxygen wherewith to oxidize itself, that it takes away this element from any oxide with which it comes in contact. As charcoal, at high temperature, by its superior affinity for oxygen, deoxidizes metallic oxides and reduces metals, so decomposing organic matter, by superior affinity, at ordinary temperature, deoxidizes, either completely or partially, many metallic salts and metallic oxides. Now, iron is a

very oxidable substance It naturally exists, therefore, only in the condition of peroxide, in which condition it is insoluble. But in contact with decaying organic matter it is speedily reduced, first to protoxide and then to carbonate (from CO,, produced by organic decomposition). In this condition it is slightly soluble in water containing carbonic acid —i. e., in meteoric water.

Thus, then, the tendency of chemical forces is towards the universal peroxidation of iron. The tendency of physical forces, by the distribution of sediments, is towards its universal diffusion. Under the influence of these alone iron could only exist, widely diffused, as a red coloring matter of rocks and soils. In this condition it is of course utterly useless to man. But meteoric waters, containing decaying organic matter (as all surface waters do), percolating such colored rocks and soils, first deoxidizes, then carbonates, then dissolves and leeches out the iron, leaving the rocks or soils decolorized, and finally brings it to the surface as chalybeate springs. But, unless the organic matter is in great excess, no sooner does the iron come to the surface than it again takes oxygen from the air, peroxidizes, becomes insoluble and deposits as a bed of iron ore about the spring and in the course of the stream, especially in low places. Thus, under the combined influence of organic matter and oxygen, the one acting as a carrier and accumulator and the other as a conserver, deposits of bog iron ore are now formed every day before our eyes If the organic matter is in excess-if it is not consumed in doing the work of carrying-then the iron does not peroxidize, but accumulates as a carbonate. It is almost certain that in a similar manner, solely by the agency of decaying organic matter, all those immense beds of iron ore found in the strata have been accumulated in geological times.

3. But there is still a third and probably the largest portion of organic matter which, as it runs down, accumulates neither coal nor iron. Does this portion, therefore, accomplish no important work? On the contrary, this third portion accomplishes, in its downward course, a still more wonderful work. Each organism, as it gives itself up to decomposition in obedience to the law of circulation, compels mineral matter to take its place and reproduce its form. If it must die, it compels chemical force to write its epitaph and chisel its statue. By a subtle process, little understood, as particle after particle of organic matter passes away to the atmosphere, it compels a corresponding particle of mineral matter to take its place; so that, when the organic matter is all gone, the mineral matter remains the perfect copy not only of its external form but often even of its microscopic structure. Thus are formed fossils. Thus this third portion of organic matter, in returning, has written the history of the earth. For if strata are the leaves of the book of time, fossils are the hieroglyphic characters--the native handwriting of Deity--in which the history is written. Thus, while the first two portions have contributed to the material wants of man, this third portion has contributed to the far nobler wants of his spiritual nature.

PROGRESS.

The idea of work, accumulating its results from year to year, involves the idea of progress. But, in the light of this law, what is progress? Each cycle, as it passes round and completes itself, does not close per

fectly, but leaves a small residuum, which, accumulating from cycle to cycle, enters into the composition of another cycle of longer period. This higher cycle again, as it completes its long period, does not close perfectly, but again leaves a small residuum, which, accumulating through successive cycles, enters into the composition of a cycle of still higher order Thus they rise, cycle above cycle, of longer and still longer period. Thus it is in material nature; thus it is also in society. There are everywhere two classes of thinkers; the progressives and the conservatives. The former perceives the rapid motion but not the cyclical law; the latter the cyclical law but not the accumulating residuum. Only the philosophic mind perceives all, and is thankful for the residuum, even though it be small, if it only be in the right direction.

Water and air, in their circulation, never leave things in precisely the same condition. There is always a residuum, which, accumulating throughout geological times, goes to form the cycle of the earth's life and development. Yes; the earth may be regarded as a complex organism which, under the operation of forces internal and external, but especially under the operation of circulating air and water, has been through all time developing into higher and higher life. Continents and sea bottoms, mountains and plains, hills and valleys, crag and cliff, the features and organs of this organism, have become more and more prominent, been chiselled into forms of higher and higher beauty; rivers and ocean currents and winds, the life blood of this organism, have circulated with a quicker and quicker pulse; cloud and sky, sunshine and shower, and all that give beauty and variety to this our beloved earth, has been steadily increasing with the course of time.

Organic matter, in its circulation, does not leave things in precisely the same condition. With the completion of every cycle there is a small, almost infinitesimal residuum, which, accumulating through suc cessive cycles, goes to make up the cycle of the life and development of the organic kingdom as a whole. Yes; the organic kingdom as a whole, with all its species, animal and vegetable, may be regarded as an organism which, under the operation of circulating organogens, has developed into higher and higher life, the species being successively higher, more diverse in form and complex in organization.

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Thus, also, the cycle of the individual man closes, but there is always a small residuum of influence, good or bad, which, accumulating through successive generations, enters into the composition of the cycle of the national life, and the whole social duty of man consists in this—i. e., he should see to it that the residuum of influence he leaves shall be in the right direction. The cycle of nations and civilizations closes, but there is always a residuum of ideas and principles which, accumulating through successive ages, enter into the progress of the race, and the whole duty of nations consists in seeing to it that its residuum shall carry forward the race in the right direction. Thus the law of cyclical movement is not inconsistent with the fact that "the thoughts of men widen with the process of the suns." In proportion as the race is more and more cultivated, may we not hope that the residuum becomes greater and greater and the cyclical movement less and less conspicuous. But the cycle of the race itself must finally close. The track of time is full of the tombs of dead species. Are we an exception?

The earth in its rotation leaves a small residuum which, accumulating through three hundred and sixty-five rotations, forms the higher cycle of the annual revolutions. The annual cycle of revolution does not close perfectly but leaves also a residuum which enters into the compo

sition of a higher astronomical cycle, and this again in a similar manner gives rise to a higher and this a higher, until the imagination sinks exhausted in the vain attempt to follow. The existence of the universe itself how can we avoid the conclusion?-must be determined by the same inexorable law. Mathematicians have attempted to prove the stability of the solar system, but absolute stability is inconsistent with the law of cyclical movement. In the time of Laplace, faith in the stability of the system of worlds was possible, but it is no longer possible now that geology has introduced the idea of development through infinite time. Some of the higher astronomical cycles close so nearly, leave so small a residuum, that in the few thousands of years contemplated by astronomy, it may be rejected from the equation as an infinitesimal, without sensible error, but infinitesimals accumulating through infinite time become finite and even large quantities. It is these infinitesimal residua which, accumulating through the countless ages of geology, constitute the gradual development of the universe through all time. The idea of development involves the idea of maturity, and this that of decay; in other words, it involves the idea of cyclical movement. There is no such thing as stability in things material. The universe itself is passing through its cycle of changes which must finally close the universe itself is en wrapped within the complex coils of a law which must eventually strangle it to death.

Thus the cycle of the individual closes in death, but. the race progresses; the cycle of the race closes in death, but the earth abides; the cycle of the earth closes, but the universe remains; finally, the cycle of the universe itself must close. The law is absolutely universal among things material. Where, then, shall we look for true, rectilinear, ever onward progress? Where, but in that world where the soaring spirit of man is freed from the trammels of material laws-the world of immortal spirits!

OPEN THE GATES.

BY CLARA G. DOLLIVER.

Flood-gates of labor, open wide!
For there comes a rushing, crushing tide,
To fill to its brink the channel broad;
To fill to its brink the channel long;
Till it flows to the restful Sea of God,
No weakling rill, but steady and strong-
A stream that gives honor, glory and fame
To its mighty purpose and mighty name.

Pale women kneel by its precious brink,
And beg the master to let them drink;
Not drop by drop, as they taste it now,
But freely, to quench their fearful thirst,
For Fever bends with his terrible brow,
And quarrels with Hunger for them first.
This river is labor! oh, lockman, go÷
Open the gates, let the waters flow!

Ye coward hands! the mighty flood
Is a creeping rill thro' slime and mud,
Where sink the feet of the hapless poor.
What feared ye? the spring is in God's hand;
What feared ye? He made its fountain sure,
And it cannot fail till they who stand
To-day, in crowds upon its brink,
Have need no longer there to drink.

'Tis not for man our lips would plead;
Great are his powers, if great his need;
One hour's play, and he may fling
All that an earnest woman's might,
With ceaseless toil, in a week could bring-
Her days oft touching the depths of night.
He works, is tired-but is paid its worth;
She works, is weary, and-what says earth?

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