C. W. Stayner

“ No doubt, because the angel could see prophetically that when the time should arrive for him to deliver his heavenly message, at the hour of God's judgment, the whole world would have reached what may be called a scientific age, an epoch of "Materialism" a time when the universal scientific thought would be centered on that which was material in its character; and that people would be more devoted to searching out the matters of the visible world, than the hidden mysteries that lay beyond the vail. ”

“ Thus the heavens in their glory, the earth with its rich blessings, the seas upon which we ride, and the "fountains of waters" that supply us with an element without which we could not live, furnish us with a chain of material evidences, of the existence and goodness of the Deity, that cannot be successfully denied. ”

“ The beneficial effects of the sun's light cannot be too highly appreciated, and, in contemplating its blessings we are constrained to "worship God who made the heavens." Let us now consider the earth; take for instance the atmosphere which we breathe and by which we are sustained. ”

“ He taught him how the people "who dwelt on the earth" might also be thus exalted to be angels of God, and finally Gods themselves; how they could scale the ladder of intelligence step by step, till they finally overcame all evil, and sat down at the right hand of the "majesty on high." Read and consider the beautiful prophecies in the Book of Daniel! ”

“ The sea is their home, from the smallest specimen that floats near the surface, to the huge leviathan that lashes the ocean in his fury. They are perfectly adapted to live there, and the element is specially fitted to supply their necessities. ”

“ And yet a single sunbeam, which no one can paint or define, looking so innocent and colorless, is found to consist of seven colors, and will penetrate the deepest darkness and reveal all existing objects in their proper and actual form and color. ”

“ Although men have discovered comparatively little with regard to such matters, and even in our own solar system are at a loss in some things, still enough has been discovered to create wonderment and inquiry as to the origin of the worlds that "roll upon their wings" in the firmament, and I believe I shall be endorsed by the highest scientific authorities when I say that they acknowledge the existence of a master intelligence that organizes, sustains and controls the universe. ”

“ Upon the surface of the seas are the vessels of the commercial world, laden with treasure, and down in those almost unfathomable depths are found endless varieties of the finny tribes, that delight to dwell there, and are so useful to man. ”

“ Now, some people have thought that there was too great a proportion of our earth covered by water; but scientific men, who have thought deeply on this subject, declare that if there were any less, there would not be sufficient to furnish moisture for the fertilization of the land. ”

“ Up in these glorious mountains which have inspired the Saints with a love of liberty, we can see and hear the rippling brook as it escapes from a bright, cold, pure spring in the nook of a can [y] on or the crevice of a rock! How is it formed and sustained? We find that through the process of evaporation before alluded to, moisture is drawn from the oceans and lakes up into the clouds ”

“ Through passing through the lungs it becomes so highly carbonized that it is unfit for our use; the large infusion of carbonic dioxide it receives through the process of respiration, renders it poisonous to men and animals ”

“ Plants thrive on it, and vegetation generally, receives its chief nutriment from that impurity which animals could not endure. Scientific experiment has proved that a sprig of mint placed in a bottle of air rendered impure by respiration or putrefaction, will so absorb the impurity, and nourish itself on the unwholesome carbonic acid gas, as to again render the air sufficiently pure to sustain human and animal life. ”

“ He saw that men would reach as they have done, some conclusions concerning the planetary bodies, and establish some theories, the correctness of which has in certain instances been proved, as particularly shown in the precision with which eclipses are predicted, that frequently occur within a minute, and even a few seconds of the time designated. ”