These movements are not in fortuitous or chaotic ways, but are doubtless in accordance with some perfect plan. We have climbed up from revolving earth and moon to revolving planets and sun, in order to understand how two or ten suns can revolve about a common centre. Let us now leap to the grander idea that all the innumerable stars of a winter night not only loan, but must revolve about some centre of gravity. Men have been looking for a central sun of suns, and have not found it. None is needed. Two suns can balance about a point; all suns can swing about a common centre. That one unmoving centre may be that city more gorgeous than Eastern imagination ever conceived, whose pavement is transparent gold, whose walls are precious stones, whose light is life, and where no dark planetary bodies ever cast shadows. There reigns the King and Lord of all, and ranged about are the far-off provinces of his material systems. They all move in his sight, and receive power from a mind that never wearies. [Page 229] XI. THE WORLDS AND THE WORD. "The worlds were framed by the word of God."--_Heb._ xi., 3. [Page 230] "Mysterious night! when our first parent knew thee From report divine, and heard thy name, Did he not tremble for this lovely frame, This glorious canopy of light and blue? Yet, 'neath a curtain of translucent dew, Bathed in the rays of the great setting flame, Hesperus, with all the host of heaven, came, And lo! creation widened in man's view. Who could have thought such darkness lay concealed Within thy beams, O Sun! Oh who could find, Whilst fruit and leaf and insect stood revealed, That to such countless worlds thou mad'st us blind! Why do we then shun death with anxious strife? If light conceal so much, wherefore not life?" BLANCO WHITE. [Page 231] XI. _THE WORLDS AND THE WORD._ Men have found the various worlds to be far richer than they originally thought. They have opened door after door in their vast treasuries, have ascended throne after throne of power, and ruled realms of increasing extent. We have no doubt that unfoldings in the future will amaze even those whose expectations have been quickened by the revealings of the past. What if it be found that the Word is equally inexhaustible?