196 The Spiritual Life.
oftheseparatematerialsmakingadesertwhere
beforewasafertileplain,and yousay: "See,
thisisevil." Yetwiserminds,onthecontrary,
regardit as part of the regenerative processes
of nature bywhich,bydisintegration and col-
lision, new combinationsare rendered possible,
the face of the earth is changed, mountain
rangesare thrown up, rivers and channels are
created,andbymeansofthisviolentdestructive
agency new continents are built, homes for
higherformsof lifearerenderedpossibleinthe
course of the evolution. Let us pause for a
moment and contemplate the way in which a
continentisbuilt. Letuswatchthetremendous
actionofthosevolcanicforces,andatoneplace
see a mountain range flung up; then let us
watch the formation of mighty glaciers, great
massesof ice,and see them presentlybeginto
grind their way down the mountain-side into
theplainwhich lies below; see theirresistless
course, ploughing out their way, and listen as
theygoon,smashing,grinding,shivering,tossing
upmasseswhich fall again rebounding; watch
theprocessesofthatworldofstruggle,of strife,
of noise, of disturbance, of difficulty, and see
themarshallingofthoseenergieswhichseemto
beworkingforruinand fornothingelse. But
ascenturies goon,and stillyou are watching.
