"If
malefactors were not punished, thieves and desperadoes, their bad
practices being permitted, would have full play. Then all order would
vanish; human society would dissolve into a chaos of disorder. God also
created laws which are necessary for the preservation of the natural
order. Storms destroy ships. If there were no storms, all growth in the
vegetable kingdom would cease. Poisonous vapors would fill the air, and
every living thing must miserably die. Avalanches destroy villages. But
if it did not snow, the torrents would no longer run, the streams would
dry up and the wells would disappear, and man and beast would die of
thirst. You see, gentlemen, God cannot abolish that law of nature
without endangering the whole creation."

"That explains some, but not all," replied Hamm. "God is all-powerful;
it would be but a trifle for him to protect us by his almighty power
from the destructive forces of the elements. Why does he not do so?"

"The reason is clear," answered Angela's father: "God would have
constantly to work miracles. Miracles are exceptions to the workings of
the laws of nature. Now, if God would constantly suppress the power,
and unceasingly interrupt the laws of nature, then there would be no
longer a law of nature. The supernatural would have devoured the
natural. The Almighty would have destroyed the present creation."

"No matter," said the official. "God might destroy the natural forces
that are inimical to man; for all that exists is only of value because
of its use to man."

"Then nothing whatever would remain. All would be lost," said Siegwart.
"We speak and write much about earthly happiness that soon passes away.
We glorify the beauty of creation; but we forget that God's curse rests
on this earth, and it does not require great penetration to see this
curse in all things."

"You believe, then, in the future destruction of the earth?" asked
Hamm.

"Divine revelation teaches it," said Siegwart. "The Holy Scriptures
expressly say there will be a new earth and a new heaven; and the Lord
himself assures us that the foundations of the earth will be overturned
and the stars shall fall from the heavens."

"The stars fall from the heavens!" cried Hamm, laughing. "If you could
only hear what the astronomers say about that."

"What the astronomers say is of no consequence. They did not create the
heavenly bodies, and cannot give them boundaries; besides, we need not
take the falling of the st