age, could be formed until that
subsidence should have ceased. The manner in which the islands are
formed makes this obvious.

When the coral reef, as it is called, reaches the surface, it advances
no further. Soon the action of the waves breaks off the branches of the
upper portions of coral, which are tossed upon the reef, and pulverised
into fine sand. This goes on increasing until the island rises a little
above the waves.

When this happens, birds alight there; sea-drift is carried thither;
seeds are blown to it by the wind; and gradually a few green blades
arise. From this little beginning it is easy to conceive the process by
which at last a flourishing island springs up. At the same time, it is
not easy to see how such islands could ever be formed on the supposition
that the submarine rocks on which they were founded were perpetually
subsiding.

But be that as it may, we have no difficulty in understanding the fact
that the coral insect does build those islands. It possesses the power
of secreting the lime held in solution by sea water, and depositing the
same on the rocks below the waves. The coral rock is the edifice of the
coralline. The insect itself is a soft and very minute worm, which,
when washed by the waves, thrusts its head out of its tiny little door,
and spreading abroad its numerous feelers, so that it resembles a
beautiful little star, moves these about as if enjoying itself--though,
doubtless, it is actually engaged in the process of manufacturing its
little atom of coral rock.

It is extremely interesting to think of the immense power of _union_
thus exhibited. Singly, those little creatures could not produce a
sufficient result to attract the attention of any creature save such as
chanced to come in direct and close contact with its little cell.
United, they have formed vast islands, which have become the abode of
man, and which, in the aggregate, form no inconsiderable portion of the
globe.

The consideration of this leads us to perceive that God has ordained
that units cannot, separately, accomplish much; and that united effort,
in order to be successful, requires the harmonious action of units. "A
house divided against itself cannot stand." The innumerable and
eminently beautiful isles of the Pacific had never stood where they now
stand if the curious, and separately insignificant, little architects
that reared them had not wrought unitedly upon a fixed and systematic
plan-