Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation. . . . for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of water shall he guide them. — Isaiah.
In the midst of the highest mountains the traveler often comes upon small lakes lying like gems among the hills that tower far above the haunts of men. These deep, well-like lakes are filled with water so clear, cool, and pure, that the question often arises in the wayfarer's thought, "Why is this pure, invigorating water gathered here so far from those who would gladly drink of it, use it in tilling their stony, barren lands, and enjoy its beauty? Could not God have placed it lower down among men? Could not some other outlet have been found for it than these beautiful but useless cascades, too far from human habitations to be utilized in manufacture, and seen only by the most venturesome hunter or mountain-climber? How much good it would do if it but lay farther down, where it would be within the reach of any one who wished to use it."
Such thoughts are often voiced by those who think they could improve upon the conditions and arrangements of nature so as to give men more and better opportunities for acquiring comfort and happiness. They completely overlook the fact that if the deep bowl formed by the mountain tops lay at a lower altitude the water would not be so pure, and that if it were in the lowlands it might be an object of beauty to the eye as it reflected the skies above it, but it would be little more than a reservoir for the drainage of the lower hills.
