April 20, 2026
— Wikipedia · Source: "Daniel Jerome Macgowan," Chinese Wikipedia (citing Wylie, Memorials of Protestant Missionaries to the Chinese)
Psalm 104:24 How many things you have made, O Lord! In your wisdom you have formed them; the earth is full of your riches.
In Ningbo, Daniel Jerome Macgowan both healed and preached while writing books to introduce Western natural science; his work echoes Psalm 104. All things are not a chaotic jumble, but an order woven by God's wisdom. When we observe the veins of a leaf or the speed of lightning, we should not only marvel at their apparent beauty, but also deduce the "unknown" creator through these "known" natural laws. True "practical learning" is not merely accumulating knowledge, but cultivating a sense of awe. In this age of information overload, may we not be lost in the forms and textures of matter, but like the sages of old, decipher the profound message left to humanity by the Creator in the function and reason of all things, and find the essence of life.
O Most High Creator, I praise You! For how vast and profound is Your creation, and the earth is filled with Your riches and wisdom. Lord, grant me a keen yet humble heart, that in the process of investigating things and seeking truth, I may not become proud, but rather, through the wonders of creation, trace back to You, the source of love. May my wisdom not remain superficial, but rather extend from the known to a deeper longing for You. Please teach me how to make good use of the principles You have given me in all things, to live out "practical learning" in the workplace and in life, pursuing not only efficiency and functionality, but also the manifestation of Your justice and love. May my life be a witness to Your wisdom, and may I behold Your glory in all things. Amen.