The herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1835-1837, 1837-04-20
SPOTS ON the sumo Nature Of the Solar sys-
tessa.-- Religion and Philosophy oo1"S



has been exhibiting the spots on the sun, to the won
derng loaiers around the Park, at sixpsnce sight,
and making good business Of it during the present
pressure in mercantile affairs.
II appears that for some time, the face OF the sun
has been covered with number of dark spots, which,
in astronomical language, called Openings"
shadows" aridges," and "corrugatons." In the
early ages of the world before the fanciful iniag
nations of men, elevated intellectual over physical
creation the great luminary Of day was considered
he father of the word-the divinity himself-the
Mace of happiness hereafter and the great OF
life being and existence. Such worship was prsba-
bly the first religion on record This feature in early
civilization is equally apparent IN the remotesl ages OF
every race and Of every continent.
Subsequent discoveries brought about by the i'm
provemens Of science and art would really appear to
be Joining the past with the presen-and to be carry
inc the mind back TO the ideas of remote antiquity.
The sun is the centre of our system. Around HIM
revolve all the planetary and comctary bodies, at
certain distances and separate orbits In form, the
sun is a spheroid, and has motion of its own round
its centre. Many observations have been made to
10 ascertain the exact time of this revolution, but
hitherto has baffled all astronomers. The highest
calculation, is 81 days IL hours and 20 minutes-the
lowest Is days 10 hoursprebably truth lies between
the extremes.
Besides the motion of the on its own axis, and
the several motions Of the planets and comets in Their
separate orbits of which the sn is the centre there
is general motion of the whole solar system, sum-
planets comets, satellites, and all their appurtenances
through the boundless regions of space at an neon
cevabe velocity, in a direction towards that con-
s,eationin the heavens called Hercules. The rapidy
of this general motion of the solar system, onward
into the regions ofeternitys utterly inconcevablc We
have calculations of the rapidty Of the planets round
the sun-and the speed Of ray Of light from the
the carth-but the motion Of the system is beyond
any figures or fluxions. The nearest approximation
to this speed is the variation increase of the long
tude of the fixed the earth, watch is found to
be equal to 10 25 in every hundred years-but when
the sun and all the planets may land at the end of
time, no one can tell.
Astronomers have endeavored to ascertain the ga-
ture of the sun and planets-their sizc-bodies-and
whether they are fitted up for the habitaton of living
beings.
From analogy, and from the discoveries already
made Of the surface of the moon, i is generally be-
hev9d that every planet IS peopled with animated
beings. For long time, however, It was supposed
that the sun was simply the source OF heat andlghi-
that it was ball Of original firc-and only useful as
the viycr Of the system of which II was the centre
Astronomers of late begin to have different opinion
OF its character. BY narrowly watch ng the spots
lis surface-notcng Their changes-thelr recurrence
and disappearance, it IS now nearly ascertainod that
the sun is q body Of the same general character as
the earth, though probably Of much superior quality
that it is surrounded with luminous atmosphere,
filled with empyreal and phesphoric Clouds and that
there is great vacancy between the atmosphere nd
the inner body of the sun. Thelgh and heat received
by MS on earth from the sun, produced on the out
side of this aimosphere-on its upper strata on some
thing like The same principle on which tho Aurora Be-
reals produces its phenomena.
Fire or heat is not alone produced by the sum-
THIS original substance pervadcs all matter. Over
the surface of the EARTH the indeed produces the
light and heat that we are receiving for animal and
vegetable life but by the recent discoveries of geoo
ev We know that mote intense heat exists at the
centre Of the earth than that produced by the
lis oatsdc or crust Heat therefore, is an element Of
matter, and is no more monopolised by the than
by the earth.
Bu. The most remarkable phenomena connected
with the SUM- are the differences drawn from the ma
ture number and charace of its spots. These spots
are classified by philosophers on the system We have
already described They indicate the remarkable fact
tina, the sun is habitabe world surrounded by lu
minous atmosphere variegated with beautiful clouds
with openings here and there, through which the in
habitants, both male and female can look down upon
the worlds attached to system and smile or frown
upon our doings below. II is also asccrtaned that
according TO mathematical calculation, man of this
earth. would weigh two tons, thereby indicating that
if the beings living the surface Of the sun are Of
the same size as we are, il is highly probable, their
bodies are composed of the light and airy sub
stances spoken Of by ST. Paul in one ofhis eplstes,
which man will put on after the resurrection.
Taking all these singular facts together, is it not
probable that the heaven and happy hereafter which
20 ardently seek in this world is situated in that very
lumnary of day which anciently the deity and
the hope of nations and which still rises and up
ON us here below. I'm the Acts of the Apostles il is
stated. tina, when the Saviour Of the world, beau
tiful Sabbath morning, had pronounced his parting
bcnediciion over his disciples, men and women,
he was taken up to heaven-"And when he had
spoken these things, while they behcld him, he
was taken up and cloud received him out Of
their sight" The direction, therefore, which the
Saviour took in his ASCENSION the highway
10 the great luminary Of day-was the heavenly
road 10 some of those bright openings, as astrono-
mcrs call them, which appear on the apparent sur