Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-01-22

windows of heaven were stopped, and the
rain from heaven was restrained"
We have but 10 refute this theory with
the fact that comet could not remain
long enough IN the vicinity Of the earth
10 produce tide at all, and this is not n
mere theory but matter Of conclusive
demonstration.
We have now an interesting question
presented 10 us. Ii such swarm OF
comets are moving in our system, may not
one Of them by possibility strike the
aarlh9 1t may. What then are the chan
cesa La Place has calculated these chan
ces, and in his calculation has assumed
the greatest conceivable number. BY
his calculation he estimates the chances
at 2Sl 100000 to !. In other words,
when The next comet makes lis appear.
ance, you may safely bet against the CON
tingency of its striking the earth, or il
would be On equal bet Of 1921 100000
to 81.
A discovery has recently been made Of
the most interesting character, viewed in
its moral and religious influences. Obser-
vations have been made with regard 10
two of the comets Eucke's and Beller's
peculiarly suited to the purpose, which
have thrown new light upon the nature
of that space which lies beyond the at
mosphere Of our planet. Until these dis
coveries, it had been generally supposed
that this space was perfect vacuum.
Now the comets we have are, compared
with the fluid called ether, infinitely voIa-
tile and light, and have thus proved in the
existence OF medium while the planets
have not betrayed il. Now we know that
if cannon ball and piece Of swans
down were allowed to fall from the dome
Of this house into the pit, the cannon ball
would rush 10 the ground with resistless
velocity, while the swansdown would fall
with very uncertain motion and occupy
a considerable time in reaching the
ground. But mark the dlference--if we
could produce a perfect and absolue va
cum, one would fall with precisely the
same rapidity Of the other, and degree
of force acquired only from the abstract
effect Of the law Of gravitaiion. Now
what the cannon ballls to the swansdown,
the planet is 10 the comet.
The motion OF the comet has proved
conclusiyely and beyond all doubt the cx.
istence Of a resisting medium ia the fields
OF space. This resistance is exceedingly
small in its application to The planets, but
distinctly pefceptible in lis effect on the
comets; we know, however, now beyond
controversy, that this medium must effect
the planets, and retarding their motion to
a certain extent must be constantly and
gradually urging them, pressing them in
ward in their orbit nearer to the sun -
Thus we find that the common stamp Of
dissolution is upon all created things, and
that it Is final result from which even
systems, themselves have no exemption, --
Ii is fact that the earth, with all the plan
els revolving with it around the sun, have
a common destiny; they must all in the
process Of time rush into the SUM- The
term Of human life and Of the existence Of
our system, have each their prescribed
limits; The only difference is that the close
Of the one is more remote than that Of the
other. give this only as an astronomi-
cal fact, but an undeniablc one. II is not
my province 10 enlarge upon its moral
and religious infuence; leave that to its
mure appropriate association with the du-
ties and labors Of the sacred desk, and the
exercises of the Divine ambassadors Of
God upon earth.