The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-11-17
The Lecture Season,

Last evening, Rev. S. Foster d. d., delivered pre-.
iimnary lecture of on geology in tho Greene
street Methodist Episcopal Church. OF which he is the
pastor The course is to consist of Ave lectures for
which the charge dollar-single lecture quarter
is course excites morethsn ordinary interest," from
fact that clergyman has taken the stion In
geology usually adopted by those who the Mos c
count OF the creation, and who generally denounced
by ministers e the gospel n6dels. The attendance
last evening good, and included large number Of
ladies' The lecturer had orrery globes, geological
charts &c, to which he pointed in illustration of his
views The lecture general statement OF the theo-
res he intends to prove in the future lectures He
mencsd by combating the theory that the universe
created only six thousand ago. He said that
of the fxed stars which had recently made their appear
ance distant from the earth that calculating the
velocity of light 1t impossible for the first ray to
reach this planet in much shorter time If light travel
led ut the speed Of twelve millions of miles in minute
the light OF these stars would six thousand
years. This therefore, perhaps his rash asser.
iionthat the not made six thousand years
ago he then proceeded TO state the nebulou theory
sun was originally nebu,ous formation and 'hs hs
its revolution It acquired density, and tarew of
the planets, which vere all liquid at first, aud
became soIahed by time 1t Is fodnd he said that all
tie planets are obong spheroids; they have long dia
meter and short diameter The cath ia shorter in It'd
diameter through he poas than the diane er Though
he equator, by twentyss miles. Saturn is shorter in
its polar tnan In its equatorial diameter, by 500 miles
hnc Jupier by 5000 But then tless planets very
large. Nhat the OF ihsl Why are the planets
not an exact sphere The theory has been laid down
aud see no reason to reject it, that the planets were
originally fluid This theory will account tor what we
If the earth should suddenly stop its motion the
waters at the equator would overflow the poles aud de-
luse them six mites deep Theirs is another fact which
iasors this dea The planets revolving round the
make their revolutions all in the pane from which
1t inferred that by the revolution of the great
each planet has been thrown OIL from time time
the direction; and moreover it is found that the
planets increase in density they are near the sun
the lighness Of tho bodies increasing they are dis
tnnt from the central body. They increase too, ia
magnitude, in the ratio OF their distance. The belts
Of Saturn, also go to establish the same theory
Saturn has two rings and is supposed that Neptune
has two also Saurns inner oet is 10 COO miles distant
from that planet, and II 900 miles wde pretty broad
ribbon (aughter) and leo miles thick The outer belt
is 10, eco miles fnrther and 600 miles wide and 100
miles thick Both belts along with the planet around
the sup This theory explains the phsnomena
But theory may explain all the facts and yet not b
true. But then on the other hand, it may be tru
Whether true not it is not unfavoraoe TO religion an
it Just good for God TO make the world in that way
sny other lie then proceeded to discuss the gneou
fusion Of the globe This theory that the earth was at
face 6rst which consequently became hard crust while
inside there was, al d now is hery OCEAN that the
crust is only hundred miles thick. In favor Of this
theory s the fact that IL the earth ind ia
the beginning, the very appearances would
exist The volcanoes tho earth's surface amounting
to about 400 favor this theory being so many safet
valves Some cf these volcanoes have poured out tor
rents Of lava sixty miles broad and sixty miles deep m
ing up the entire space between two mountains.
They said 10 be everlasting We shall tell their date
in the next lecture. Earthquakes, however, are re-
garded as the results OF the action OF central fire.
operating from Within outwardy An sarthquake
the same unduntion the surface tha produces
when forces up ice Earthqu quakes therefore, which
shake the ears crat w broken ice the surface of
undulatng water, can be explained by the theory of
central Of liquid fire. One earthquake has shaken
the globe for two thirds oi the its surface
Another fer H. Coo miles, and spacs in extent of
1000 square miles The spherodal form slso in favor
fgneous fusion But the nportant fact s that
xxha bpra fka pnyth IN fpnfor
find the temper ature and the heat just in
proportion you proceed dec into the earth And
If the heat INCREASES in the ratio for fifty miles
would melt IRON and at 100 miles 1T would dissolve
substance found in nature. The next fact s the
paratve density OF the earth The earth only Eve and
o half times dense water. If it ali solid il
would be million oi times denser. For instance,
air at the depth Of thirty miles in the earth would be
heavier than the water drink by Of the great
Of the upper strata of the atmosphere upon It,
In the centre of the earh burning and srgug up for
millions OF years since the earth formed and wh,1
will continue for millions Of burning without COOLING
just immense cannon ball. formed OF melted iron in
foundry would cool first the outer surface and If
through would be found liquid within II is also with
burning ioling beneath his feet. The last fact
in oof Of th;s theory that all the original rocks are
o, an gneoas formation, and these go all around the
earth All that are not the outer surface, and
have grown since All the underneath chrys
tazed and therefore the result of Are The lecturer
and pointed out from coored charts the action of Hq aid
FIRE upon them This visible in the very stones that
constituted the pavements cf streets. He Cid not
think there anything in this theory opposed to re
gisn.
The rsvsIened gentleman concluded BY benedicton