Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1857-02-10
Professor L. l.. Youmans'Lecture.

THE CHEMISTRY OF THE sUNDEAM-THE
ORIGIN OF FoRcE-sTELLAR INFLUENCES.
Prof. Edward L. Youmans delivered q
lecture on the Chemistry of the Sun
beam," before the Young Mems Christian
Association, at Hope Chapel, on Wednes-
day evening. The weather was bitter cold,
but the attendance was nevertheless very
large.
Prof. Youmans commenced by referring
to the picture in an old almanac, of a
wretched, ill-used man. pierced with sharp
instruments, and surrounded by party of
rascally animals, evidently rejoicing in his
torments. In his boyhood he had pro-
found sympathy for this distressed gentle
man, but he afterwards learned that the
figure was only emblematic of the condi-
ton of all mankind. The ancients be-
lieved that each of the twelve consultations
of the zodiac ruled over specific portion
of the human body; that all the events of
life were under the control of influences or
radiations from the heavenly bodies To
calculate the time and measures of these
influences was the business of the astrolo-
ger. Medicine was an art of divination.
Remedies were supposed to possess three
fold efficacy when prepared and admins
tered in the hour of the elimination of the
planet which especially ruled the part af-
fected. The alchymist seeking the phi
losopher's stone and the elixir of life,
wrought in his underground recess under
the guidance of astrology. All the met,
ais were distributed among the planets
The influence of the Sun produced gold,
the Moon silver, Mercury quicksilver, Ju-
4 piter tin, Saturn lead, Mars Iron, Venus
copper. Traces of this belief is found in
modern chemical and medical books, which
speak of martial preparations, or those o.
iron, lunar caustic and saturine combina
; tions of lead. Thus, in the infancy of his
being, man began to dream Of the wide
reaching unities of nature; in dim and
vague conjecture he began 10 bind togeth
er the extremes of the universe. ;F !. 81
In theprogress acknowledge, astrology
I and alchemy lost their mysticism, and be
came astronomy and chemistry. The
! were deemed independent sciences, ant
for long time the chemistand the astron
omer had no dealings; but the further de
, velopement Of science has led to thei
meeting again in remarkable manner
I, He proposed in this lecture to show the re
, lations Of these two sciences--the point
at which they instruct. a,f
In the errors of the ancients we shal
! find veins Of truth. Many Of the sober
: matter-of-fact demonstrations Of modert
, science possess degree of sublimity an
grandeur equaling, # not surprising, tn
boldest flights of ancient Oriental fancy
7 On the globe which we inhabit,t there !
o constant activity, movement, demonstra
: ton Of force. The atmosphere, the ocear
!, the streams, vegetable and animal lift
. electricity and steam, are constantly in me
tion-continually developing force. Tb
:, question arises, what is the cause or sourc
!; Of all these various forms of movement
+ Undoubtedly the primary, highest source
is the all-sustaining, all-impelling willac
+ the Most High; but as reasoning beings
y ! we are to inquire by what mighty metho
!, does that will work? Is there anythin