Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-10-05
THE GAZETTE.
WEDNESDAY MoRNING, OCTOBER 5, 1859
THE CLOCK IN TIE HEAVENS.

A vivid illustration Of the swift passage
Of time may be seen any clear evening IN the
rising, elimination, decline and setting OF
the starry heavens. To mark our progress
towards the vanishing point OF our earthly
existence, the Builder Of the skies has fitted
IN the vast illuminated machinery Of planets
and stars AS the great chronometer OF dura-
ton, by which we may measure with perfect
accuracy, the timesand seasons, the days aud
years. For this purpose were the signs
placed in the armament when the earth had
been fitted up rs mans dwelling place
land God said, let there be lights in the fir
mament of the heavens, to divide the day
from the night; and let them he for signs
and for seasons, and for days and years"
David and Job, and other sacred writer's,
ms they gave utterance to their reflections
upon the power and greatness Of that Being
"who stretcheth out the North over the
empty place, and hangeth the earth upon
nothing" had occasion to speak OF the car
cuts of the sun, and moon. and stars; al
though the knowledge they possessed of the
heavenly bodies must have been limited,
compared with modern science. The lesser
circuits are types Of the greater and subllmer
motions Of the heavenly bodies in years ana
cycles as they roll on TO accomplish their vi,
innate and grandest cycle around the central
Throne of God, where, in the sublime langu-
age Of the Scriptures, 'Were IS neither Pdrdt'
lar nor shalow cf turning"
year is not an absolute. but relative pc
Rod. A year Of the earth Is more than
twelve of the moon: and ayear Of the planet
Neptune is about 100 Of ours; while a year
of the sun, in his sublime circuit, is about
$1,000, 600 Of ours! The duration of a
year is marked by the regular periodic re-
currence Of similar phenomena. 1t IS that
which repeats itself successfully and yet re
mains the same.
To estimate the relative magnitude and
distances and circuits Of the heavenly bodies
the lights in the frmament--is study az
delightful as it is profound; and it prosecu-
ted with the right frame of mind, if we may
.'look through nature up to natures God" it
is adapted to inspire the mind with rapturous
emotions.
By this estimate we not only ascertain
the causes Of the seasons, and the magnitude
of the year, but embracing the known and
probable circuits Of the starry systems, we are
able to form some comparative estimate OF
the vastness of eternity.
The comparative insigni6cance of the brief
space OF time permitted US here on earth, will
appear from the following views:
See, then, the moon revolving around the
earth the earth and other planets revolving
around the sun the sun, with all his re
tinue, with o vast number Of other suns with
their systems revolving around Alcyone, one
of the seven stars and these, with an in
conceivable number of others, performing
other and grander cycles, till we embrace the
entire system Of material universe, encircling
with sublimest grandeur the one eternal
centre, the Throne of God.
But we shall fail to appreciate these grand
movements without some comparison OF the
periodic times of these celestial bodies.
Observe, then, first, that a period of about
COCO years has elapsed since the creation of
man: and, second, that the sun, though
moving at the rate Of IS ,OO0, 900 miles year,
requires alb ut $4,000, 600 years to perform
his sublime journey! Then it would require
1000 such periods as that of mans history
each 6,OOO years, for the sun to complete his
circuit around the Ucutrol etar Of Pleiades !
What conceptions must we have at oil ade-
quate to appreciate the magnitude of that
duration necessary for the entire starry sys.
TENS to accomplish single circuit around
the Throne of Heaven
If the periods of regular revolutions bear
proportions at all corresponding with these
unreasonable distances, how would language
fail and mathematics be taxed to its utmost
to represent the magnitude of that duration
required to complete an entire circuit OF the
system Of the universe! And when that
period, beyond computation, has rolled away,
and the hour-hand Of the great Clock of Ma
ture has returned to its former position,
Eternity, with its ever-increasing joys or sor-
rows, has but just begun!
In that awfully sublime career are we
borne on the swift wings Of time; and when
we can estimate the magnitude Of that dura-
ton, we can begin to apprehend the import Of
the question propounded by Him who made
the heavens and ordained these circuits, What
shall a man give in exchange for his souls
Several years ago. when playing with one