Sugar planter. [volume] (West Baton Rouge [i.e. Port Allen, West Baton Rouge Parish, La.]) 1856-1925, 1860-04-07
THE SUN and NOON STANDING
STILL.

This story is SO improbable, that
the bare mention of it marks a mans
credulity, so as to render him the
object Of compassion. That an ig-
norant and extravagant fanatic
should attempt to defend such absur-
dities would be a matter of no sur
prise; but to witness, as we some
times do, a professor Of divinity,
an educated man, bring forward
arguments to prove the truth, of so
ba~re-faced a delusion, denotes at
least a want Of prudence. We can
not persuade ourselves that he Sc
riously believes what he writes j; we
cannot think him capable of falling
at once into the most gross as
economical and historical error.
W. shall state the matter briefly.
There was a tradition in all an
tiquity, and particularly among
the Egyptians, relating to that mo-
ton o. the earth's axis which has
been observed by astronomers, and
whose complete revolution around
the four cardinal points take up no
less than 100000 years. In the
course Of this revolution, it neces-
sarily' happens that the sun will
rise where it sets, that north will
be south, and SO On. The Egyptian
priests pretended that this revolu-
ton had taken place in their coun
try without changing the climate,
while the Babylonians maintained,
in the time of Alexander, that 40,
600 years had elapsed since their
first astronomical observations
This, no doubt, was the time that
must have elapsed since the earth
moved north and south. The Egypt
ian priests, long before Herodotus.
had lost their knowledge of astro
nomy, which accounts for the mis-
take they made. 1t is evident, that
the displacement Of the earth's axis
must be accompanied by the heav-
lest gravitating matter. and there
fore, what is now land, has been
and will, in the course of ages, be-
come sea. Now, what has the
Egyptian tradition to do with the
sun stopped by the robber Joshua?
What connection has the stoppage
Of the sun, or more properly the
earth's motion, with the sun rising
where itsets Were the thing posi-
bic, the sun would nevertheless rise
in the east. Besides, does Joshua say
the sun changed in its course7 Had
this been the case, how could the
earth change its axis in an hour,
without SCATTERING the whole globe,
without inundating vast tracts Of
country, and tearing others asunder
to re-establish the equilibrium Of
gravitya Priests should study and
consider, and not attempt to ridi-
cule the specktic, when they fall in
such absurdities. Let them read
Chinese history, and it will be found
that their careful astronomers did
bot perceive the long day and night.
1t wasprobable that the sun of Ju-
dea only that altered its course; they
did not seem to be enlightened by
the same luminary. Those who
believed that heaven was made of
crystal, could find no difficulty in
crediting this silly story.
But it is sometimes said that the
necessary proof of the great mira
Gle referred to, may be seen in the
lost book Of Jasher. This how
ever, deserves no more considera-
ton. To deem an appeal to a lost
book evidence of a prodigy, be-
cause the author afiirms it. IS a de-
gree Of credulity which may gain
the kingdom of heaven; but, in the
republic ofletters, such believer will
pass tor a very poor reasoner. Are
these mirecles and histories better
attested than the History of the
Twelve knights of Charles the
Great and such other foolish tales
Surely, none can believe that ID.
600 men fought against the Midia,
mites, and murdered a prodigious
number, without having lost even
a man, and disbelieves the famous
battles Of Knights, in many of
which six men fought several thou
sands the conversation Of tho Do-