New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-23
THE LECTURE.

THE LECiIbE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN: i was rather hor-
rined when I the TO find circulating a
certain paper regarding myself Crhis d bographi-
cal sketch with portrait) really have not the least
objection 20 this but should like the audience to know
that I had nothing TO do with its circulation. JAP.
plsuse
There are few subiect. more difficult more fun of per
pexes than the thought OF the origin Of the solar
The powers that have been given TO maDnot the
Individual. but the race-have been great. The mys-
t<ries lie around him greater yet and IL seems
almost hopeless that shall be able TO recognize any
thing az to the laws according 20 which our system
arose And yet that is very it subject which
may exercise HE thoughts II is well for
follow out the paths that 20 lead him back
ward TOW ard the origin OF system He need not be
afraid whatever HE religious feelings may be, to follow
out those paths long they lead him 10 facts II
may be that he follows them he will find views that
he entertained before II may be that he will find
much perpexty; but inasmuch as the work is study
Of seoncethat TO say knowledge of the works and
Of Godit cannot but lead 10 higher ideas of the
wisdom andiomniscience Of the Almighty
offer this preface of my treatment Of the subject Of
he evolution Of the solar system, because strangely
enough. many look with doubt and almost with aver
on inquiries OF that They seem TO be afraid
ahat too much Will be discovered They are men full OF
rlnSps feeling, but they doubt and think that the
leading stu lem OF science may Justly say them
ye Of little faithi Why are ye 20 fearful" But think
both student OF science and the tbeoogian should
have charity, one towards the other. II does
seem a misfortune when We find
on the hand the believer in religion
tauntng the of who takes this special
work for his speaking OF him as an lnde and ar II
hrs purpose evil. On the other hand, cannot
adequately resssthesindgnaton Il feel when hear
the student Of sciencesometimes it happens; thank
God DIT often-expressng doubts TO the real
Truth and impuguing the religious belief Of those who
differ with him on each side there should be charity.
There great deal OF truth and Of the love OF truth in
human nature Both sides calling for the truth, and
it seems 10 the greatest possible misfortune when
they fan out with each other
yHE EVIDENCE OF GROWTH IN THE PLANETARY SYSTEM.
Now II look around at the condition of the plan
eary system find 10 lead the belief that
81 grew TO IT. present state that there was process of
its development Take the primary planets. In the
hrst place that all the planets circle In the same
direction around the There eight primary
planets asteroids and all these bodies travel
the same direction around the SUM- Then every one Of
tho bodies whose rotation has been deter
mined turns IN the same direction. More
ever, the four satellites Of JupeR the one
earth and the eight of Saturn, travel st in the
same direction and We find only exception, in the
case the satellites Of Uranus, which be said to
travel the opposite direction, II, the course Of travel
beng nearly upright compared with the planetary
orbit they be said TO have any direction. As far
As they have any direction, however h worthy Of
mote thai Is contrary direction 70 mat WHICH the
planets travel around the sun.
Wen, find many Of these sNilarities, concerning
which bound think, by the laws of probability,
10 believe that they from some process OF evo
luton. OF may believe, IL VIC choose, that
the Almighty ordans everything In that way; that
every planet created In the first place moving in
that directions that thus everything about
formed The student OF geology too may learn Of the
existence living the earth hundreds Of
years rast; but wo may believe, II choose that all
those Fossils signs planted there by the Almighty;
that they not the remains OF living crea-
lures but mere appearances 1t seems TO me that
that is painful belief, making the Almighty God
give evidences thst merely lead men astray. And,
therefore when find these facts N the solar system,
D. 10 natural and rtghtfOr usour reasoning 20 wers not
beng given for nothng4t IL night for us TO try
and conceive how that state OF things arose. The
actual probabilities great against anything like
chance distribution OF tire solar system. particularly
when remember there i42 primary and secondary
plaDets and when we take into account their motion
alone eaeh circng around the in the direc-
ton
IAFLACE's SEBULLR THEORY.
The chance that lie going IN direction and the
ae1t going direction only one chance out
Of two and the chance that q third would 60 Ia the
same direction is only one chance oat Of four ; the
chance that fourth would likewise is only one out
Of eight; nth, one out Of Is; 80 We must go on
doubling until 1nd that the chance Of l42 plan cts
going around in the same drecton-I hope you VIII be
sse c Goo 600 600 600 90 COO 600 COO oeO 600 Laugh.
Ter and applause But that is not ALL The way in
which the planets travel r. fact itself
indicate certain process OF evolution by which they
have a particular motion. Now II consider the way
in which motion FIRST led to the by.
pOtbesis of the French astronomer Lspace. Lspace.
In his explanation OF tins motion, had the idea
that there great Debulous having the in
me center, extending either side far beyond the
extension OF the path OF the uttermost planet
that path OF 900 miles diameter and the nebu
IONS systen Of IAiplace extended beyond that That
msss wss intensely hot and vsporous, and 1t was
rotating and the rotating mass contracted and II
legan 10 rotate RAPIDLY the result that ring
~ss thrown of by centrifugal force. In time the ring
would gradually break up, It's parts would gradually
amalgsmate many parts ~ouia nave ulnereh rates vi
Other aud in the course Of millions Of ages there
would be amalgamaton INTO one mass, having
tbe ssme direction Of motion that the neDuous mass
ssa and travelling around center which was
the sun tins minor mass went on contfactln3
xould follow the law the original body which
ave birth 20 IT, 1t would 20 contracting. and go
more and rapidly perhaps t would tnro~ on true
rings, which would become sateintes go sne n 800
direction while she takes S65 Gays IN gong around tne
SUM IL with Jupiter ana Saturn and al tne
plapetA-all IN rotation in the same direction lhat
process 20 until planet after another was
formed Aud 10 that the solar economy ss we Al
TSst h roush account Of the nebular hypothesis Of
Ispsce II TO that there Is great dncuity IN
tbe way OF accepting n In the frst place we have
nothing lead believe that great nebular mase
~ an enormous dimensions and extreme tenuty could
rotste A. q whole exist as whole. We have no EVIL
10 lead believe that the rngs of Saturn
,,nnons solid We know they could not exist
.anions rlngs and have the evidence and accepted
tseorv that they multitude oil separate satellites
could not h&ve ex'sseo - "no'e A"" ro'A"o a.
hae.As, mint; That nebulOus rotating by uni
form PROOFS 1 sa.s law sssoestips the
with their Dimensions and that IA We
raw \ isI frsH betDS tbe eas@ VIC hASc Ihfes WATTS