New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-08

we are concerned 1t has been sad tnat te very uoa
or the progress or time implies beginning mas beeh
sad that the very idea OF space implies limit but we
know II has not limit SO we ind ourselves, whether
we consider space or time, led 70 inconceVapes' '&
EVENTS AND MATTER OCCUPYING TIME AND SPACE.
Now let US consider that far as we know they are
occupied by events and matter What are the events
that have occupied tno and tho matters which nave
occupied spacei The matters that have occupied
space those which astronomers have
brought 10 our mind-worlds, systems, systems OF
systems uuiverses collections OF unlverse-and
the mnd is carried on To Yet higher IDEAS OF what occ
pies space But as 70 what occupies time we recoghzo
continual action In those parts or space one upon an
other. We recognize a sun gathering IN al
around IT. deriving power fTom the IND lnara Az
creatures that live upon the worlds around. We recog
nze all the progress of time, and in the regions OF space
We recognize the continual action OF power Iheie Is
continual force and continual energy we are told Dy
science that so far as our knowledge goes there Is a
end TO all that energy The EARTH for Instance, was
once an orb like the sun. which gradually parted Win
its inherent heat until t reached It's present stage
tire when 1t will be Ike the moon wheh " VIII nave
dismissed inherent heat and longer be ut TO be the
abode of life Passing the other side, TO orbs
like Jupiter In longer state than this earth, sun
instinct with their inhcrent fire. and still higher
than that We come TO Orbs like our sun,
III to be the center OF schemes of circling worlds We
find these various orders, and recognize the 1ac at
the orbs OF our order passing rapidly down TO the
order The is gradually parting with its inhe-
rent heat, and VIII unquestionably assume one day or
another the state oil tae planet Jupiter
Then again the planets Jupiter and saturn are passing
down to lower order Our earth is passing down to the
SiNSt '"N ,HNVu S0N'' ~ A'V - 49,
parting with ITS inherent heat aud there is conn-
ual progression from the higher to the lower orders
Imply on one hand beginning from which
all these orbs arrive at this state the other hand
when all the orbs in the universe will be equal In point
Of heat and then although the force in the universe will
remain unchanged, the real acting energy depending
we know IL does on temperature, Will have passed
away That Is the view 10 winch We seem tending.
THE ATTRIBUTES OF DEITY DEDUCED FROM ASTRoN
ONLY.
And thus we come the conception that there is in
the universe, quite apart from all ideas of God, infinite
power We have been led then from the thought
OF infinite occupied space to the thought
of infinite time occupied by events, and
now to the thought OF infinite power;
and yet all these ideas are utterly beyond our powers
Of conception Why, then, dismiss the ldea Oi GOd
merely because He is beyond our powers of concepu9n
The maeTiast is right when he says this or that doe
will not admit II; the idea OF space IS lncOhcelVaDe'
that must admit the idea OF Infinite time Is lnc0
ceivabu, thai must admit the idea Of Infinite power
is incOnceiyaDle but taking the view that minute
spnee Cnd ir5Gte time brought 10 knowledge,
We ulust admit idea OF infinite power.
Why. then. sop short OF the idea of infinite wisdom
ana berehce1c5 or the design or the creator merely be-
10 is something that IS ncOncelvable 10 US Il
seems TO me- then we may larry turn RON TINS TO the
consideration OF the possible attributes OF Deity with
being disturbed by the thought that the very notion
Of tIe Deity-ot being INFINITE III existence lnhne IN
space infinite In me Infinite IN power Is nc0ncelvaDle
Whv, those very attributes that have been as
crbed TO Deity are the things We nave been forced to
see. We began with intnty Of space, and 10 is ntMty
attribute 10 tNt AlnlgHy. we are leu from
that 10 lntnlty OF uhe; thence u an hhh OF power;
and IL is by that led 10 the mere physical con-
sidcraton OF the qualities OF tie universe Thus, then,
naturally we may TURN 10 te thought OF posSloie quar-
ties the part OF the deity ana the IN which, IN
sense, lls authority may be exercised over the
dOminlOus OF the universe rake, Tor Instance, IRE
which we became acquainted with the nature
of the universe and Iet US remember how utterly gene
those senses are on now narrow oasis we lofh an our
conc gpnons OF the universe. There are nYe Feeble
senses only one Of those senses the sense Of
space and that existing Ouy in two small pupils
winch are to tell us Of the unyerse We may. indeed,
extend the powers OF the eyesght nv means OF me te
scope but then In point ~ fact do not use tue WORD
in esD see as through glass darby because we nave
only small part, sHlH poI.IOu VI tIe neaN cS u 1t
out into view and 1t is only by combining the views
thus formed. comb ming them IN the ludslhalo' tnst
we can form AN estimate OF the fea wonders winch dP
pear; can imagine wat might De seen II
power Of the increased 10 that OF the arg,
the power OF the increased million fold be-
You'd that of the largest telescope; the wonderful dis
plays OF the darR clouds nd masses d matter sdheiins
in various portions OF space Tue power OF FcCOS4iZn-
their motions as he telescope enable Ae astronomer 10
That is something the feeble sense OF sgnt only
adequately extended might bring before us.
THE VAST VARIETY OF THE UNIVERSE.
But now let us consider the field through which the
action o; the Almighty extended And here we nave
the teachings of astronomy before We have thought
Of the wonderful power displayed but have not CON
sdered the wonderful variety. We have In our sollr
system for instance the great central orb that controls
the system an orb swept by cyconic storms surrounded
planets differing from ech other IN hnii there Is the
terrestrial order OF small planets ana giant plants Tue
systems. All are travelling around the sun We mus
recognize the fact not merely OF variety DuJ Jhat ese
varieties must extend through uhnty We see that The
various suns, for instance, are not anhe. Some are
double and others single; some are variaOIc and
others are fixed. Thcn We come to these wonder
full star clusters changing IKE clouds before me
Summer breeze. We see al these processes
in worlds circhng around these suns.
Then are lei to The question OF NE life in other
worlds and OF infinite life. have brought 1t before you
with detail IN tnis the conclusion OF tAls course OF
lectures because the theory O lie in Otner worlds We
have a theory which, suc seems to limit the domain
Of life. According 10 II our world Is probably the only
Inhabited world OF the solar system according 10 IL,
probably in not more than two member. o. tnat system
is there any life at all Bat then when we remember
that the systems are NUMBERED by mhIlOna, ana
that there is an iniy OF 10 suns ,dao.roc,
and that in answer to another class OF thinkers IRON
the infnty OF numbers we nave DO rlgnt 10 say nv
life does not exist where there are no creatures To STUDY
them. ,.,--.,.
do S de5y 10 I exeep in relation to lie s it
would be unreasonable 10 deny existence III TINS
it TO admire the WORKS OF u2u seen
from its surface. And after that me great i
point that study Of astronomy chiefly we nave
brought before various forms OF lntny and various
forms of ncOncevabeness and that this inconceyabe-
iS he dealt with mere as thcy affect our powers Of
conception, and it is no answer 10 any form of religious
inconcevab that there should be miracebut here we
have science teaching the infinite and the nconceiva-
ment that such and such a work nconcciYabie, for
after ALL Is only Uncomfortable TO Us because 1t l. be
yond our experience.
why should We say it is ncOnceiya6le as overthrow
ing any religious form OF beeii IL seems 10 me- then
the instructive part which astronomy brings before us
are these Observation-Disclosures, for there other
studies which lead down in an opposite direction an
Infinite smaness iucoDceiyabe lnfinlty OF division
and subdivision, and II well be there are no limits
10 that direction also There other thoughts We
are apt limit conceptions with the view which Is
brought fore 1t seem strange and startling
Thought that the very possess may be merely
lower form, 1t were, OF possible modes OF existence
THR sHoRTNESs OF LIFE COMPARED WITH TIE
LENGTH OF TIHE.
We see different modes Of eXstence-the existence OF
te mineral the vet hipher OF the Negetabe. and