The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-04-23
The Creation of the World.

The second lecture by Prof. Doremus
on the Agreement between the Mosaic
and Scientific Accounts of Creation, !"
was listened to, says the New York
World OF Thursday, by large audience
at Association hall last evening. The
lecture last night was to show that
"when the elements combined, the i'm
ponderable forces were set free," and
the various possible combinations of
| elements were illustrated by expert
ments, for performing which apparatus
was in readiness upon the stage. Prof.
Doremus, previous to beginning his
lecture, reviewed very briefly the argu-
ment of the last lecture, in which the
chaos of science was compared with the
Mosaic chaos Referring to the two
methods employed by chemists, the
speaker said he would this evening en-
ploy that known as analytical, and he
Immediately began his experiments,
first showing that two colorless gases
combine, giving white sort of smoke.
Another illustration of the readiness
with which gases combine was shown
by allowing peculiar gas contained il
q phiai of water to escape and come in
contact with the oxygen of the air. The
effect of the contact was bright burst
of flame, from which wings of white
smoke arose. The professor then
showed, by means of an oxy.hydrogen
blow-pipe, how brilliant a light and
powerful heat could be produced by
union of the two gases. Placing a
large iron file in the flame of the Jet, it
very soon became heated, and then
burned like charcoal, finally throwing
small particles of its melted self about
ia a most dazzling manner. A lot of
iron filings produced an even more
brilliant light. By combining gases
it was shown that not only intense
heat or lights, but lights of various
colors, may be produced. This was
illustrated by throwing sprays of
a certain metal into the flame of
Bunsen burner, and producing
a very bright red flame. Profess
sOr Doremus said that all of the grand
discoveries in regard to the prepordera-
BILE forces have been made within cen
fury, and most of them within briefer
period. Metals of various kinds were
used by means of an electric battery, and
the hight caused by these experiments
was so intense as to be unbearable by
the eyes. A current of electricity pass
ing through carbon point produced
heat so intense as TO Immediately infuse
a copper coin placed between the poles,
and heat that will melt nearly any
known metal. The important uses of
the spectroscope in showing the exist
ence of metals burning in the sun and |
stars were described aud the light from |
burning certain metals was analysed, |
with prism and thrown upon a screen, |
while the hall was darkened 10 show the |
bands. The prisms used were one OF |
flint glass solid, and the other hollow |
one with glass sides. A number of in |
tereSting experiments were performed |
with magnets, and the Morse system of |
telegraphy described. The professor
also explained the working OF ths deli
cate needle by which messages are re-
ceived by the Atlantic cable. Prof.
DOremus showed how chemical action
is converted into electricity, magnet
ism, heat and light, and how also by
heat the electric current is formed. He
described the effect of applying gal
vanic battery to the body of dead an
imal, by which the eyes will roll and
other lfe-like action of certain muscles
take place. By means of a battery |
water was rapidly decomposed into its
elements, and by the same means it is |
determined that all earthly substance |
is composed OF minerals. The lecturer
said that he had urged for many years
that this city should have s3me means
of illuminating It's port. Africa even,
he said, was ahead of the United States,
because there the lighthouses are pro-
vided with electric lights, while here
we rejoice in what is called the lard
oil light A bright electric light was
produced, and photograph was taken
upon the stage. In conclusion, Prof.
Doremus repeated his assertion that
there is a perfect agreement between
the scientific theories and the accounts
of the creation in the first chapter of
Genesis. -