The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1875-09-24
ON SCIENCE AND ART.
NUMBER THREE.
BY o. P. MASON.

We have now traversed with the
mind, infinite space in a circle of nearly
six thousand millions of miles in diam
eter, and have yet measured but span
of the endless realms of infinitude. We
have just reached the border of our sys-
tenn, but still outside of this, in the dim
vista of seeming nothingness, worlds
and systems of worlds, whirling around
grand and majestic suns, continually
exist. Far beyond this system have
described can be seen unnumbered suns,
Sparkling with eternal glory" They
are called "ixed stars" from the fact
that they always appear to US to be in
the same place. These stars are so re-
mote that when viewed with the tel
escope they appeared even smaller than
when viewed with the naked eye, and
are divided by astronomers into various
classes or magnitudes, and are each sup
posed to be a sun like unto our own,
though some of them many million
times larger. Around these systems of
worlds revolve other systems, each
performing its functions in the great
system of the universe. All these stars
were divided by ancient astronomers
into groups and figures representing
various beasts, animals, etc., and de-
nominated consultations. The inag-
mary outlines of these animals are
yet retained for convenience, and in all
maps of the heavens now made these
figures can seen. Twelve of these figures
are called the signs of the zodiac,
sometimes the consultations of the 20
diac. These consultations extend from
the Tropic of Cancer to the Tropic of
Capricorn, and the sun appears to us to
travel back and forth once each year,
from one to the other, producing our
seasons, but in reality it is the inclina-
tion of the axis of our earth to the plane
of her orbit, as she makes her revolu-
tion round the sun, which produces this
effect. These consultations of the 20
diac in ancient astrology were very
important; in fact, upon them astrolo-
gers based nearly all of their calcula-
tions. I speak of astrology from the
fact that it was so closely connected
with ancient astronomy-but, like my
thoIogy, it has not many advocates ot
the present day.
Light travels at the rate of nearly
two hundred thousand miles per second
and admitting the creation to have
been some six thousand years ago, wha
a vast number of seconds have elapsed
since that time; and yet science tells VI
that there are suns so remote from III
that one ray of light from our sun ha
not yet reached them-for space is un
limited, and throughout its broad eX
panse worlds on worlds exist.
Now, taking this view, and admitting
that this system to which we belong i
but one in the unlimited number whicl
comprise the universe land perhaps
smaller system at that, for each one Q
those fixed stars which ornament an,
bedeck the blue eoncave on a cloudIes
night must be sun like our sun, an
the center of a solar system of its OWL
!, and we must not deny to each the dig
nifty which it is acknowledged that ou
sun possesses. And supposing tina
around each of them, as a common Ger
ter, innumerable worlds revolve, planet
as large as Jupiter, as Saturn, as Hel
schel, with unceasing regularity an
precision, performing their periodicf
4 revolutions, and rejecting for momer
r the countless thousands Of these sy'
# TENS, and bearing in mind the grea
distances of each of those suns, the on
y from the other, we find that the min
r fails to comprehend the vast extent {
: space which they represent, or th
. boundless realms of infinitude.
e With these outlines of the gener;
}, principles of astronomy, we will no
: proceed upon our course of reasoning
> and deduce by analogy from these pril
ciples the evidence that supports til
It proposition that "distant worlds are il
: habited;i but first allow me to say th;
!; "infinite wisdom is a distinguishin
j. trait in the character of the Gre;
g Architect" have taken it for granite
II that all admit that there is a grea
q all-wise, overruling Power, the Create
j. and Preserver of the universe. Who
j. so dull as not to see something majesti
y ally sublime in that grand system
: unnumbered worlds which surrount
s. us? Who will say that chance hi
5. placed them there ? that chance hol'
. them in their places? that chance d
n rects their movements? that by son
great, mysterious freak of nature th
a earth on which we live, clothed with i
y rich verdure, and diversified vii
" oceans, lakes and rivers, mountain
y valleys and plains, has been throw
'e into its present position in the univer
9r &c and without any apparent cause whir
ID in ethereal space, for thousands
,e years, with unceasing regularity al
10 precision, that it follows in its etern
!. course from year to year, through trac
a less space, freighted with its myriads
n intelligent beings? Who can belle
that those beings, endowed with reasC
y and understanding, capable of feeliI
A. for others woes, of rejoicing in prospe
l. itv and sorrowino in affiictiOD and