The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1881-02-09

WHICH, % VI OuI pthiift, ISIS icH1
the water in an invisible form, gTadu-
ally sscends the mountain slopes,
and as it goes higher becomes more
condensed and finally forms into
clouds, and covers the mountain
tops. This presence OF clouds, as the
presence OF snoW, is a convincing
evidence OF the presence OF water,
and therefore the existence OF land.
Moreover the light from this star has
been examined by the spectroscope,
and analysed. the test thus applied
also adding to the proof that Mars lie
divided into land and water az is our
planet. All these things chow that
1t is in a condition for the existence
of lite; and ] cannot conceive OF such
a beautiful planet as Mars, possessing,
as it does, air, snow, water, and ell
the forces necessary to the existence
of life, and yet no life upon 1t. Yet
this planet gives evidence OF decrepi-
tude. On our earth, the proportion
ia about three-fourths water to one
fourth Of land; while in Mars the pro.
portion is about equally divided be-
tween land and water. Taking the
proportion OF earthly element, under
which 1t supports its most highly de-
veloped existence as three-fourths
water as to one-iourih land, and the
claim OF goelogists that as the earth
increases 10 age it will gradually be-
come porous-like pumice, for in
stance-and absorb the water, into
consideration, and then considering
that on Mars the proportions were
about equal, it is ola more advanced
age than the earth. And as these de-
velopments, or decays continued, the
amount Of water would grow steadily
less, the air would become rarer, and
the conditions favorable to life would
decrease; but it would take millions
Of years yet before thas state was
reached. Professor Proctor illustrated
these points by his views, and showed
that in Its present state any part or
continent on Mars could be reached |
from any other part or cont. |
nent By land, or water, and that
in the course OF time the same condi- |
tions would exist on the earth; but
in Mars ell these things showed the
evidence Of decrepitude and old age,
and decrease in the life conditions. |
The reflection that these beautiful
worlds must pass away, naturally pro-
duced sad impression, and we
would turn to the Moon in the hope
or the thought that evidence could be
found that would relieve US OF the sad
dening effects OF what We had already
seen. The Moon vas devoid of water,
and il it had any air, it was exceed
ingly thin, so thin that were we
placed on it We could not live because
it would be impossible to breathe it;
which evidenced q stage of death.
10 observations of the Moon, it had
been noticed that it was filled with
eraters. and ranges of mountains; the
crateTs gave evidence of grest internal
eruptions at one time, and one of
these craters, known as the Metro.
politan, was fifty miles in diameter.
Some parts of the Moons surface
we're brighter than Others; those
brighter were the portions which had
been thrown up by internal con.
WILSON'S, and the other had been the
beds OF its oceans. As on this earth,
water always seeks lower levels, go
on the moon it had run down the
sides of mountains, carrying with it
the fine earth, grinding and making
it of finer texture, and changing the
color. This had been deposited in
the beds OF the ocean and accounted
for its different or darker color. The
volcanic eruptions, the mountains
and craters all gave evidence of the
fiery, molten state, and the presence
of water showed the presence of q
state OF life. Now, there is not the
slightest evidence of the presence OF
water IN the moon. which absenoe
units it for life. Besides, it hal no
air, or it was 80 exceedingly thin thai
it would not answer for the purposes
of life. After explaining to the audi
en2e that air was luminous, az seen
on this earth, Illustrating the
idea by stating that we could
see on the shady side of
mountain, and tina. the light came
from the air above. he called atten-
ton to the dark shadows on the
Moon. Where the sua did not shine
directly there WAS nc light, as was in
dictated by the black shadows shown
on the opposite side of mountains
from that on which the sun was
shining. Moreover, on the Moon.
even at mid day, stars we're visible
all the time, and the sky
was perfect black, showing
beyond any doubt the absence
OF air, or if there was any, it
was OF an extremely rare kind. This
also showed that there could be no
life there. These facts, together with
the absence of seasons, the length of
days and nights, the extremes of heat
and cold, showed clearly that there
could be 10 life on the Moon, and |
and that it was dead planet. Even
az the moon had gone through this |
stage, so would the earth; so would !
our sun, though it might take eter-
mites of time, to conceive Of which
the mind of man was utterly incspa-
BILE; so would Sirius-a sun 1900
times as large as cur sun-and so will
all other stars, all other planets, and
all gslsxies OF stars, have their birth,
development, life and death.
Man thought in times past that
this earth was the largest: but now it
is but the smallest speck in the
heavens. So with time. Man thought
that time was confined within bounds.
but now we know it ia beyond the
conception of the human intellect.
The history of this earth is lost N the
duration of the solar system, and that
again in the galaxy OF stars. As we
have been deceived in regard TO time
and space, it may be that we have
been deceived otherwise. 1t may be
that there Is a different kind of ma.
ter. May there not be rarer order
of universes? When we enter on the
SEES OF science there are no bounds,
and we know not what to expect. 1t
may be that cur SUMS "a are con-
tinuslly nourishing with fresh Light
and all other suns-loTer orders OF
worlds. Nor oeed We stop here. We
may imagine higher and higher
orders OF universe. all tending on
ward, and a continual interchange OF
the energies of life and force. In all
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