The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1884-02-02
LIGHT OUT OF DARKNESS.
Facts and Fancies OF the
Electric Light.
What the Council and Reporters
Saw at Elgin.

1t is no longer question Of Importance
whether II was six thousand years ago, a.
one now calculates time, or six or any other
number of ages, AS the scientists reckon it
that the Divine command was given, Let
there be light Bat the theory of creation
at some time in the impeuetraolc past is an
accepted one by all enlightened nations and
people. Nor is it with tie purpose of raisiEs
any theological points that the writer asks
the reader for once to take the fist chapter
of the Bible and carefully consider it by the
light Of the electric lamp We are told 1T
the outset that "ln the beginning God crea-
ted the heaven. aud the earth" but that the
earth had no form, and that darkness pre-.
vailed everywhere. The theory advanced Is
that the act Of creating, which is an attribute
Of the Divinity alone, was the formation o.
the molecules which were diiiused through
out space. Any and all matter is but the
bringing together Of molecules of like char
acter by an agency called, for the sake Of 3
name. attraction" So when "the spirit OF
Goa moved upon the face of the waters" who
will say that it was not His setting electrical
influences at work, and that attraction ard
repulslon, under this magnetic influence,
was not the very commencement of earth's
creation? The vast body of chaotic dust, as
it would then appear to be, once set in mo-
ton, would naturally create friction, and
friction results in white heat and light We
are told by the divine writer, in the third
verse, that God said, Let there be light,
and there was light, the natural conse-
quence OF the motion already induced. How
long this attraction and repulsion of the
molecules continued before enough OF them
were thrown ont from the great chaotic mass
and brought together in separate bodies 10
form the earth and other planetary bodies,
the suns, &c, does not matter-some say one
day, Others call it one age or period. But
the forces which threw them OF were suiii-
ciently great to prope them on orbits, and
the electrical influences still at work and &C.
celebrated by the recent events poarized each
mass and gave IL revolution upon its own
axis. The second step, day or age, whatever
term the reader may he pleased 70 apply,
witnessed the establishment Of a armament
or heavens, there being vacuum in which
no molecules or PARTICLES Of matter remained
between the body that was to be called the
earth and the other bodies Of like nature that
were revolving with It around one common
center. The third age brought the still far
Their cooling of the surface OF the earth, the
of land, aud the condensation
of vapors into water, and the growth of vege-
tatlon. During this period there was noeun,
m N 10 ~ rit ba
table growth was stimulated by the general
electric light that prevailed throughout
the frmament-a light not unlike those
great electric belts that have twice within
the past twelve years been observed to span
The heavens Of this latitude, or like the cleo
trcal clouds that tioa,ed away toward the
,euth'durng that great suroral display Of
two years ago. It was also during this age
that large quantity OF this chaotic mass
was drawn together towards the center OF
his universe, forming one grand globe,
around which the earth and the other planets
we're revolving. Highly magnetized as it
vas could The result be different than that
proclaimed in Gen. i: l4-1S, wherein the sun
s fixed and made to shine? 1t is q theory
ADVANCED ny some GOou WTlberS tHdt the sun
eceives its light and electricity from the
movement Of outward bodies which pass
apdly around it, the earth being one Of
hose bodies. When the full machinery o.
he universe was set in motion then the sun
,ecame and Is still the first great electric
amp, the motion Of all the members Of this
olar system supplying portions Of the dyna-
no, while "a strongly induced current Of cleo
rcty passes from our sun and planets out
yard to other systems, through nebul1 IN
heir order, and 80 on until it returns again
o our own, the circuit having been com
,leted.
The writer admits the theory advanced is
Hsceptibe both TO criticism and enlarge
nent, aud that it is merely suggestive But
he fact remains undsputed that electric
light and sunlight are one and the same;
nd this brings us down to consideration
Il the events Of this age.
ELECTRIC LIGHT.
How the ancients managed to get along
without even gasligbt will remain q matter
4 wonderment for all time to come. Histo.
v tells us that il was not until 1872 that