San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1888-07-19
THE COPERyICAN SYSTEM CALLED
IN QUESTION.
[vogOlsang's oosmos.l

ALL textbooks on philosophy explain
tho earth being round, and that wo nre
living on the outside curve of globe,
"because wo can start from point and
travel east or west and arrive at tho starting
point.n Now, in the name of common sense,
what wonld hinder q man to do the same
thing II the earth were fiat, or II we were
living on tho inside of a globe. For an
other reason they give, THAT the highest
part of ship approaching in the distance
is seen first" But II We trust our oyes and
believe the earth to be rs round as IL ap-
pears TO be, by observing the coming or
going of vessels, then the whole earth could
not hold q portion Of the United States.
The sun and moon look largest ut their ris-
ing and setting, when they nre farthest from
u.s. this is no reason for believing tho sun
and moon TO become smaller rs they ap-
proach the earth. Our vision il 30 con-
structed that it does not show things In
horizontal distance neither in their real po-
stion, size, color, or distance. Tho only
true vision we can obtain from heavenly
bodies. is to look at them when they are
within about one degree of the zenith, and
tho only true view of the shape of the earth
wo can obtain, Is by looking down upon the
Astronomy has, ever since its introduc
ton by Copernicus, been fluctuating. Leav-
ing out the odd, single, tens, hundreds and
thousands, the father of modern astronomy
put down the distance OF the sun ut three
millions of miles; Kopler thought the dis
tance to be twelve millions of miles; Riciola,
twonty millions. Sir Isaac Newton
taught twenty eight millions and fifty-four
millions; he never was able to decide upon
which was the right number. Benjamin
Martin, in 1854, taught the distance be-
tween eighty-one and eighty-two millions.
Thirty years later astronomers in general
accepted ninety-three millions of miles.
To-day the distance is extended between
ninety five and and one hundred and four
millions of miles. As to the constitution of
the sun and the cause of its energy every
thinking man has theory Of his own; and
they oil differ widely.
The astronomy of tho Bible does not
vary; it is simple and more reasonable than
the incomprehensble concoction of the
star -gazers, from Copernicus to Proctor.
Herschel gives the following illustration to
give On idea of the relative size of the sun
and the planets in their orbits: "Choose
plain and make it as level as possible.
| On it globe two feet in diameter will rep
resent the sun; Mercury grain of mustard
seed on tho circumference of circle l64
feet in diameter for its orbit; Venus pea,
on circle 2S4 feet in diameter; the earth,
also. o pea, on circle of 430 feet; Mars, n
rather large pins head, on circle God feet;
the Asteroids, grains of sand, in orbits 600
to l,2O0 feet; Jupiter moderatc-sized
orange. in circle of nearly half a mile
across' oaturh, s'nai JI"s f,u s;ya5
OF lour-hl'ne oi nn, 49," tho o;rrnnfer.
cherry, OF sinait PUN, upo ,,,;la amd
ence or Slrcie VI ihoio snan 80 ,,i,,,,, an
haif; ana Neptuhe eoou p haIe l.,
circle OF acou' .~o .ii.os n.;a. A. ~ tha msnrid
aiaineter UP ieptone t,'S.i , 40 ;,;t;otod
Is only lnteiiig'oie w 'sone %ia.,'' W." Io,ns NJ
INTO tne inys'erleS VI hop'o. A. ,,I,torot.,
the uneniighteneo ill'iuna' .an u n..aabars .o
sailor II Is ncomprehe.sio.'; ou. oparaI ~ hoy
teachers anu .no Soien',s.o hnth,n,o,;cs
oefore tnis iuoi VI coli's ,,.nnid hu
baseo upon presumption "u'' "pA'' -
fraud. NIL, ,;,o., >, .
The astronomy Oh lne olpie oUnSia' .1 onS ,n
the earth the priIciP"l woiN'' Sn1 o,.Id.
moon the prlhcipai lurhi'uio ,n .n' Wv. ~, -,
the interior ana exterior PiAue', a.H AS :.
rank, and the otne' st"rS Vi ii.''1 lnP ae
tance ana lnSiRhiiicntS IN ln ~ -
JOB Is the question: Doso NV ..
ballanclngs OF .he ciouus. s. .s 81 Al, -
his disciples II they Knew WIN. onu'eu ~, III III
WIND. our ihouerh ,eA. ooohs van na ~
about II, ana "here tneio 10 ono
the bioie written on cieution anu hmnaroJs ~
our modern libraries con'aln l arI;oot
volumes written Oh tnat Pnluou:.nai :.a euoJo'
how the sun, stars ana e'irtii' Will :ne "n
NAL and Vegetaoie kinSuonlS o"iie ., in.o III,
istence, profuseiy Illustrated VIII :h, ooosy "s
pictures. In all instances III INC nioi0; ,T, Tuu
despises the knowledge OF ihen' CO
works of God cannot oe rouhu OUT ooio-
mon says, God hath given ino oIi'a.n
knowledge OF the thln8s thachre I"inoty; W
know how the world was MACS anu .no pns
nomena OF the elements; the pe8ilnins' euu-
ing, and midst OF the tihcs; Tue "i'ein.ions
of the turnings OF the sun, ana lne cn"neos
of the seasons; the circuit OF the ye"ts anu
the place of the stars solomon III .ls Wild
dom did not see tit to reveal tnese thines
Christ reVeaieu tn'S huo"io w.. Gov q
ciples; and this knowledge got iost ior
divine purpose-to make 1t possiole ior o'.-
tan to engraft upon the churcn tho oopean,,
can system of astronomy. we beheVe III u
heaven above and nell beiow' anu 'na'
man was created 10 increase nnu nlua''pl;, r., ,
and after the resurrection 70 transform into ..o
celasI ial beings, to Keep DonNeu anu tuc
mighty machinery in and under the eartn
in order, and also for the purpose 70 per
form drama Tor the amusement VI mug a.sSio -,
according to the progromme, as deplcteu III
the Great Pyramid in Egypt. IL lS reasoua-
BILE to suppose that the Copernlcan system
was engrafted upon the church ior 'ne pur-
pose of DETECTING portion OF the iarge
stream of the more lntelhgent SOUS win
heavenly tendencies into heii' where more
intelligent labor was needed. Nevertheless,