The Delta independent., 1890-01-21
sPRoGREss OF IDEAS"
Synopsis Of Mr.. Phelps Lecture De-
livered before the Pupils aud
Patrons Of the Delta
High School,

The lecturer began by saying: 1.-THE pres.
| snt IL the child of the past, The future is
moulded by the present. Past, present and
future are ideas arising only from change Of
| relation, These changes OF relation we call
! facts. Every fact is related by indissoluble
ties to every other fact. 1t Ia the corrella.
tion of the eternal forces"
The relation of facts and ideas were care
fully traced. 1t was clearly shown that
advanced thoughts Of to-day are but "The
refined offspring of our harhario ancestors"
to psychosoic was given. The influence Of
individual thought from the worlds lead
err, was traced. together with the inventions.
A careful analysts of the growth of popular
educational thought from time when priests
only were supposed To be worthy Of literary
knowledge to present, in which every one
Is man only rs he thinks for himself, was
reviewed. The lecturer gave fitting tribute
to the great Bruno and his "cause of free.
dom." "Copernicus announced to the
world the great hypothesis, the standing pill
lar Of modern astronomy" These men had
been grately aided by the maratime discover.
les Of Columbus. Columbus In his proof Of
ths earth's rotundity gave - the then pre-.
vailius myths their death blow.
columbus the silent, she profound the
grand"
Somewhere and somehow ancient man
discovered the secrets Of wrought iron, aud
when he took this step he multiplied his
powers hundred fold" "Civilizaticn went
forward BY slow and uncertain steps,
while its tools of manufacture and its war
fare were only rudely fashioned fragmenta
of stone; but when the art of working iron
was learned, it made the wonderous change"
The great oivilizer-steam-was beautifully
refersed 70 and its power as factor in shsp.
ing tho destinies of the world.
The conditions Of society aud its aecsptancs
of these great factors in its civilization was
given, "Had Watts lived In tho oity Of
Rome at the beginning efthe 18th century he
would most probably have shared the fate
of Rruno." His age was beginning to enjoy
the hlsssings Of civil liberty" The discnv.
cry of electricity and its place among the
worlds benefacton was given. Z. was de-
fined ~ IA mode Of foros, destinct kind Of
molecular motion or vibration attaining an
inconseivabls rapid rate Of movement" A
good explanation was given of how the slec.
| trie current can be Transformed ints sensible
heat,
The corpusculsr theory Of light was given,
and ia comparison with the modern anaula,
tory or visratory theory made.
"Ths prevailing idea seems to be that force
causes motion, 'just how nobody hss been
| able 10 discover"
''Thsse can b no clear distinction bstwsea
force and u,otion," To prove this it Is only
necessary v notice that the idea expressed
| BY this word force Is always thought Of in
tsrns Of the activities or movements Of bod.
iss, 1. .. in terms OF motion. II would vsaturs
the definition that: Force 10 that eternal
Characteristic Of matter manifested by its
change Of relation" De6nitions equally
close and thoughtful with illustrations. were
given, Of tine, space and energy" Mind
in its relation with analysis and genersliza.
tion was shown.
The lecturer thus proceeded step by step.
showing how man and his environments have
enlarged. and ideas progressed.
The speaker was attentively listened 10 by
| large aud apprecistive audience. AL
must agree that the leo.nrs was fine in ar
raagement, expression, thonght and delivery.
Lectures rs announced every Friday eve.
! until coarse Is completed.
| Lectures 70 begin directly after ringing Of
| bell,