The Opelousas courier., 1893-01-14

has a diameter of 260O miles. Ii
moves 95,O 900 au hour and performs its
journey in eighty days. Being only
80, ,0O0, 900 miles from the sun, it's light
is said to be seven times as great as
that which reaches US. Then comes
Venus which completes her journey
round the sun in about seven months
at distance of $1,000 of miles from it..
She moves $4,000 miles an hour. Then
comes our Earth which moves at the
rate of 81 900 miles an hour which is
100 times swifter than cannon baH
flies. The moon is it's satellite and
moves at distance of 240,000 miles
from the Earth's centre. The next is
Mars, l25, 600, 900 of miles from the sun
and moves round him in 686 days and
90 hours, at the rate of 100000 of
miles an hour. Next comes Jupiter,
426, 600, 900 of miles from the sun and
going in his orbit 5000 an hour. He
finishes his annual period in II years
3l4 days and IL hours. Saturn is
about 76O, 10000 miles distant from
the sun and travels $4,000 miles
every hour. He completes his annual
round in 90 years l67 days and 5 hours.
He is nearly 600 times larger than our
Earth. The least is Herschell, distant
from the sun about sos, 100000 miles.
1t makes its annual circuit about the
sun in 83 years l40 days and 8 hours.
1t is about 80 times larger than the
Earth It is known to have 6 moons
and is believed to have more. Now
think of all this stupendous grandeur
of the Planetary systems so inadequa-
tely described, and can man possibly
hesitate to believe in the Omnipotence
and Omniscience of the Creator9
January 18Th.
After having meditated on the Plan
etary system and considered lts Won
ders, let US reflect upon the wonders
revealed to US by the microscope.
They are no less wonderful for being
80 small Whether we examine the
elephant or mite, we see the same
display of Divine power and wisdom.
Each has its necessary and appropriate
organs whose functions are as system
attic and harmonious in theiS, opera
tions, the one as the other. The mi
croscope reveals to us animated beings
which, are invisible to the eye without
the aid of it. We look at the little
grains of sand and some appear round
in fact nearly all appear so, but under
the microscope they present many
shapes. Some of them are hollow and
have within them living beings which
have a world of space within which to
disport themselves and enjoy life.
That which appears to be dust on the
wings of the butterfly are so many
feathers, and the blooms of the peach
but insects. How wonderful is the
power of God whom we are required
to love.
January 14th.
Even the vegetable world has its
specimens that require sleep and night
is the time for it. They close their
caroIla when night comes on to defend
the delicate internal parts from the
ravages of the insect tribes which come
our after dark. During sleep the dill
gent little masons, carpenters and join
ers of the human body set vigorously
to work whenever repair is needed, to
restore the great expenditure of ner.
yous energy.
We awake, re-invigorated for the
duties of life. Would that we were
always proportionately thankful tc
Him who "giveth his beloved sleep,
and whose systematically replaces Us
SO comfortably on the threshold of ex.
! istanna y