The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-18


viii at least free himself from cold super
ciliousness and go on building upon the
basis given"
Upon this basis Mr. Allaben, Gen. de
Peyster's correspondent, constructs an
elaborate supplement. Mr. Allaben, like
Lieut.. Totten and other writers whose
Ethical deductions have recently attract
cd popular attention, Is a firm believer in
th' literal inspiration of the Scriptures
and in the exact application of their pos
tive statements. Or, rather he believes
In referring all things within the scope
OF scientific speculation to the positive
assertions of Scripture ultimately. and in
giving the final decision in disputed mat
tors TO the weight of Biblical testimony
Therefore. while terrifying Dr. Schoepf-
fers strictly scientific objections to the
Copernican system of citations from 9TH
er recent writer's and by various scien-
tine observations of his own. his essay is
mainly contention on Scriptural
81 cunds- "On these grounds alone" says
he, without going any further, it is evil
dent that one might very nationally con-
slider the authority of the Bible prepon-
derating evidence in SO close a decision,
and so reject the ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
theory In favor of the Biblical-Tychonic
system; while the branding of such
decision as preposterous or unscientif-
ic would only be possible to the
ignorant masses, blinded by popular er-
rors as to the real facts of the case, and
betrayed by an absurd confidence in the
iniallibiiity OF astronomical orthodoxy
| From his analysis of the positive decla-
rations of the Bible about the earth and
the scheme of the universe, he insists
that any other opinion but that of the alb
isolute stability of the earth in space and
the subordination to it of all the heavenly
| be dies Is utterly inconceivable 10 the
scriptural follower.
/ Regarding the function of the moon.
Mr. Allaben says: Il believe the moon
is type both of the nation of Israel and
of the Church of Christ, when either is
viewed as collective unit" The stars"
he says, ARE sometimes types of an,-elic
n, nistry including fallen angels. under
whom the administration of the affairs of
this world has been left for time The
stars are also types of individual saints,
new born from above, who are vessels of
the communication of the light of truth
to the men of the earth. star is also
several times used metaphorically of
Christ"
Although DR.. Schoepffer contents him
self with negative propositions and does
not undertake to develop a system, Mr..
Allaben ventures aggressively into the
sphere of system building. Upon the hint
given by the Gsrman professor that
wrong physical principles have heretofore
been followed by the scientific world in
lstUdying the celestial bodies, he elabor-
Iates a theory which he thinks is "capa-
BILE OF explaining not merely the Biblical
ITychonic mechanism, but all the observed
phenomena of the physical universe"
This theory he outlines as follows:
IF bar of soft iron be placed In the
Ger ter of a coil of wire and an electric
lcurrent be sent around the wire, the iron
Iwill be transformed into a magnet re-
tanning It's magnetism while the current
passes. II steel is used instead of iron.
the passing of the current about 1t trans
ferns the steel into a permanent magnet
II is by means of electricity, thus applied
that the most powerful magnets are OBJ
ltsiLed. Let the earth be the stationary
iron or steel bar in the center, with the
lsun, by its daily and annual movements
crcating about II a constant and powerful
ielectric current, and We have a principle
which is remarkable for its simplicity
In other words Mr. Allaben believes that
the combined phenomena of the earth's
magnetism and the suns electricity es-
tablish for our solar systematic earth
being tie oentre-an attractive energy
which reaches TO the remotest confines Of
lspace. Moreover, the sun, the reservoir
|, OF potential energy for the entire universe
. according to the Biblical-Tychonic sys-
, tom, eventually receives again all the en-
ergy radiated by him to propel the vas,
machinery under his charge, thus provid
, ing the power for an endless communion
: with the mechanical NE which he every
!, where creates"
= Mr.. Allaben finds another testimony IL
favor of his Biblical-Tychonic system II
the revelations of the spectroscope, which
, Indicate incandescent metals as the chic
. constituents of the fixed stars. This
he says, 'is precisely what our presen
knowledge of electricity would lead Us t
ST spect. provided the Creator desired 4
lasffl -taI
. SO TO maintain an innumerable ARA,
. lof electric lights in the armament. Wit
\ the analogy of the incandescent electri
!. Hight before US we may dismiss the incon
: ceivable sizes and distances which tn
o Newtonian-Copernican hypothesis com
A lpels US to assign to the fixed stars, an
. can, at the same time, understand VIII
!. they disclose no disks when observe
!, through the telescope. On the basis O
"a ia grand electrical plant we can also &C
:, lcoUnt In a rational way for the phenome
: na-extraordinary indeed on the preser
lhypothesis-of the extinction of the ligh
% Of fixed stars. to reappear again in
"a short period
ir Mr.. Allaben supports his argument wit
. a minute examination OF conflicting scier
1f tific hypothesis. and ends his discussio
De with broadside against the "curiou
m theologians'' of these days who are az
a crstomed to discredit the science of tn
n Bible or to explain it away. Addressin
his friend, Gen. de Peyster, in conclusio
Of he says: 1T is on grounds such as thes
er my dear General, that / commend III
n publication of the lecture of Dt. Schoep
n fer II II enables even a single soul
he throw of the shackles of mere superst
pt tious reverence for scientific dogma, ar
IS of blind subserviency to priestcra
ne which abuses ats authority shameless
e. ly as does that which dons the religion
ne fro OK. the consequence for good may
he linoslculable"
be Gen. de PeySter, on his part. feels hin
he self called upon to add editorial no
in limiting his acceptance of Mr. Allaben
Ist views to such as are based upon strict
or scientific considerations. These, he say
he and the deductions from them, he full
IN. lendorses, but to what he must term /
friends Theological distractions he
IA Liable to subscribe. This remark"
OF ca plains, "is made because-while /
H. ispect, honor and esteem the author a
ro- believe him TO be the most conscientio
no man In religious matters ! have ever m
In I've do not always coincide. in SUI
he cases / am willing to concede that !
his Judgment IL thoroughly honest: but 1 q
no not prepared. nor do dare to agree wi
To- him. New York Sun.