The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-11-17
TW WENT|ETH
CENTURY
SCIENCE
Possibilities Set Forth In First
Of a Series Of Lectures on
This Subject.

The first of four Sunday evening lee
tury was given last evening atthe Church
of the New Jerusalem at Trinity square
by Rev. II. Clinton Hay of Boston. and
the lecture attracted congregation OF
considerable proportions
The lecture was interesting from q sci
entinc standpoint, and It dealt with the
theories OF advanced science. To per-
son who has not some interest in natural
science there would not be a great deal
in the address, but II was exceedingly
carefully prepared and delivered well.
The speaker stated at the outset that
the great disciple and apostle OF natural
science. John Tyndall. at the. close or
series of lectures in this country, stated
there was a cry In England for technical
education, but no desire or demand for
original investigation, and he believed
that unless investigation and research
was engaged In there would be a loss
OF growth and power OF reproduction.
The speaker maintained that this point
ed to a tendency that had grown out OF
scientific progress Of the past century.
Natural science was valued and pursued
for the sake Of money II was regarded
as the means of accommodating material
wealth. The many possibilities OF the
telephone, the telegraph without wires,
the electrical railways and airship, all
afforded great possibilities for the future.
cial standpoint.
Such was to be regarded as the fruits
OF progress rather than the progress of
science itself. The undue prominence
given to commercialism has caused men
to regard this as an age OF machinery
and clever mechanics rather than an age
OF science and scientific genius.
All OF the scientific progress made in
the past century has hung upon two
great principles which are really but one
the conservation of energy. II matter
could be destroyed or created the science
OF chemistry would be impossible IL en-
ergy were not equally conserved the SCI
ence of physics. upon which all mechani-
cal Invention and progress depends. would
be impossible.
In the chemical laboratory every atom
and molecule Is accounted for, as moth
ing Is gained or lost by any chemical
TRANSFORMED tion. In the physical labora-
tory the same Is true OF energy. Thus
no matter is created or destroyed. II Is
only converted or applied I'm the multi
farious processes OF industrial activity.
All the scientific research and discovery
depends upon this great principle.
This important principle was not dis
tinctly formulated and recognized and
carefully investigated i'm the scientific
world until 1872 The Investigations have
shown that heat, light and electricity are
three forms OF manifestation which are
now assigned 10 the other; an atmosphere
purer, finer and vastly more elastic than
air. These three forms OF active energy
are on which all life and growth in the
three kingdoms OF nature depends
A remarkable oversight In the scien-
tifc world Is that Swedenborg. a CEN
tury before any OF the discoveries which
have been recognized in the scientific
world not only announced the existence
OF these forms. but clearly explained
the nature, functions and origin. far
better than anything which has been
presented on the same subjects by the
scientists OF the present day.
Regarding the air and the ether Swed
enborg wrote means OF verihcation~ of
these statements and he also announced
the existence of a still higher atmus-
phere which he termed the aura He
pointed out and explained both the aura
and the ether with remarkable fullness
of detail and made the important an
nouncement that heat. light and eiec-
tricity reside and act In the ether, and
so the force OF gravltation acts and re-
sides inNthe aura. lie maintained the
frst atmosphere to surround the sun was
the aura the second Atmosphere under