Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-03-22
SCIENTIFIC PROPHECY.
Man VIII Reach Out His Hands
Among the Stars.


AS a prophet is honored everywhere
save in his own land, so are the various
scientific representations Of the pres
ent day received with more credulity
everywhere than in the world Of
science. Nevertheless, men of knowl-
edge in various and special lines are
devoting more and more Of their time
to a consideration Of those factors
which govern future life and conditions,
and science Is lending more and more
ready ear to the resulting prophecies.
Sir Robert Hall has solemnly stated
his belief in the probability Of the earth
undergoing another ice change. He
bases his statements on observations
made Of the planets whose influence
affects the course Of the earth's orbit.
It Is generally believed that when,
in the course Of aeons and aeons or
time, the earth comes to an end, 1t will
be by means of fire rather than water.
Such a phenomenon could be caused by
simple readjustment Of the atoms
in the water Of the earth, or slight
difference in the force Of cohesion. It
Is thought that the immense plants and
animals which were known to exist in
prehistoric times were due to a differ
ent atmospheric condition, as for In
stance, a larger proportion OF oxygen
in the air than exists at present.
Mr.. H. G. Wells, the distinguished
writer of fiction, and a scientist OF
note, has recently prophesied that
many Of the laws Of nature at present
understood and believed to be funda-
mental will in a large measure be found
in the future to be merely the result
Of temporary conditions, and, most stu
pendous of comprehension Of all the
startling predictions made, that man Is
not the final and highest manifesta-
tion of animal life on the earth; that
the scheme Of evolution Is not yet fin
ished, and that the human race is on
the eve Of a great change, which will,
in some thousands Of years more, pro-
duce a race Of beings radically differ
ent from the human animal-a race
which possess ip full the powers Of
which we now only dream.
In his recent lecture before the Roy
al Society Of London he said in clos
ing:
1--WE are at the beginning Of the
greatest change that humanity has ever
undergone. There will be no shock, as
there is no shock at cloudy daybreak.
We are creatures Of twilight, but out
Of our minds and the lineage OF our
minds will spring minds that will reach
forward fearlessly. A day will come
one day in the unfeigning succession
Of days-when the beings now latent In
our thoughts, hidden in our loins, shall
stand on this earth as one stands on
footstool and laugh and reach out their
hands among the stars"
Speculative? Yes, but upheld by more
facts than could be enumerated IN
many volumes, and Professionally be-
lieved in by every scientific man Of note
the world over. What Is there against
such a continuance Of the scheme OF
evolution, except the overweening con-
ceit Of mankind? What Is there un-
reasonable in the idea Of race Of be-
ings which shall possess the power to
do and be all that we are in dreams, a
race as transcendentally beautiful, hap
py and wise as are the angels Of or
thodoxy, a race which shall reach out
their hands among the stars?"
The absolute element, the absolute
force, the absolute zero and understand
ing of the fourth dimension and how to
use it-when these are everyday facts,
who can say that we will not be In d.
rect communication with the planets
and their inhabitants and that the uni
verse will not have grown small even
as the steam engine and the telegraph
and the telephone have narrowed the
confines Of the earth?-American In
ventor.