The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1903-06-25
A MARVELLOUS THEORY
The Universe Made For Man
Alone, Says DR.. Wallace.
EARTH AT THE CENTER OF ALL.

Famous English Scientist Expounds
Startling Views, Stating That the
Inhabitants of This World of Ours
Were the Cause of Creation-stars
Limited I'm Number.
DR.. Alfred Russell Wallace, the emf
| nent scientist, who was credited by
Darwin himself with having discov-
| cred the theory of natural selection.
has again centered the attention of the
scientific world upon himself by a re-
markable article in the Fortnightly
Review for March. In this he advances
the startling theory that the earth, or
solar system, is the physical center of
the stellar system and adds that the SUI
preme end and purpose of this vast
universe are the production and devel-
Opment Of the living soul in the perish
able body of man. says special cable
dispatch from London to the New York
American.
This attempt to unite religion and
science is entitled Mans Place In the
Universe" and, while it is impossible
here to give in full the absorbingly in
teresting details of DR.. Wallace's the
DRY, the chief features may be out
lined.
DR.. Wallace recalls that to the early
astronomers the earth was the center
Of the visible universe, but that as
Sc
further enlightened men of science
they were driven to the other extreme.
Recent astronomy reduces the impor-
lance Of the earth to comparative in
significance by enlarging upon the
vastness, variety and compleXity of
that modern skepticism points out the
difficulty of believing that the Creator
or all selected one Of the smallest of
his created orbs as the scene for the
tremendous sacrifice of his Son In the
scheme of redemption.
DR.. Wallace's first question is, Are
the stars infinite In number?" By
fascinating argument, in which he COW
ers the progress made in astronomy
during the past fifty years. he estab-
fishes strong case in favor of the linn
tied extent of the stellar universe, quot
ing, by the way, Professor Newcomb
and others, who affirm that if the num-
Der of stars was infinite their COM
bined light would be fully equal to the
sun at midday, while as a matter Of
fact starlight Is but one fortieth as
powerful as moonlight. His conclu-
sions on this point are:
The result SO far reached by astrono-
mers as the direct logical conclusions
from the whole mass of facts accumu-
lated by means Of powerful instruments
Of research, which have given US the new
astronomy, is that our sun is one of the
central orbs of a globular star cluster
and that this star cluster occupies neariy
the central position in the exact plane Of
the Milky Way. but I am not aware that
any writer has taken the next step and
combining these two conclusions, has
stated definitely that cur sun Is thus
shown to occupy a position very near If
not actually at the center Of the whole
visible universe and therefore, in all prob
ability, in the center Of the whole material
universe.
This conclusion no doubt is a startling
one, and all kinds Of objections will be
H.,
with any great inductive result of modern
science that has been arrived at so grad
ually, so legitimately, by means of so
vast mass Of precise measurements and
observations and by such wholly unpreju-
diced workers. 1t may not be proved
With minute accuracy as regards the &C.
tual mathematical center. That is not of
the least Importance, but that it is SUBJ
stantially correct there seems to be no
good reason of doubt, and l therefore
hold 1t right and proper to have 1t so
stated and Professionally accepted until
further accumulations of evidence may
show to what extent it requires modiica-
tton
Passing from this part of his subject,
DR.. Wallace takes up our position in
the solar system itself as regards
adaptability for organic life.
Here, too," he says, 81 am not
aware that the whole facts have been
sufficiently considered, yet there are
facts that indicate our position in this
respect to be as central and unique as
that of the sun in the stellar universe"
His conclusion on this point is:
The three startling facts that we are in
the center of a cluster of suns and that
that cluster is situated not only precisely
centrally in that plane can hardly now
be looked upon as chance condolences
without any significance in relation to
the eliminating fact that the planet so
situated has developed humanity. OF
course the relation here pointed out may
be a true relation Of cause and effect and
yet have arisen as the result of one in a
thousand million chances occurring during
almost infinite time; but, on the other
hand, those thinkers may be right who,
holding that the universe is a manifesto
ton of mind and that the orderly develop
ment of living souls supplies an adequate
reason why such a universe should have
been called into existence, believe that we
ourselves are it's sole and sufficient result
and that nowhere else than near the GEN.
trail position In the universe which we
occupy could that result have been at
tanned.
England's Food Supply.