Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-08-07
Scientific Discussions
by Garrett P. SeruisS
BY GARRETT p. sERVISs

by GARREIT Il. SEItNISS
1t is fascinating to study the
properties of this ball on which we
| live, during a few years, flying with
It through open space, and finally
leaving our bones in it's dust, while
| we" go-whither?
We find the earth ball, together
with its water and, it's air, and all
that it contains, made up of three
| terms, or states, of matter. Thu
! three are solids, liquids and gases.
| We know of no other state that
any material thing exists in, and
each of the three is transformable
| INTO either of the others. The same
matter may be successfully solid,
liquid, gas, or gas, liquid solid.
out of this common matter of
| the globe, which is subject to only
! these three states of existence, are
constructed our living bodies and
brains, and when put together in
this particular com bination a Won
| derful new property appears, for
! the matter now not only moves
apparently by its own will, but it
| thinks and is conscious of itself,
| !. c., thinks about itself and guides
| its own acts.
Either that, or else something
that is not matter. not solid, or
! liquid, or gas, attaches itself to or
| dwells within the body and brain
| formed out of matter, and controls
and uses them. If the latter case
be the true one, then it is this mys-
terious something coming into the
| physical body that possesses the
consciousness and the power to
| thlnk and to control action
But chemistry is unable to find
this immaterial thinking consci-
Gus something, to which we give
the name of soul or mind. Chem
istry can sift the entire substance
of the body and brain through the
three states of matter, but all thai
IL discloses is certain number OF
! the clShty-odd elements" from
which all material things are bull
up, The dead material remains
the lie and thought are gone, tax.
inE their secret with them.
The most that chemistry car
SaV is that when these element.
ae combined IN certain way tine
product of the combination lives
ana, III some ol its forms, thinks
liuC living, and more evidently
fh'hhlng are not recognizable n,
| chemical properties of matter
whether it nc ir the solid, the liquit
or tne gaseous state. No chemica
process known to science has eve,
produced Wing organism where
there was no ife before.
Yet a. lar as verifable knowl
edge can carry us, we appear to b,
mace up of nothing but materia
substance, derived from the bal
OF the Garth. The consciousness!
which some f us, at least, have, O.
OF n
ini'ely mLre important and NOR,
end'nng thai, the chemical ele
monLs comp, sing our bodies ant
brains ana which is, indeed, 90.
real self. is incapable of provin,
IFS genuineneSs by laboratory O.
Cther experimental methods.
But let rs go n little further
Each of the eighty-threc chemica
elements that make up the world
as we know il, is composed of in
visible small particles called atoms
There are e,ghty-three kinds o
atoms, one k.nd for each chemica
element. wien two or more ele,
ments are mixed to form a com
pounds their atoms are similarl,
mixed. The atoms are then ioinei
together IN compound particles
also invisinlv small. which are
! 4
compound Of oxygen and hydro
ger, and Il molecuIe Of watcl
(Which is the smallest portion intc
which water can be separated while
still retaining the properties of tht
water), consists of two atoms .
hydrogen unued with one of oxy
gen.
Again. even the atoms are di
visible into still smaller particles
called electrons, so that as far a.
we know at present, the compo
s'tion of all matter is like this
Electrons unite to make molecules
and molecules unite to make thu
sensible particles, or grains o
matter by means of which it's cx
istence becomes evident to us.
Ordinary experience. and micro
Scopic vision. canrot take MS be
low the level of the sensible par
ticles. hut the processes and de
dpCtions of the sciences of chem
istry and radio-activity carry IL.
down through the molecules anC
the atoms to the electrons. But il
the latter part of this journey it i!
the mind that guides the senses
rather than the senses that leat
the mind
1t is Il depth as deep as tn,
measureless height of the starr!
universe INTO which the mind thu
plunges us. The mind alternatei,
concentrates itself for the desceiI
and expands itself for the ascent
it unites the invisible electron anc
the unattair able star by a chain o
corn III chcnsion; what, then, is /
that thus comprehends? Is
noihlns Lut the matter, whici
fouls alike the electron and tn,
star, tr L. il something else? Cai
that matter, however it's atom
may be aggregated, possibly com
preheni. ara reason about, and ex
pertinent with itself. Does it no
rather, when shaped into a human
hrair. silnIly. serve as the instru
men. of n higher principle, su
pc1or kind of existence, which w
may call soul, or spirit, but no
matter in any of its three states?
Every one can answer for him
self, according to his light. And
whatever his answer may be, tn
fascination of such inquiries re
mains.