Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-05
CHATTANOOGA Tenn.

O1lA IANOOTA, rem.
What nation or combination of ma
tons overthrow the Roman empire?
Your answer will settle a friendly dis
pute; hence the question.
Answer-The Visigoths. After a
victorious campaign under the leader
ship of Alaric, their chieftain. they
turned toward Rome. capturing and
plundering territory as they steadily
fought their way into the imperial
city In a. D. 410.
They were Arian Christians who
were forbidden to dishonor women or
to destroy religious buildings. The
atrocities which they committed in
Rome itself, however, made a sad con-
trast to their previous moderation.
These seventies were due in
measure to the conspiracy of the Ro-
mans against the life Of Alaric.
But the Romans themselves were
essentially the destroyers of their city
and empire Like America, ancient
maintained the morale and the disci-
pline of her best period.
MINNEAPOLIS, MINI.
You said recently that nothing dis
sipates doubt like a look at the stars
through the telescope.
Are astronomers as spiritually mind
ed as some psalmists and preachers
seem to suppose? / have known sew
eral astronomers of standing. but /
never noticed any special religious de-
votion In them. The stars are no more
to them than specimens" to a bota-
mist Is this another illustration of the
familiarity that breeds contempt?
Answer--Of course the minds tech.
nique sometimes interferes with its in
spirational moods. The inspector Of
United States customs, who labeled
case of gorgeously colored tropical
butterflies as poultry is a case in
point. His explanation was that the
gay creatures had wings" Probably
some astronomers suffer from similar
reactions In their work.
But to be frank, I do not think it
would be healthy for any scientific
man to pursue his vocation with the
intense emotion which caused the
sacred poet to exclaim: when I con-
slider the heavens =. what is man
that thou art mindful of him."
The use of delicate and compli-
Gated instruments in the observation
of the stellar bodies requires rare
skill and a concentration excluding
rapturous sentiments even though
they are OF a pious order. The same
may be said. think. of the abstruse
mathematics involved in astronomical
calculations.
Yet, though such sentiments may be
suppressed at the time, they arise
later and make a place for them
selves in consciousness. This Is dem
onstrated by the books of astronomers
which are alive with the wonders of
the armament ar3"t;le reverent awe
they evoke.
In SulIivan's Aspects of Science"
(p. 9S) the author says that the sordi-
nary run of work in a big observatory
is not much more exciting than the
routine of any ordinary business office.
Very likely. But when the calculus is
put aside and the instruments made
ready for another nights work the
astronomer can give vent to his feel
ings. He may be glad to come to
earth again, but he can never regard
the stars as mere specimens"
They are altogether too mighty, too
remote, and too alluring in their re-
moteness to be casually treated. Pale
as their fires are at this distance, they
still have heat enough in them to burn
his littleness into man. Young may
have overshot the mark when he said
1.-THE undevout astronomer is mad"
But he was aiming in the right direc-
ton.
BOSTON, Mass.
I have done things I knew were
sinful, and 1 have prayed God to for
give me and l believe He has. Then
before / am aware of it / do the same
thing over again. Don't you think