Year: 1875

That such huge body as our globe
should completely turn around upon its
axis every twenty four hours, causing our
heads to point in the direction of our feet
turning all the wells and rivers and
seas and oceans bottom side up and pac-
ing the foundations of all the buildings
where their roofs ought to be-that all
this should take place every few hours
was once deemed so absurd that those
teaching it were regarded as beside them
selves, and as guilty Of subverting the
divine oracles of God. But all this is now
clearly proven. And yet many are who'll
ly unacquainted with the proofs. Inotice
but briefly the more common proofs of
the apparent revolutions of the sun, moon
and stars around the earth-simply re-
marking that it is preposterous to suppose
that these millions of immense bodies at
such imm ense and various distances,
should all have their periods of revolution
so exactly timed as to simultaneously re-





cant globe.


If we ascend to the top of lofty place
as that of Bunker Hill, and drop from its
summit pebble, it will not fall to point
the east of it. How is this explained I
Only by the revolution Of the earth upon
its axis. The top of the monument being
farther from the center of the earth than
the base, it describes larger circle than
the base, but it describes it in the same
time ; therefore the top of the monument
moves faster than the base. Now rs we
find the pebble always falling to the east
of the point from which it fell, we can
only account for it by supposing the earth
to turn on its axis from west to east.


Again: If we take clock from high
latitude to the equator, we shall find that
it is too slow but if returned to the high
latitude, it will again keep good time
This can be explained only by attri5utng
it to the same cause of increased rapidity
of motion. The clock at the equator is
farther from the earth's axis than when
nearer the pole, and therefore describes a
much larger circle than it did when in its
northern home. But it describes it in the
same time, and hence must travel faster
than before. Now, this more rapid mo-
tion will tend to throw it from the surface
with more force and hence the attractive
power of the earth is somewhat overcome
and the weight of the pendulum is de-
creased and there moves slower-a clock
from London losing one hundred and
thirty five vibrations in twenty four
hours.


| SO we find bodies weigh less ut the
equator than in higher ATTITUDES, always
losing one pound for every two hundred
and ninety pounds-and this, because at
the equator they describe circle of TWEEN
ty-fve thousand miles circumference in
twenty -four hours, while in higher lati
tudes the circles vary according to their
distance from the equator, and at the
poles describe none at all being perfectly
stationary. Did our globe revolve on its
axis in eighty four minutes, bodies at the
equator would have no weight; and if
revolved in less time, they would be cast
out into space, just as water is thrown
from the tire of n wagon wheel when re-
volving rapidly.


! How happens it that we have such an
exact adjustment of these opposing forces
that bodies are retained upon the earth's
surface and safety guaranteed to us all :?
Is this the result of chance? And so that
most remarkable fnct that the attractive
power Of the earth is so exactly adapted
to an animals strength. Thus the earth's
attraction of an elephant is far greater
than its attraction of a rabbit, and its
strength is proportionately increased
We commonly say the strength of the
animal is greater because his weight is
greater. But weight is wholly the result
of the earth's attraction. Now, it hap
pens that this attractive power of the
earth is invariably in proportion t. an
animals strength. Suppose rabbit-or
even man to be attracted with the same
force as an elephant.


Then the rabbit and man would be
chained down in utter helplessness to the
surface OF the earth, wholly unable to
move a finger or n limb. But we find n
universal law operating, namely, that all
bodies are attracted in proportion to their
quantities of matter; and hence we find
the rabbit and the man not attracted as is
the elephant, but only in proportion to
their muscular strength, and so are able
to carry their bodies without inconve-
nience over the earth's surface, while the
ponderous elephant does the same.


Whence this law? Is all this mere
chance? Does it not clearly show "A
great originating cause, and also prove
that cause TO oe not only all-wise, but all |
powerful ard benefcent? He who denies /
this cannot claim to be Of sound mind or
of right heart.


A RESIDENT of Pittsfeld. Mass, pub |