Chapter III: Part 3

The Sun itself speaks to us with its voice of light, and it is our high privilege to understand, and thus comprehend mysteries long hidden, which are now being revealed. Special manifestations were long since made by Jehovah, which were left for those of the present enlightened age to comprehend; when the mind of man is more fully able to grasp His truths, and look up through Nature to Nature's God.

Now fix your mind's eye upon that brilliant orb of--seeming--eternal day; that Sun which is ever shining, ah! whose light never pales, nor fails its vast empire. No storm-clouds obscure its brightness in the higher realm, neither is there waning of light, nor a wasting of its substance. Possibly, from all eternity of the past it has been, and through eternity to come it will remain the same. We, on this Earth, have our days and nights, our sun-shine and shadows, tempests and storms. Our nights are the result of the daily revolution of the Earth, these are when that portion of it on which we dwell is turned away from the Sun, and the shadow of the Earth--which is surrounded by a dense atmosphere--is that which constitutes our darkness. This atmosphere is a screen to us by day to modify the intense heat of the Sun's rays. Otherwise, it is possible that no animated life could exist. This atmosphere has in it the elements of production, which--when absorbed by the Earth--assists in bringing forth for the sustenance of man and beast, and all living things. Did not this atmosphere exist, our midnight hours would be almost as bright as noonday. See in this the wise provision of our heavenly Father.

That Sun is farther away, and of far greater magnitude, than you now comprehend, or even imagine. We will now state its dimensions, distance, elements, &c., as measured and determined by the science of astronomy, and as agreed upon by all the best informed and most profound mathematicians and astronomers throughout the world.

The diameter of the Sun is _eight hundred and fifty-five thousand miles_. It would require _one hundred and seven worlds_, the size of this Earth, set side by side to reach across it, and _one million four hundred thousand Earths_, the size of this, to make a globe of equal magnitude. It is _two millions six hundred and fifty-five thousand miles round it_, while its bulk is not less than _six hundred times_ as great as all the worlds and planets it controls within its sphere put together,--some of which, as we have told you, are estimated to be a thousand times larger than this Earth.

Is your mind expanding? are your views enlarging, so as to enable you to comprehend its vast dimensions? Let the revelations of astronomy assist you. Look at it again. From the comparatively small size of its disk as we see it from the Earth, the distance must be vast indeed to dwarf it down thus. The distance is great, no less than about _ninety-five millions of miles_. It is three hundred and eighty-five times as far away as the Moon: it is estimated that a cannon ball fired from this Earth and keeping up its velocity at the rate of _five hundred miles an hour_, would not reach it in less time than about twenty-two years. Still, though these are well demonstrated facts, ascertained by very correct measurement, by the most scientific mathematical surveyors of the heavens, yet we desire some more plain or familiar illustration. Let us investigate. Here we have it; are you ready for a journey? The celebrated Braley has calculated the time required for a trip of ocular exploration. He observes, "A railway train starting from this Earth, and running continuously, at the rate of _thirty miles an hour_, would arrive at the Moon in eleven months, but would not reach the Sun in less time than about _three hundred and fifty-two years_." We can partially comprehend this by calculation (although the years of the oldest individual of our country have not been sufficient to take him more than one third of the journey, even had he been placed on such train and started when an infant at his mother's breast). Had the train been started only nineteen years later than the discovery of North America by Columbus, in 1498, and travelled thirty miles each hour since, it would just now be approaching the border of the Sun, and, on arriving there, if a tunnel was opened and a track laid direct through it, "this train, continued at the same speed, would require more than a year and a half to reach the Sun's centre; three years and a half to pass through it, and more than ten years to pass round it.

"Now this same train would attain the centre of this Earth in five days and a half; pass through it in eleven days; and go round it in about thirty-five days." Thus you see the diminutiveness of this Earth as compared to the Sun. These calculations are founded on facts so clearly demonstrated by the science of astronomy, that but few who examine into it will question their approximation to correctness.

Now while the mind is somewhat familiarized with that vast globe, the Sun, let us contemplate it further.

Sir John Herschel, the most profound philosopher in the science of astronomy the world has ever known; one whose inventions and improvements in the telescope have far surpassed those of all others; one who has enjoyed the highest advantages in the study and demonstration of the science, and who has made most important discoveries in regard to the sun, and moon, and the planets--and even the fixed stars, or suns, in the far off sidereal regions--tells us that from his investigations and discoveries in regard to the Sun, there appears to be _a vast globe within_ the surrounding _photosphere of fire_, shielded by a void or non-luminous atmosphere, thus apparently protecting it from the surrounding flame of fire, and rendering it possible that the vast globe within is susceptible of animated life, which may exist there in some form. This, with the general corroboration of other astronomers, as to the two encircling volumes of atmosphere--the outer a luminous, and the inner a non-luminous one--is strong evidence confirmative of our hypothesis of the existence of that immense inner globe, or world, which is doubtless in reality the _Heavenly world_; the Saviour's empire, and the abode of the righteous.

Methinks, had Sir John Herschel but turned his attention for awhile to the flood-lights of Divine Revelations, made by God himself through His Spirit to fallen man, he would ere this have opened the "gate" to the eye of faith, and bid the weary Christian to look and behold the confines of that bright world which was opened, and flashed its inner light upon the eyes of the dying martyr Stephen, when,

"Being full of the Holy Ghost, he looked up steadfastly into
heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the
right hand of God, and said, Behold, I see heaven opened."

Thus, we are led to the inevitable conclusion that heaven is not so far distant but that it can be seen from earth by the _spirit-eye_, if God shall but open, and disclose it to view. Where else can we imagine its location, to be within range of--even immortal--vision from this earth? St. John, while in the spirit, had a view of that heavenly world, and the vast city with glittering jasper walls, and gold-paved streets, and even the "great white throne," the Saviour on that throne, surrounded by an innumerable company that no man can number.

St. Paul, in spirit, was caught up, even into the "third heaven," and "saw and heard things which it were not lawful for man to utter" to mortals on earth. He tells us that "eye hath not seen, neither ear hath heard, nor hath it entered the heart of man, the glory that shall be revealed." But we will not here anticipate the still stronger evidence we have yet to lay before the mind as we pursue this interesting theme.

Bear in mind the fact that heaven is considered by the most learned and ablest writers on theology, as "a fixed place," permanent and abiding. That it is vast in extent, and glorious in appearance, and has, within, all the necessary elements and arrangements for complete happiness. And, we believe, that not very remotely distant from it is the place where is the element of punishment for the wicked. We think the revelations of God, and the manner and mode of his manifestations to the children of men, together with the revelations of astronomy in regard to the Sun; its magnitude and elements, will, when we come to consider them further, not only startle the mind, but prove our hypothesis well-founded.

_A CONTEMPLATION._

Just here, may we not, for a few moments, speculate in mind upon a possibility, which, as we advance, will assume more the form of a probability?

Look once more upon that brilliant orb, whose light, _without_, may be one of the lamps of eternal day. Look but for one second of time only; for, as we have told you, a steady gaze into its fiery flame of brightness for one minute alone is fatal to the blinding of the unprotected eye. May not _within_ be the place of which the poet's spiritual eye caught a glimpse, when alone in silent meditation he penned those sublime and beautiful lines:

"There, on those wide extended plains, shines one eternal day,
There God, the Son, forever reigns, and scatters night away.
No chilling winds, nor poisonous breath, can reach that healthful shore,
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death, are felt and feared no more."

May not that be the _Heavenly world_ wherein stands the "City of God, whose foundations are eternal," and whose maker and builder is the great Architect of the Universe? Its walls are Jasper, and are ever glittering in the glory-light of eternal day. Its apartments are gorgeously furnished in brilliant array. "_I go_" said the Saviour, "_to prepare a place for you._" There "the gold-paved streets," there the "Great white Throne" and "Christ the Lord" who sits thereon as the judge and ruler of His own native Empire--for it is He that shall judge the nations of this Earth, and in the "great day" of "final judgment" he will recount, in evidence, some of the scenes through which he passed on this Earth, to justify his final and unalterable decision.

May not there gush forth the crystal "fountains of life" from which to drink will quench all thirst; and there the "rivers of life" ever flowing, in whose waters to bathe will renew eternal youth, and immortality, to dwell on and on with eternity itself? May not Moses, and Elijah, and the Prophets, and Martyrs be there? May not many of us, who are still on this Earth, contemplate the theme that there (in that bright world at whose boundary surface we cannot, while dwelling in mortality, gaze for even one minute of time without being blinded) we have a father, a mother, sister, brother, husband, wife, a child, or some loved friends, who have left the shores of Time, and are safe with their blessed Saviour, to dwell in his sun-light throughout "eternal day?"

May we not contemplate the possibility of these things, when we remember that it is said of Heaven, "the Righteous shall dwell _therein_," and that "God" in His eternal manifestations "dwells in light unapproachable" to us in our mortality, and is only manifest to us here by His invisible SPIRIT VEILED IN FIRE?

Startle not when we come to lay before you the well-defined elements surrounding that vast globe. The timid mind might naturally recoil, and stand aghast at the thought of approaching such volume of intense heat and "devouring flames." Remember that you are still in the body, subject to all the pains and penalties of fallen humanity. Remember that God has created no element incompatible with his own nature; remember that He is the Almighty power who hath created all things, and in the infinity of His power, can control any element for our happiness, and also the same for our misery. Thus it will appear that "every man's work shall be tried as by fire;" the righteous to be saved as by fire, and yet the wicked to be destroyed or tormented by fire. In this we can see the Infinity of the power of God in the salvation and happiness of His children--who are "the children of light," as also in the torments of the "children of darkness."

But we shall be able to show that "God's Spirit _is fire_" and that He _does_ so control this element, or change our nature, that whatever these may be, they are properly adapted to constitute ineffable happiness to the immortal state of the righteous. This, we trust, will appear plain to you before you have finished the perusal of these pages.

_THE SUN, AND GLOBE WITHIN._

We now propose to continue our investigations of the Sun; in considering its surrounding elements, offices, &c.

We have already said that it is the main-spring, and we may add, barring the Great Author, the source and fountain of animated Nature; the source of light and heat, the two stimulants of vital force, without which no animated life could exist on this earth; and so, doubtless, with all the other planets and worlds which it controls. And, while contemplating it thus as the immediate source of unnumbered blessings to the human race, and to all intelligences or animation belonging to this, or other worlds within its domain, we should not fail in devout reverence to the _great Author_, who created all by the "Word of His Power"--not only our Sun and its retinue of attendant planets, but those innumerable, far distant ones of which we have told you, with all _their_ attendant trains, yea, even all things, above, around, and beneath; the computation of whose numbers, their magnitude, grandeur, and transcendent glory so far exceeds our finite comprehension, that we are lost in wonder and amazement, and can but feel that, in comparison, we are less than an _atom_ of this vast and boundless Universe of Creation.

The Sun, represented as a "brilliant orb" a "luminary" or "luminous body," has also been denominated a "globe of fire." Some astronomers consider it an "_incandescent_ body" (_glowing whiteness of intense heat_).

Dr. Herschel's views respecting the Sun are, that it is a planetary body like our earth, diversified with mountains and valleys, to which, on account of the magnitude of the Sun, he assigns a prodigious extent--some mountains six hundred miles high, and valleys proportionately deep. He does not employ in his explanations volcanic fires, as some others have done, but supposes two separate regions of dense clouds floating in the solar atmosphere at different distances from the sun. The exterior stratum of clouds he considers as the depository of the sun's light and heat, while the interior stratum serves as an awning or screen to the body of the sun itself, which thus becomes fitted to sustain life-animation. This refutes the idea advanced by that celebrated French Astronomer, La Lande, who held "that the sun is a solid opaque body, having its exterior diversified with high mountains and deep valleys, and covered all over with a burning sea of liquid matter. The solar spots, he supposed, were produced by the flux and reflux of the fiery sea, retreating occasionally from the mountains, and exposing to view a portion of the dark body of the sun."

But Prof. Olmsted (to whom we are indebted for this and much other information on this subject), refutes this hypothesis by showing the inconsistency that fluid, of the nature here spoken of, or supposed to exist, should depart so far from its equilibrium and remain so long fixed, as to lay bare the immense space occupied by the solar spots--some of which are supposed to be fifty thousand miles in diameter.

Prof. Olmsted also examines the hypothesis of Dr. Herschel, relative to clouds surrounding the sun, and reasons as follows: "I am compelled to think the hypothesis (of Dr. H.) is encumbered with very serious objections. Clouds analogous to those of our atmosphere (and Dr. H., expressly asserts that his lower stratum of clouds are analogous to ours, and reasons respecting the upper stratum according to the same analogy) cannot exist in hot air; they are tenants only of cold regions. How can they be supposed to exist in the immediate vicinity of a fire so intense, that they are even dissipated by it at the distance of ninety-five millions of miles? Much less can they be supposed to be the depositories of such devouring fire, when any thing in the form of clouds floating in our atmosphere, is at once scattered and dissolved by the accession of only a few degrees of heat. Nothing, moreover, can be imagined more unfavorable for radiating heat to such a distance than the light, inconstant matter of which clouds are composed, floating loosely in the solar atmosphere."

Prof. Olmsted continues, "If we inquire whether the surface of the Sun is in a state of actual combustion, like burning fuel, or merely in a state of intense ignition, like a stone heated to redness in a furnace, we shall find it most reasonable to conclude that it is in a state of ignition. If the body of the Sun were composed of combustible matter and were actually on fire, the material of the Sun would be continually wasting away, while the products of combustion would fill all the vast surrounding regions, and obscure the light of the Sun. But solid bodies may attain a very intense state of ignition, and glow with the most fervent heat, while none of their material is consumed, and no clouds or fumes rise to obscure their brightness, or to impede their further emission of heat." Hence, for these and other reasons, Prof. Olmsted thinks it more probable that the heat is that of a high state of ignition, rather than produced from combustion.

Thus we see that while all Astronomers agree that the Sun is the source of light and heat; that this heat is vastly intense; consuming, and yet never consumed or exhausted, it is a difficult matter to determine the nature and true element composing it. All agree however, that God himself created it and placed it in its proper position, and controls it for His own wise purposes.

Most Astronomers consider it an incandescent body (glowing whiteness of intense heat), encircled with two atmospheres. That next its surface is supposed to be nonluminous, while the outer one which floats upon it is _luminous_--and forms a "_photosphere_," this is what we see in looking at the Sun's bright disk. This photosphere radiates the heat and light which vivify the planets of the solar system, and imparts the stimulæ of life and animation. It is said that flame-like masses--some computed to be one hundred and fifty thousand miles in length--are piled upon, and overlap each other, and sweep onward in constant agitation like mountain billows of living fire. Its brightness far transcends and pales that of all other luminaries, and would that of millions of stars as bright as Sirius, or even hundreds of thousands of full moons.

We accept this view, as to the outer photosphere, and believe this "_incandescent_," yet not a solid body, but rather a _photospheric ethereal_ element occupying its appointed space, and that it has nothing to do whatever, with the vast _inner globe_ which is entirely shielded from it by the intervening void, denominated by Astronomers as a surrounding nonluminous atmosphere. Sir John Herschel tells us that his investigations led him to the belief that this shields the globe within, and thus renders it susceptible of maintaining life, or some form of animated existence. Hence, we deem the evidences afforded by astronomy, strong, if not fully conclusive that our hypothesis is correct. But when we add to this the evidences found in the Bible--God's own revelations to man--we think there can scarcely remain a doubt in the mind of any who follow us in this investigation.

* * * * *

We now propose to consider more definitely the nature of that volume of flame, or intense heat, which we denominate the _Sun_. Of its temperature it is difficult to form an estimate the least comprehensive. We know our furnace heat will fuse cast-iron at a little less than 3,000 degrees. Oxy-hydrogen flame--one of the hottest known--is estimated at about 14,000 degrees Fahrenheit, while the temperature ascribed to the Sun is about 12,000,000. There is nothing our senses can realize, or our minds conceive, that will enable us even to approximate the intensity of this heat.

* * * * *

Now we have seen that the Sun is the source of all light and heat; the source--when the element is concentrated--of that which we denominate _fire_. The phenomena that fire pervades, by some of its constituents, every thing, and all space, is incomprehensible otherwise than in the belief that the Spirit of God is everywhere. Although fire is always on this Earth in a concentrated form, yet its source is the Sun, and from this source we can concentrate it into visible ignition. And yet we see that the element itself is _ethereal_; it will consume by combustion, yet its heat and flame always tends upward, and disappears in its own ethereal element, and we can recognize no solid substance in it. We can feel and realize its warmth and vivifying influence; we enjoy the light, as one of its productions, yet all are _ethereal_, and we cannot grasp, mould, or retain it. We know that the Sun--that volume of heat--is the active source and agency of life and animation, and it imparts its blessings to us in a thousand ways; yet, misused, it proves the source and element of punishment and destruction.

We have said that light and heat are the two great stimulants of vital force. These two stimulants are inseparably connected. Heat is the source of light, and without heat _there would be no light_, for even reflected light is derived from this source; this is manifest to every intelligent mind. Therefore, we see plainly that the Sun is the source and mainspring of all animation, and to its influence, directed and controlled by the Allwise Creator, are we indebted for every blessing--nay, even life itself. It acts upon the elements appointed unto it, and brings forth all animation. It causes the earth to yield her productions; clothes the forest with green, gives to the "rose" and the "lily" their beautiful tints and fragrance, and imparts to the flowers of garden and forest their thousand variegated hues. It gives to man his strength and wisdom, and to woman her beauty and loveliness, and--with refined and cultivated intellect--her ten thousand charms.

_THE PLANETS OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM._

Let us now turn our attention, for a short time, to the contemplation of the planets, or worlds, belonging to our own solar system; those within the domain of our own Sun, and to which it dispenses light and heat. With these, our Astronomers are, so to speak, quite familiar. We cannot do better than to present them to you in the language of Dr. Child, whose writings have afforded us so much correct data in preceding pages.

"In gazing at our fellow-planets on a clear night, as we see them stand out with pre-eminent brightness among the twinkling stars, who has not longed to penetrate the mystery of their being, and to know whether they, like our own Earth, are worlds full of life and movement? The vast distance that intervenes between us forbids us to expect a direct solution of the question, for no instrument yet made, or that we can hope to make, will bring their possible inhabitants within the range of our vision. We are reduced, therefore, to survey them with the sifting force of intellect, and to rest contented with such circumstantial proof as is derived from a knowledge of their general structure, and the analogies subsisting between them and our Earth.

"Among our nearest neighbors, _Venus_ is nearly the size of our Earth; and _Mercury_ and _Mars_, though considerably smaller, would still form worlds which, to our ideas, would not in their magnitude be so very different from our own. As before remarked, all the planets revolve in elliptical orbits round the Sun, and the time consumed in their journey constitutes their year. Their polar axis is not 'straight up and down,' but leans over or is inclined to the plane of their orbit, so that each pole is turned toward the Sun at one period of the year, and away from it at another. This arrangement insures the regular alternation of seasons and a variety of climates on their surface. The orbital inclination of _Mars_, for example, is much the same as that of the Earth, and, therefore, the relative proportion of his seasons must have a close resemblance to our own. It might be expected under these circumstances that ice would accumulate toward the poles in winter time, as on our Earth, and accordingly glacial accumulations have not only been observed by Astronomers, but it has been remarked that they occasionally diminish by melting during the heats of summer, while they increase in winter. Now as the planets, like the Earth, turn round on their axis with perfect regularity--and those just mentioned do so in very similar periods of time, hence, all have their days and nights.

"We have already stated that the Earth and its fellow-planets are kept steadily in their orbits by the exact adjustment of _centrifugal_ and _centripetal_ forces. Hence each moves in its regular order.

"Now by way of comparison, Astronomers have denominated the Sun as a globe two feet in diameter, or six feet in circumference. Starting from this globe let us wing our way across the space filled by the solar system. A short flight of thirty-seven millions of miles brings us to a world which, compared to the two-feet globe, is no larger than a grain of mustard seed, while it is so bathed in the Sun's dazzling rays that it is not easily distinguished when viewed from the Earth. This fussy little planet whirls round the Sun at the tremendous pace of 100,000 miles an hour, by which he proves his title to be called _Mercury_, the 'swift-footed,' of mythology. At a distance of sixty-eight millions of miles from the Sun we behold _Venus_, the brightest and most dazzling of the heavenly hosts. In comparative size she may be represented as a _pea_. She is our nearest neighbor among the planets, and the conditions under which she exists recall many of those under which we ourselves live. About ninety-five millions of miles from the Sun we come upon another 'pea' a trifle larger than the one representing _Venus_, and in it we hail our own familiar Mother Earth. Here we shall not now linger, but passing onward some fifty millions of miles we are attracted by the well-known ruddy glow of _Mars_--whose comparative size is that of a _pin's head_. His mean orbital speed is 54,000 miles an hour--nearly our own pace--but as he takes twice as much time to run round the Sun as we do, his year is consequently twice as long.

"Casting a glance behind, we are reminded of the growing distance that now separates us from the sun by the perceptible waning of his light.

"We next spread our wings for a very long flight. In passing through the "asteroid" zone of solar space, about 260 millions of miles from the sun, we may chance to fall in with some worlds of smaller dimensions than those we have been contemplating. We know very little about them, except that their ways are eccentric and mysterious. At length the shores of huge _Jupiter_ are reached at a distance of nearly 500 millions of miles from the sun. To carry on the comparison, he is a "small orange" to the "pea" of our earth, or to the two feet globe that represents the sun. His orbit is a path 3,000 millions of miles long, which he accomplishes in an "annual" period of about 12 of our years. The sun's light has now shrunk considerably; but four brilliant moons or satellites, one or more of which are always "full," help to afford some compensation. But let us "onward" in our "outward-bound" course. We again pass through a space of nearly equal distance as that of _Jupiter_ from the sun. We are now more than 900 _millions_ of miles distant from the central pivot. Here we fall in with _Saturn_, whose comparative size may be represented by an orange considerably smaller than the last (bear in mind the comparative sizes, our earth as a "_pea_" to these each an orange). His year swallows up almost thirty of our own. And in this far distant region the Sun, though giving only about one ninetieth part of the light which we receive, is still equal to 300 full moons, and is at least sufficient for vision, and all the necessary purposes of life, while no fewer than eight satellites supplement the waning sun-light, besides a mysterious luminous "ring" of vast proportions.

"Twice as far away from the Sun as Saturn, _Uranus_, represented by a _cherry_, plods his weary course. Although his real diameter is 35,000 miles, his circumference over 100,000, being more than four times the size of our own earth, yet he is rarely seen by the naked eye. His annual journey round the Sun is 10,000 millions of miles, and he consumes what we should consider a lifetime, 84 _years_, in getting over it. Our little _earth_ has now faded out of sight.

"Only a few years ago, _Uranus_ was the last planetary station of our system, but the discovery of Neptune in 1846, gave us another resting-place on the long journey into space. Here, at a distance of nearly 3,000 _millions_ of miles from the Sun, we may pause awhile before entering upon the more remote exploration of the '_starry_ universe.'

"We are approaching the frontier regions of our system, and the Sun's light and the power of his attraction are gradually passing away. Between the shores of our Sun-system and the shores of the nearest star-system--they also being suns--lies a vast, mysterious chasm, in the recesses of which may still lurk some undiscovered planets, but into which, so far as we yet know, the wandering comets alone plunge deeply.

"We now stand on the frontier of the Sun's domain, and are, in imagination, looking across one of those broad gulfs which, like impassable ramparts fence off the different systems of the universe from each other. It seemed needful that the great Architect should interpose some such barrier between the contending attractions of the giant masses of matter scattered through space; that there should be a _sea_ of limitation in which forces, whose action might disturb each other, should die out and be extinguished. In it the flood-light of our glorious Sun gets weaker and weaker, and its bright disk wastes away by distance, until it shines only as a twinkling star. And the strong chain of its attraction which held with firm grasp the planets in their orbits, after dwindling by fixed degrees into a force that would not break a gossamer, is finally dissipated and lost.

"Now we ask, Is it likely that those vast orbs--with masses and densities so wonderfully modified and adjusted in accordance with what we perceive to be the requirements of living creatures--with years and months, days and nights, seasons and climates--with atmosphere and twilights, trade-winds and currents--with clouds and rains, continents and seas, mountains and polar snows--with sun, moon, and stars, and, in short, with all the elements that make up the conditions of a habitable globe--is it likely that those glorious works of the Creator should have been formed to lie waste, sterile, and unprofitable? Or even if we could bring ourselves to think that those masses, whose united bulk dwarfs our Earth into insignificance, had been solely created as make-weights to keep this little atom of Earth in its place, why should they have been provided with complicated systems of moons revolving round them to give them auxiliary light? The Sun's light they share in common with ourselves; but for what conceivable purpose should deserts void of life have been supplied with those wonderful lamps to light them up in the absence of the Sun? Conditions that might be incompatible with our organization, may be by adjustment of creative wisdom exactly suited to the beings placed to inhabit them. All life, even if it be essentially the same in principle, may not everywhere assume the same phase of outward existence, nor need we attempt to set limits in this respect to the Lord of Life. The spaces lie there furnished ready--the Word was only required to people them with life.

"Such inquiries have an interest which goes beyond their mere astronomical import, for they touch our conceptions of God's greatness, wisdom, and power. Is there one who does not long to be able reasonably to cherish the thought that, far away from this _tiny_ speck of Earth, in the remote realms of space, we behold worlds inhabited by beings who, it may be, are privileged to know their Creator, and to bless, praise, and magnify Him forever."

We have seen that all leading Astronomers agree in the fact of a "_plurality of suns_," and a "_plurality of worlds_," and their numbers so vast that they are beyond our computation. Now we hold that in all this vast creation, there is a controlling element, and that this element is necessarily manifest in all things, and so predominates that percipient intelligences should, and we believe can--to a certain extent--comprehend it. Do you ask, what is this element? we answer _fire_!

We have presented to your mind--as far as we are able to comprehend--the Infinity of God's wisdom and power, as manifested in his wonderful Creations; not only in creating this Earth on which we live, and all pertaining thereunto, but of Heavens, Suns, Planets and Worlds, whose numbers are _millions_, as they are seen standing out and peopling the realms of boundless space, and yet we know that so vast is the infinity of His wonderful creations, that we have given to the mind only a bird's-eye view within the borders of His boundless Empire.

We are aware that the idea we advance--that the vast globe, encircled by the photosphoric, ethereal flame (that which we denominate the Sun), _is our heaven_, as also the heaven for intelligences of the other planets of our solar system, and that there are numerous other suns of similar import which may also be heavens for created intelligences inhabiting their surrounding planets--is new to the mind of man, and that at first thought some may be incredulous; thus, as we said in the beginning, it has ever been with all important discoveries, and especially so of discoveries through the lights and science of astronomy. Nevertheless, the wondrous works of the Creator, as we have surveyed and contemplated them--we think--will justify our hypothesis. But to all the foregoing we shall still add stronger, and we think, more convincing evidences, when we come to contemplate the elements of the Sun--fire, heat, and light--in connection with God's intercourse by His Spirit, and His dealings with man.

_GOD'S THRONE SHALL ENDURE FOREVER; SO ALSO SHALL THE SUN. CONCLUSIVE SCRIPTURAL EVIDENCE FOR ALL THAT WE CLAIM._

God hath sworn by His Holiness, that the seed of David (the MESSIAH), should "endure forever, and his throne as the Sun before him."

The Psalmist, referring to the Messiah says, "His name shall endure forever. His name shall be continued as long as the Sun, and all nations shall call him blessed." Here we have the assurance of the eternal duration of the Sun; even as the Throne of God which is to "endure forever and ever." The promise is, that

"His seed also will I make to endure forever, and his throne
as the days of heaven. Thy throne O God is forever and
ever."

Thus, we see that the Sun and the heaven are to endure as long as the throne of God, and his throne is to endure "forever and ever."

Now to us, to all, while dwelling in mortality, the Sun dispenses its blessings alike. "He maketh the Sun to shine on the evil and on the good, and sendeth the rain on the just, and on the unjust."

Thus, we see that the Sun is the active agency for the dispensing of His blessings to man and all animation on this Earth. Its rays of light and heat penetrate the bosoms of oceans and seas, and draw up from "the fountains of the deep" the "liquid element" in ascending vapor, and condensing it into clouds, scatter and return it in rains, and gentle showers, to water and replenish the Earth and make it bring forth for sustenance of man and beast, and renew the verdure of nature.

Now do we not see in all this, as in all things else, that the Sun--its heat and light--are God's agencies in sustaining all things? We have told you that we could comprehend that it _was_ an agency pervading and controlling all things. But you have doubtless noticed the fact that as we have followed up and grasped the revelations made by Philosophers and Astronomers, that the ablest of them have failed to comprehend the _nature_ of the eternal source of fire. All agree in the one fact, however, that it is derived from the Sun. No finite mind ever has comprehended, nor, it may be, ever will be able to fully comprehend it. We know that it exists. We apply to it properties and principles, or components which form the element. Beyond this we cannot go, only we know that God himself is its author; that it is an element intimately connected with Himself--nay more, that He has even revealed to us that _His Spirit is fire_! And when we contemplate the fact that it is the only completely destructive, or _annihilating_ element, and yet one that can _never be destroyed_; one that is to purify the righteous, and yet punish the wicked, we are led to the inevitable conclusion that it is an _attribute_ of the Great Jehovah. We believe it an element of creative agency, one that has existed--possibly--from all eternity, and will continue through all eternity to come. We are told that God, by His Spirit, is manifest in all His works. Now, what else than _light_, and _heat_, is thus manifest to us? It is positively _the source of all light_, and St. Paul tells us that "All things are made manifest by light;" while the Psalmist declares "His going forth is from the _end of the heaven_, and His circuit unto the ends of it, and there is nothing hid from the _heat_ thereof."

Now we see that this declaration establishes our hypothesis of the location of heaven. His going forth from the _end of the heaven_--from the sun--and nothing is hid from the heat thereof--the Sun being the source of heat--is conclusive evidence that the _Sun_ is near--even at the _ends_ of the heaven.

In the further contemplation of the hypothesis, that the Spirit of God is _as_ fire, you will remember that we have stated that some of the constituent elements of fire pervades all things, and also that God--_by His Spirit_--is everywhere, and in all His works. Hear the Psalmist, on this subject:

"Whither shall I go from thy _Spirit_? Whither shall I flee
from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art
there; if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If
I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost
parts of the sea, even there thy hand shall lead me, and thy
right hand shall hold me.

"If I say, surely the darkness shall cover me; even the
night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not
from thee: but the night shineth as the day: the darkness
and the light are both alike to thee."

Mark well this testimony, that while the Spirit of God is everywhere, so, also, is that Spirit _light_, and there is no darkness, save to those vailed in humanity. When spirit is free from mortality; is accepted of God, and clothed upon with immortality; _as spirit_, it partakes of His own nature, and will, henceforth, dwell forever in eternal light.

Now what the Sun is to this earth and its inhabitants, so also we believe it to be to the inhabitants of all the other planets belonging to its system; all of which worlds it controls, even as it does this. And here the mind goes out in the contemplation of the hypothesis, that all those other suns, standing far out in sidereal regions--each governing and controlling its own system of planets, or worlds--are also _heavens_ for created intelligences inhabiting such planets. God is Infinite, as well as Omnipresent. Infinite in wisdom, and in His creative power.

"Who can set bounds to the Almighty?"

Therefore _Suns_, and consequently _heavens_, may be numbered by _millions_, and their surrounding worlds by _billions_; yet all created, governed, and controlled by the infinite wisdom and power of the great Architect of the Universe. Such hypothesis is wonderful for finite minds to contemplate, yet not more so than the fact of the existence of our own solar system.

That the Sun shall endure forever, no rational mind can doubt. God's own word assures this, and that His throne shall endure as long as the Sun. Should He quench the fires of the Sun, and yet make no other provision for light and heat, all would be blackness, darkness, and desolation, and no animated life could exist on this earth, or surrounding worlds.

* * * * *

Having assumed the hypothesis that that which we denominate the SUN is a volume of _photospheric-ethereal_, or SPIRIT-FIRE; that it is the source of all that we can comprehend of _light_ and _heat_; we have also stated our belief that it is an _attribute_ of the Eternal One--possibly an agency of _creative power_--we believe we shall be able to make this plain to every reflecting mind, in our further contemplations of the revelations which God has made of himself, as we find them recorded in the Bible. These revelations are plain, and we believe the time in the history of our world has come, when we should more fully comprehend them--even the nature of His manifestations, and thus comprehend more our own relations to Him, and by this means be enabled to "come to a knowledge of His truth," and more fully realize His prescience, day by day. That this has not been more fully comprehended heretofore, must seem a mystery to every reflecting mind.

Now what are these revelations? Let us examine.

We learn from Bible History, that "God created man in His own image, and after His own likeness." "In the image of God created He him; male and female, created He them." Thus, in creation, man is spoken of in the _plural_. "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul." Now "the first Adam was made a living soul, and the second Adam a quickening spirit." The terms soul and spirit are held as synonymous; both having reference to our immortal nature, and, as this immortal nature emanated from God our Creator, and is of His own eternal attribute, it can never die; hence, it must exist through all eternity.

Job asks, "To whom hast Thou uttered words? whose spirit came from Thee?" and in Ecclesiastes it is declared, "The spirit shall return to God who gave it." St. John, the revelator, tells us that "God is a spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth." While St. Paul says, "His spirit beareth witness with our spirits, that we are the children of God."

Now you will remember that St. John, the revelator, has told us that it was revealed to him that "the seven lamps of _fire_, were the seven spirits of God," while Job says, "A flame goeth out of His mouth, and God by his spirit garnished the heavens."

We wish you to bear this evidence in mind. For Job not only speaks of a _plurality of heavens_, but explains by what agency they were garnished--even by the _Spirit of God_. Now we know that garnishment is transcendent brightness, and brilliancy; to adorn and polish _surface_. Is it not therefore, probable that Job had reference to that bright _ethereal spirit flame_, whose brilliancy blinds us if we attempt a lingering gaze at the Sun's bright disk? 'Tis said that heaven within is lighted with the "glory of God."

In our previous arguments, we have showed, conclusively, that the Sun is the source of fire, heat, and light. Let us now further examine the offices of this element thus derived from the _Sun_, and note in this investigation whether it is not, in some way, intimately connected with _heaven_.

_First._ Under the Mosaic dispensation, God commanded His Prophets, and Priests, to build unto Him an Altar, and to offer sacrifices thereon; and such sacrifices would be accepted by Him, as should be evidenced by his sending down fire from heaven to consume the offerings. He also commanded, through Moses, that the fires should ever be burning upon the altar, and that the Priests should continue to renew sacrifices and burnt offerings upon it. These sacrifices were as memorials before the Lord, and typical of the coming of Christ, who should be the "great sacrifice," to ransom fallen man.

Now it will be remembered that when such offerings were made, fire came down from heaven and consumed the offerings, and thus made manifest that the sacrifices were accepted of God. (Let it be remembered that we have shown, as far as finite mind can comprehend, that the _Sun_ is the only direct source of fire, and then remember that _fire came down from heaven_.)

In the book of Job we read,

"_The fire of God has fallen from heaven._"

The Psalmist tells us that

"God is a _Sun_ and a shield, who maketh His angels spirits,
and His ministers a flaming fire."

Now we know that angels are God's ministers, and how oft do we find recorded in the Bible, how--under the earlier dispensation--they appeared on earth in forms of _fire_, and with the brightness of the _Sun_.

The Psalmist tells us again that:

"Our God shall come, a fire shall devour before Him. A fire
goeth before Him and burneth up His enemies."

The prophet Jeremiah proclaims:

"Wherefore, thus saith the Lord God of hosts, Behold, I will
make my words in thy mouth fire."

The Psalmist answers:

"While I was musing the fire burned."

Thus, how plain the revelations that _God's Spirit is fire_. Not necessarily manifested at all times, by the burning and consuming our mortal bodies--this only in His _wrath_--but by the purifying of our natures; "burning up the dross, and base desires," and thus fitting us for the enjoyment of heaven and happiness, for

"He shall be as a refiner's fire, and the righteous are
saved as by fire."

Let us hear what the prophet Jeremiah saith:

"For behold the Lord will come with fire; and with His
chariots like a whirlwind, to render his anger with fury,
and His rebukes with flames of fire, and the slain of the
Lord shall be many."

Ah, when He comes forth with His _Spirit of fire_ in _wrath_ and indignation, then it is that this element is one of terrible destruction. Comprehending this, the a same prophet inquires:

"Who among us shall dwell with devouring fire? Who among
_us_ shall dwell in everlasting burnings?"

Hear the answer of God, given through his prophet to all His obedient and faithful children:

"Though thou walkest through the fires, thou shalt not be
burned, neither shall the flames kindle upon thee."

Again, of His Spirit in a milder form:

"Is not my _word_ like fire, saith the Lord?"

The prophet answers:

"His word was in my heart as a burning fire."

Now remember that:

"By the _word_ of the Lord were the heavens made, and all
the hosts of them by the breath of His mouth."

_And here His word is represented as_ FIRE!

In the first book of the Chronicles it is written:

"Every man's work shall be tried by fire."

And, in the second book of the Chronicles:

"And when the children of Israel saw how the fire came down,
and the glory of the Lord upon the House, they bowed
themselves with their faces to the ground, and worshipped
and praised the Lord."

Thus, no one dared gaze on the brightness of that _glory_, and all bowed "with their faces _to the ground_."

Turning to the book of Deuteronomy, we find written:

"The Lord thy God is a consuming fire. Understand therefore
this day, that the Lord thy God is He that goeth over before
thee as a consuming fire. Out of heaven He made thee to hear
His voice, that He might instruct thee; and upon earth He
showed thee His great fire; and thou heardest His words out
of the midst of the fire."

In Leviticus we find written:

"And there went out a fire from the Lord and devoured them,
and they died before the Lord. And there came a fire out
from before the Lord, and consumed upon the altar the burnt
offerings--which, when the people saw, they shouted and fell
on their faces."

Let us contemplate, for a moment, the sacrilege of the attempt at using this element--during the old dispensation--to the consuming of an offering or sacrifice to any other than the _one true and living God_. Turn to the Book of Numbers, and read,

"When the people offered incense upon the strange altar,
there came down fire from the Lord and consumed the two
hundred and fifty who offered the incense. And Nahab and
Abihu died, when they offered strange fire before the Lord."

Second Kings, vi. 17:

"Elisha said, they that be for us are more than they that
are against us; he prayed, and God opened the young man's
eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of
horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."

Thus we see that this element--in its destructive form--is the ready manifestation of God's displeasure.

Turn to Exodus, and read,--

"And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him (Moses), in a
flame of fire out of the midst of a bush, and he looked, and
behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not
consumed." _Again_, "The cloud of the Lord was upon the
Tabernacle by day, and a fire was upon it by night in sight
of all the house of Israel." _Again_, "And the sight of the
glory of the Lord was like devouring fire upon the top of
the mount in the eyes of the children of Israel."

Now let us consider this element in its offices when controlled by the Great Jehovah.

Judges, xiii. 20:

"For it came to pass when the flame went up toward heaven
from off the altar, that the angel of the Lord ascended in
the flame of the altar."

Here there was no delusive manifestation, but the actual _flame of fire_, ascending upward toward heaven; even to the _Sun_ its original source.

We will now turn to the Book of the Second Kings, and--in our mind's eye--join the prophets "as they walked and talked with Elijah" and witness one of the most sublime scenes the eye of man has ever beheld:

"And it came to pass as they still went on and talked, that
behold there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire,
and parted them both asunder, and Elijah went up by a
whirlwind into heaven."

Was there not a startling, and sublime revelation, that this element controlled, can be suited, even to our enjoyment of _happiness_ when the great change comes; when this mortal shall put on immortality?

In the Book of Malachi--the last of the Old Testament scriptures--we hear the voice of Him who had promised deliverance, speaking to us through His prophet:

"Unto you that fear my name, shall the _Sun_ of
righteousness arise."

Thus we see that the promised Messiah was spoken of as a _Sun_.

Turning to the record of the New Testament, we find the Saviour's advent into this world signaled by a brilliant "Star," emblematical of the _Sun_, shining in all its splendor, brilliancy, and beauty, and leading the wise men to where lay the "Infant of days"--the veiled "Star," or _Sun_, of light and immortality.

At a later day, behold Him manifesting His veiled brightness, as he stood "_transfigured on the Mount_" before Peter, James and John, when "_His face did shine as the Sun, and His raiment white as the light_."