"if the universe be delivered over to the undisturbed action of its physical processes, all force will finally pass into the form of heat, and all heat come into a state of equilibrium. Then all possibility of a further change would be at an end, and the complete cessation of all natural processes must set in . . . the universe from that time forward would be condemned to a state of eternal rest.”1 From such a state of eternal rest the world could not raise itself; and into such a state it would long ago have passed, were it not for Reason guiding and Energy sustaining. The leaps, surprises, reversals, and new beginnings, found within our system (for the births of planets occurred at widely remote periods, and the stages of their growth differ enormously in duration) are of a nature that requires not only might but wisdom for their maintenance. "We see our earth passing through a vast period from its first existence as a separate member of the solar system, to the time when life appeared upon its surface: then began a comparatively short period, now in progress, during which the earth has been and will be the abode of life; and after that must follow a period, infinite to our conceptions, when the cold and inert globe of the earth will circle as lifelessly round the sun as the moon now does."2 We know that our earth may so change in the course of hundreds of thousands of years to come; that none of the forms of life now existing, could live in those changed conditions; nevertheless, we also know that descendants of the creatures now living may then be as well fitted to the existing circumstances as are the most favoured races of our time, so great and marvellous are the varieties of God's handywork. The whole leads to the belief, that wander whithersoever we may, far as we can and as long as we can, we shall yet find ourselves within the populous dominions of the Almighty. This study of varieties may well end in leading heart and mind to some, though faint, conception of the great changes and catastrophes yet to come. 1 "Interaction of Natural Forces:" Prof. Helmholtz. Passing away of Worlds. 403 At every transformation of heat-energy into work a large portion is degraded, and only a small portion is put into real work. It is easy to transform all mechanical or useful energy into heat, but only a small part of this heat-energy can be turned back into work. Every change degrades or dissipates the heat it becomes less and less available for further transformation. Heat is really the communist of the universe, tending for ever and ever to equalization, and will, no doubt, bring our system to an end. The sun, supporting us with heat and energy, is becoming older and colder. By something analogous to ethereal friction, the earth and planets are spirally drawn nearer, and will at length be engulfed in his mass. By that collision, energy will be converted into heat, and the power of the sun have partial and temporary restoration to do more work; but this process also will come to an end. Then the fall together, say of some other sun, distant as Sirius, and our sun, would generate thirty or forty times as much energy for future radiation to other planets. Then, the fall together of other suns will convert more energy into heat and matter to be evaporated and transformed into gaseous or nebulous condition. Ages and ages pass away, but ultimately all masses share the same fate, give out their light and heat into space, become dark, and are no more seen. Whether this process completes itself independently in different parts of the sidereal system by local integration and disintegration, or by aggregating the whole matter of the sidereal system, the diffusion will undo all previous concentration. Without entering any transcendental inquiry as to the existence or non-existence of infinite systems, but keeping to a practical and soluble question, there is reason to think that all existing solar systems will be reduced again to nebulous form. The universally co-existent forces of attraction and repulsion cause, when attraction prevails, creation to predominate; and when repulsion predominates, chaos to prevail. The actions of the past are repeated in the future, in form, in motion, in life; the same in principle, never the same in concrete result. Destruction follows destruction, through periods long delayed, until the things seen and temporal pass away. Then, if He will who rules, other beginnings and creations arise to occupy an immeasurable future as preceding rhythms of Divine Power occupied an infinite past. Our mind contemplates with awe the sublime spectacle of space and time, of creation and chaos, of life and death, shrined within the omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence of God. The epochs of transformation may be separated by time intervals so enormous that the duration of life on our earth and the duration of our earth itself, may be but a second as compared with a thousand years. Energies wholly unknown to us are at work, and at any moment may produce weal or woe. That which overtakes other worlds may happen to our own; for this, and, something yet nearer, our own dissolution, we have to prepare. Many considerations are involved in it. We will take one that fits our study-The life-sustaining orbs around us, are surpassed, probably, a thousand-fold by those yet lifeless, or those long since dead; and it is not unscientific to think that some of us may wander as spectres among inert lifeless masses of ruined worlds-where the dead bury their dead: while others, entering that which is now invisible, possess a world truly amazing. We are all passing away, and quickly, from the visible to the invisible. The lower animals are a parable to us. At certain seasons they abandon their usual haunts, turn from wonted enjoyments, and seek some asylum, as if to prepare for new untried condition-they follow a sure guiding of nature: even the insect is not deluded in preparing for metamorphosisno, not one; and awakes unto the gaiety of a new and higher life. Nor shall human dust be irrecoverably scattered by the winds: for good purpose our eyes traverse and oversee the immensity of space, and our minds form true notions of the universe. The sun, the stars, the planets, are "brilliants floating in an upper ether," to light us in that pathway of the just which shineth more and more unto perfect day. Beside all this, we have the loving influence of human soul on human soul. We are conscious of a baptism and consecration in which the true belief of holy men binds us over to purity and rectitude. Blessed influence, not calculable by algebra, not Communion of Spirit. 405 deducible by logic; mysterious, effectual, mighty, as the hidden processes by which life is quickened. Words are but poor ghosts of the grand reality of the things that make themselves felt as if they were our flesh; they breathe upon us. with warm breath, they touch us with responsive hands, and look at us with sincere glad eyes. The presence of soul to soul is a power filling with emotion, attractive as flame to flame, and drawing us with gentle compulsion to the sweet conviction that there is also union with the Lord. STUDY XXI. FOLLIES OF THE WISE. "Not as yet Are we in shelter or repose, The Holy House is still beset With leaguer of stern foes." Keble. "Conquer we shall, but we must first contend; ΑΝΟΝ. WE PROPOSE to investigate certain statements made by a few scientific men concerning Scripture. If the inquiry should confirm that remarkable fact- "the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Cor. ii. 14)—it may lead them and us to a more reverent heed of that which God has spoken by the prophets, and by His Son Jesus; that the world may be full of a revealed Deity, yet the outside manifestation shall exercise little or no influence for good; unless, by winning the conviction and the assent of the will, it awakens the conscience and regenerates the affections. At the outset we encounter a puzzling truth: the Bible, neither teaching science, nor written scientifically, has well nigh for ever seemed against the secular science of the age, yet the Old Book and the Old Faith survive. Not only so, theologians have been among the first to point out astronomical and other difficulties in the Bible; while the greatest astronomers and most renowned physicists have alway asserted that Mind planned the world: its processes and laws having interpretation by intelligence, as they are the manifestation of Intelligence. To mention only two, who can doubt Newton's |