TRANSACTIONS. 
I. PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES. 
A THEORY OF THE COSMOS. 
BY E. B. KNERR, OF MIDLAND COLLEGE, ATCHISON, KAN. 
An address delivered at McPherson, December 29, 1899, before the thirty-second annual meeting 
of the Kansas Academy of Science. 
Man’s attitude to the external world has ever been that of a great question 
mark, and at no time in the history of the race has mere assertion carried so little 
weight as at the present time. Every statement must be backed by some evi- 
dence of truth, some argument for its validity. New knowledge is always built 
on previous knowledge; and both are accepted only in so far as they are confirma- 
tory of each other. 
Among the very first questions which come to the inquiring mind are: How 
came this world into being? Whence the sun, the moon, the stars? What is 
this material world about us, anyway? What child has not queried about the 
support of the earth? These questions are not only put to-day, but they claimed 
the thought of milleniums ago. Never was question put, however, but some an- 
swer was evolved by poet or sage. Thus, many of the legends, heathen and 
Christian, accounting for the phenomenal world are rich in poetic beauty, and 
they have soothed the questioning mind, if they have not always entirely satis- 
fied it. 
It would doubtless be of much interest right here to recall some of the ideas 
that have prevailed among various peoples as to the origin of the earth and 
heavens, and the destiny of their inhabitants; but I shall refrain from so doing, 
and proceed at once to a consideration of a view of the universe warranted, in 
my opinion, by the revelations of modern science. 
Notwithstanding the great diversity everywhere manifest in the universe, 
there is an essential unity in it all. The very name ‘“‘universe’’ implies such 
unity. Everything is under the reign of law. There is a wonderful harmony in 
it all. 
The cosmos is defined as ‘‘the world or universe considered as a system, per- 
fect in order and arrangement; opposed to chaos.”’ 
Our purpose now is to investigate this ‘‘order,’’ and so far as possible discover 
the laws manifest in this ‘‘arrangement.’’ Some of these laws have been recog- 
nized for ages; others are of more recent discovery. Such are Newton’s laws, Kep- 
ler’s laws, Avogadro’s law, Dalton’s law, Lane’s law, ete. It is not meant that 
these laws govern the movements and states of matter asa civil law governs the 
citizens of astate, but merely that they are generalized statements of the conduct 
of matter. Natural science is nothing more than an orderly investigation into 
this orderly conduct of matter. One investigation leads to others. No sooner is 
one truth in nature recognized than it suggests others to be discovered and formu- 
lated. 
The pervading principle of all nature is harmony. Holding to the truth of 
this statement, I desire in this paper to carry forward certain generally accepted 
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