70 THE ORIGIN OP CREATION. 



theories on the nature and action of the sun. The fourth, 

 which they say is probably the true explanation, is as 

 follows : " According to this theory, matter when created was 

 diffused irregularly through space, but was endowed with the 

 attractive force of gravitation, by virtue of which it gradually 

 became agglomerated into masses of various sizes. The temper- 

 ature produced by collision, etc., would not only be in general 

 higher for the larger bodies, but they would of course take 

 longer to cool ; and hence our earth though probably in by- 

 gone ages a little sun retains but a slight amount of its 

 original heat, at least in its superficial strata, while the sun still 

 shines with brilliance, perhaps little impaired. Supplies of 

 energy are, no doubt, yet received continually by the sun, on 

 its casual meeting with masses traversing through space, or 

 the falling in of others revolving about it ; just as on an 

 exceedingly small scale, the earth occasionally gets a slight 

 increase of kinetic energy, by the impact of a shooting star or 

 aerolite." " But it is not probable that the sun receives in 

 this way more than a very small portion of his heat. He must 

 therefore, at present, be in the condition of a heated body 

 cooling." " But it will take seven thousand years, before his 

 average temperature can go down one degree !" 



This conclusion is a very safe statement to enunciate, but we 

 are astonished that any man with an established reputation 

 should make it. 



The accepted idea, therefore, is that the sun is a huge 

 furnace, which is being continually fed with fuel to keep the 

 heat up. This heat, we are told, is given off in every direction, 

 and as the planets which the sun lights are mere specks in 

 comparison with the vast open spaces between, there seems to 



