46 THE CREATION OF MATTER 



characterised by inertia, or resistance to force. Its inertia 

 is, however, as feebleness itself. It is moved with un- 

 paralleled ease. To form waves, a change must also be 

 produced in its parts ; a strain must be caused of such a 

 nature as to have in it a tendency to return to its natural 

 relationships. It must therefore have elasticity. There 

 are phenomena which show that its elasticity is of a 

 peculiar nature, differing entirely from that of water, or 

 of air, in the production of sound. We propose to show 

 that its various forms of action are such as to manifest 

 that, whatever may be its exact constitution, it is the 

 work of mind. Its adjustments to material molecules 

 also reveal the wealth of order that is in them. We 

 shall consider it I. In its action within itself ; II. In its 

 relations to material molecules. 



I. Its action within itself. (1) Light travels in straight 

 lines. The waves flow outward in all directions from 

 any centre of disturbance, but each wave holds on its 

 course, turning neither to the right hand nor to the 

 left. There is no deviation of a single ray. All the rays 

 that proceed from the sun, that are reflected by the 

 moon, that come from the stars of heaven, run straight to 

 their goal. In a vacuum, within any the same medium, 

 the central points of a wave draw a line of inconceivable 

 fineness and straightness. Every ray that comes from 

 the sun draws such a line about 92,000,000 miles in 

 length. And such lines are numerous as the rays of 

 light in the universe. The first part struck in a line 

 sends forward the force it has received to the next, and 

 the next to the next, and onward, ever onward, from 

 part to part, onward, ever straight onward, the right 

 point in front always receiving the advancing energy. 

 The least deviation near the sun would mean, at the end 

 of millions of miles, an immense distance from the 



