A VAST ELECTRIC ORGANISM 27 



crust of its surface are many cavities or openings we 

 call volcanoes connected by powerful currents of 

 magnetism constantly circulating from the equator 

 to the poles; and when there is an influx of water 

 or other substance sufficient to generate electric 

 resistance and repulsion, a fuse burns out in the 

 circuit at that point, the volcano sparks, blazes, 

 explodes with great force, and shoots its molten 

 lava into the clouds, or, like Mount Pelee, blows 

 its head off. 



Another simple illustration of the universe as a 

 vast electric mechanism is the electric street-car 

 system in our cities. The sun represents the great 

 central power house where the electric power is 

 generated. 



The planets represent the cars, which revolve 

 on their axis and speed forward by the same force 

 and in almost the same manner as the planets 

 revolve on their poles and continue in their orbital 

 lines of force. The trolley wire and current are the 

 cars' electric line of force and they come and go in 

 their circuit propelled by the electric generator at 

 the central power house, in very much the same 

 way as the planets revolve and come and go on 

 their orbital circuits around the sun by the moving 

 force and electric power of the sun. 



The circuit of the electric current on the car line 

 starts from the dynamo at the power house and re- 

 turns along the rails or through the earth back to 

 the dynamo. In like manner, the vast electric cur- 

 rents of the sun pass to the earth through the 

 ether without wires and do the lighting, heating 

 and cosmic life-work, and return to the sun com- 

 pleting their circuit ; and the earth sends its electric 



