66 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS < 
ganese, titanium, radium and helium. How the Sun maintains © 
its heat is a problem as yet unsolved. The theory that it is kept 
from dying by the meteors that fall into it is untenable. Its heat 
may be partially maintained by the contraction of its volume. 
Our knowledge of the sun has greatly increased during the past 
generation, due to the faithful observations that have been made 
and to the extensive application of the spectroscope. As a result 
many former conclusions have been revolutionized and have had 
to be restated. The Sun’s family consists of planets, comets and 
asteroids. ‘The planets derive their nourishment, light and heat 
from the Sun. Jupiter may be to some extent an exception to 
this, having some inherent light. The comets are supposed to 
shine largely with their own light. 
The members of the Sun’s family are divided into primary 
and secondary. By a primary we mean one which directly cir- 
culates around the Sun. By a secondary is meant one which in 
the first instance circles around a primary, and therefore only in 
a secondary sense circulates around the Sun. Omitting asteroids, 
comets and meteoric rings, eight primary planets are now known 
viz.: Mereury, Venus, the Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus 
and Neptune. Of these, the first four are comparatively small, 
while the last four are the giants of the group. The distance of 
the planets from the Sun, the centre of the solar system, differs 
enormously. The speed of motion in their respective orbits dif- 
fers correspondingly. The difference in speed is in strict har- 
mony with the law of gravitation, the planets nearer the Sun 
being exposed to greater solar attractions and needing a corres- 
pondingly greater rapidity of motion to overcome the energy of 
their attraction and maintain their orbital distances. The space 
given to us for this digest will not allow us to make any reference 
to the comets and asteroids. We shail close by saying that our 
study of this subject has greatly strengthened our faith in the 
thought that these wondrous orbs could not have come into exist- 
ence nor have been maintained in their allotted places for so long 
a period of tinie except as the result of design emanating from an 
all powerful and all wise Creator. 
