OR, PLAIN TEACHING. 



17 



Earthquakes, 19, arise from 

 undulations, heavings, and split- 

 tings in the earth, caused by the 

 expansion of substances under the 

 effects of terrestrial fires. Large 

 masses of rock are sometimes 

 hurled from mountains, or forced 

 to the surface, 20, from beneath 



10 



146. 



the bowels of the earth. One 

 theory explanatory of earthquakes 

 is, that our globe, and all other 

 planetary bodies, were originally 

 in a state of fire, and have since 

 been gradually cooling; that there 

 yet exist within the bowels of the 

 earth the remains of its former 

 incandescent state; that water 

 sometimes finds its way to the 

 heated mass within; and that this 

 generates steam and gases which, 

 in escaping, rupture and disturb 

 the earth. Another theory is, 

 thai the earth contains chemical 

 elements ; which, under certain 

 circumstances, act upon each 

 other and produce fire ; or, under 

 the action of water, explode, 

 melt, and fuse — by the intensity 

 of heat — the parts of the earth 

 around them. The effects of 



earthquakes, when they are severe, 

 in populous districts, are very 

 terrible. In cities, churches and 

 buildings of every description are 

 thrown down; thousands of people 

 are crushed to death ; fire seizes 

 upon the ruins, 20# ; and, in some 

 instances, whole cities are buried. 



20a 



147. 



In the year 543, a great earth- 

 quake was felt throughout the 

 known world ; in 7 42, more than 

 500 towns were destroyed in. 

 Syria, Palestine, and Asia ; and 

 the loss of life was beyond all 

 calculation ; in 1137, 15,000 

 people perished in the ruins 

 caused by an earthquake at Can- 

 tania, in Sicily ; 40,000 people 

 perished by a similar cause at 

 Naples, in 1456 ; in 1531, 1500 

 houses were thrown down- at 

 Lisbon, and 30,000 people pe- 

 rished; in 1693, another occurred 

 in Sicily, and destroyed Cantania 

 and its 18,000 inhabitants. A to- 

 gether, more than 100,000 lives 

 were lost. In 1731, another 

 occurred in China, when 100,000 

 people were swallowed up at 

 Pekin ; at the great earthquake 



