94 



E. WALTER MAUXDEE, E.K.A.S., ON THE 



attendant planets. The conditions wliich would result would be 

 far too unstable and irregular for the nurtiu^e and maintenance 

 of liWng organisms. 



Under the Ptolemaic theory the earth was regained as the 

 centre of the universe. The work of Co]:»ernicus deprived it of 

 this pride of place, but exalted it to the rank of a heavenly 

 body. There it seemed to be one of the smallest, most insig- 

 nificant of its compeers. But I think if we have reasoned 

 aright this afternoon we see that it has a claim to a higher 

 distinction than size or brightness can possibly give it : it is 

 almost certain that it is unique amongst the heavenly bodies 

 that are visible to us, and amongst those that are imseen and 

 unknown there can only be a small proportion, at best, so well 

 favoured. It is the home of life, carefuUv fitted and prepared 

 for that purpose by its position and its size. 



That it has been built upon this scale, that it has l»een given 

 this place, are not these tokens of purpose and design r 

 And though it be little amongst the worlds, a little meml>er of a 

 comparatively little system, can we doubt what that design 

 and purpose was \ The Wisdom of God \\\\o was with Him 

 " when He prepared the heavens, when He set a compass upon 

 the face of the depths, when He established the clouds above, 

 when He strengthened the fountains of the deep, when He gave 

 to the sea His decree that the waters should not pass His 

 commandment, when He appointed the foundations of the earth," 

 desired that, as '* the Word made flesh,'*' He might ' rejoice in 

 the habitable part of His earth, and have His delights with the 

 sons of men.'' 



Discussion. 



The Chairman said : As regards the very much debated point of 

 the markings on Mars, which have l>een called by the question-begging 

 name of *' canals,'' Mr. Maunder 's proof that the name is due to a 

 mistranslation of Schiaparellis Itahan word ''canaH" is only 

 another instance of the iufluence of names over thought. 



It is impossible to doubt that much of the speculation as to the 

 nature of these markings would either never have come into 

 existence, or would have taken an entirely different line, if they had 

 been called simply " markings " instead of "canals." 



