The Universe a Vast Electric Organism Part 20

They are a part of the great natural forces of the universe. Theologians call them supernatural forces, but they are the natural creative and controlling forces that have sovereignty over all the vast and complicated forms of the visible, material universe.

Therefore on the physical facts of organic creation I agree generally with the scientists. And if they had been informed in some of the vital and intelligent processes of electrical creation, they would never have believed in pantheism, or been pessimistic sceptics or hopeless agnostics. And in my judgment the only thing that will redeem modern science from pantheism is the prevalent belief in and acceptance of the theory of electrical creation.

This will explain the harmony, intelligence, continuity and perfection of the physical universe, and relieve their minds of all grounds for scepticism.

There is "an intelligence or selective power" in matter. There is a great "Chemist-Physicist" superintending nature's operations, sorting out two parts of hydrogen and one of oxygen to compose the raindrop and the waters of the ocean. It is no "fortuitous concourse of atoms," which accomplishes these results and preserves the life of the world. It is the omniscient wisdom embraced in the laws and forces of electric energy, which is the right hand of Deity and the word of Creative power.

To show the possibility and ease with which many of the Bible miracles could have been performed by natural processes at the volition of Divine power, Dr. Albert G. Geyser of New York City, on May 14, 1903, according to the New York World, elucidated many of the miracles by the use of electricity and the X-ray. This he did before the members of the priesthood of the Holy Name Society of St. Anselm's Church, to whom he said he felt he would be able to demonstrate that the miracles were in no way inconsistent with science. After setting up his apparatus, he said:

"For centuries those who thought deeply on the matter have been puzzled with grave doubts as to the possibility of G.o.d being all-seeing and all-hearing. What did the telephone reveal thirty years ago? Did it not reveal forces in nature that would allow men to hear voices at great distances? And now, thanks to the great Roentgen invention of only nine years ago, we are able to see through a four-foot wall simply by means of this puny apparatus."

Then he set the great gla.s.s wheels of his battery in action and allowed his audience to look through pieces of thick timber, and other solid bodies. He showed how simple it was to produce a halo of electric fire about his head though he remained a distance of ten feet from the apparatus. As he raised the two negative and positive poles to his head the electricity pa.s.sed through and out of the crown of his head in a circle of flame. Then he compelled his machine to shoot jagged flashes of lightning. Then, referring to the Bible account of the descent of the Holy Ghost in a pillar of fire, he called for volunteers, and Thomas MacKaye came forward onto the platform. He then placed two steel rods on each side of him, and started his apparatus, when tiny sparks began to jet off of Mr. MacKaye's clothing. Soon the sparks grew to curling flames, and the man's entire body became as a ma.s.s of writhing blue and white flame. Yet afterwards when he stepped from the platform not a thread of his clothing was singed. Rev. Father Ruppert, at the close, said: "Nothing I have ever seen has brought me to so fully understand G.o.d's miracles."

These pantheistic devotees are even trying to make waves of ether, air and water intelligible things, and seem to think they are in the nature of a circulating medium for this world-G.o.d, like blood is the circulating medium of man's body. Even so orthodox a scientist as Prof.

Serviss, in the New York American of May 16th, 1903, goes into panegyrics over waves and wave motion as follows: "The undulatory theory of energy is carrying everything before it. It is not saying too much to aver that wave motion is concerned in nearly all the phenomena of physical life.... Think for a moment of what is included in the science of waves. In the air all sounds, all musical harmonies are waves; in the solid globe, all earthquakes are waves; in the ether light, electricity and heat are waves. It is waves that make the stars visible, and yet more mysterious oscillations picture for us on photographic plates marvelous nebulous objects. Lord Kelvin has been credited with the statement that the fluttering of a b.u.t.terfly's wing sets up vibrations that shake the universe."

This is superficial science, for it explains nothing. Waves are simply a form of motion, and a form of motion creates nothing. Vibrations of what? Wave motions of what? Our learned friend does not inform us.

Vibrations and wave motions are like heat sensations, they are not realities; the force that creates them is the reality, and they are but the mode or law of operation. The reality--the force creating these vibrations and wave motions--is electricity. Yet he does not mention this fact or any cause, but gives all the credit to the motion or manner of motion, and ignores the cause, which is the most important of all.

Mr. t.i.tus seems to think motion has consciousness, for he states that, "the consciousness which is wrapped up in motion" becomes more or less active in matter, and that G.o.d sleeps in the atom, and man is a potential deity.

These wonderful manifestations of electricity are used by these pantheists to bolster up their theory of these being manifestations of intelligence in nature. And so they are, but they should remember that nature is the art of G.o.d, not G.o.d himself and G.o.d's art is wise and perfect. We have a new definition of life given us which shows wonderful intelligence in the various parts of man's body. It is by Prof. Justus Gaule of Zurich. In the American Journal of Psychology, January, 1903.

He says: "The whole organism resembles a chemical laboratory with as many apartments as there are organs or glands." As all chemical changes are electric changes, a chemical laboratory is the same as an electric laboratory. He continues: "The substances produced in each apartment are those needed in others either for their construction or for their work." According to him life consists partly in a continual process of interchange and reconstruction, at times sufficiently violent to tear muscles, mutilate nerves and cause stoppage of blood--a process that goes on "in the interior of the organism without external excitement."

Herbert Spencer defines life as "the continuous adjustment of internal relations to external relations," but Gaule's definition of life lays stress on the vital interplay between the parts of the organism, which makes it a machine transforming external energy. He a.s.serts that the living organism is more than a machine, because it does not create energy directly from combustible materials, but only after building up its own tissues.

He says a machine does work, but it does not create and repair itself like living organisms. He would therefore modify the prevailing definition of organic life, and make it not only a machine, but more than a machine, and emphasize the fact that life is as much an interaction between various parts of the organism as between the organism and the world of exterior matter. He says one organ of the body may lose in bulk, in order that others may increase. This he has studied experimentally in the frog, and finds that at one time the organs of s.e.x grow at the expense of the muscles and liver, and at another time the reverse is true, and he insists that "life is a continuous process of reconstruction within the vital organism." This is an important addition to the definition of life and tends to support the electric theory, for every function of the body is adapted to generate the electric energy needed for itself and other parts of its organism.

It is true that solid metals, wood and stones are in a constant state of molecular motion. According to Sir Norman Lockyer, "the stones of which St. Paul's Cathedral is built consist of millions of millions of small particles called molecules, and although the structure seems absolutely at rest, as if it would last forever; yet, when you get down into the intimate structure of each stone and every part of the fabric, you get nothing but a mult.i.tudinous ocean of motion." Now, Mr. t.i.tus says, "there is some inner hidden power which marshals and controls the innumerable host of molecules in all matter and keeps them whirling with tireless energy." This is true, and I fully agree with him. But he thinks it is the world-G.o.d in the atoms; and I think it is electric energy--working under the intelligent laws of the world-G.o.d, the sun-G.o.d and the G.o.d of the universe.

All these pantheistic scientists have never considered the wonderful powers and utilities of electric currents and electric energy which permeates all matter, from atoms to worlds. When they do so, they will see in electricity an intelligent and powerful causality which will satisfy their minds and lead them away from pantheism and its follies.

They are great believers in evolution, and so am I, and what they require in evolution is, "the inherent power of the evolving ent.i.ty to respond to external influences." This being the requisite, they have all they ask in the magnetic currents and electric energy pervading all nature. It is a fact that the human body contains millions of microscopic organisms working under the dominion of one human life, and, in other words, man is in his body a vast colony of microbes or protozoans supposed to be endowed with consciousness and volition.

A battle in germland is described by Dr. Donald Ross in investigating the microbes of malaria. This was a fight between a malaria microbe, and three phagocytes which are said to protect the purity of the blood. He says: "While observing a malaria germ I saw a phagocyte make its way to the malaria germ with the intent of devouring it. Ordinarily this would be easy, but the germ, instead of allowing itself to be attacked, attacked the phagocyte in a battle royal that lasted over fifteen minutes. Finally the germ drew off, and hurried to where another phagocyte was wandering aimlessly.

"It hurled itself on the second phagocyte, pushing hard against it with its arms, while the phagocyte tried to rear up and get around and envelope the germ, but finally gave up and flattened itself against an air bubble, while the germ still kept on pummeling it. After fifteen minutes another phagocyte appeared coming rapidly across the field. The germ then left its fallen foe and attacked the newcomer. The third phagocyte got enough of it in about one minute and turned squarely around, fleeing across the whole field, the germ hanging on like a snake on a dog. After five minutes the germ let go and the phagocyte slunk away. The malaria germ had by this time reached the limits of its endurance in the rapidly weakening blood and finally attached itself to the gla.s.s of the slide and died."

Few people can believe that such scenes as these may take place in the life-giving blood currents of their own bodies. Yet, if we believe those who have studied the millions of microscopic life forms which live in our bodies, such scenes may occur there. According to biologists, billions of microbes are generated in our bodies too infinitesimal to be observed by a microscope. And they say their fermentation in countless numbers produces a poison which creates irritation, the decrepitude of age and finally death. They say visible microbes show intelligence.

Engleman seems to hold that such facts as these and those connected with molecular organisms, "point to the presence of some psychic powers in the protoplasm." But I do not think so. They only show the wonderful and diversified powers of electric energy under divine law to evolve myriads of microscopic life that acts under intelligent electric impulses, which in its matured form we call animal instinct.

Thus we have traced conscious life from the dust out of which man's body was formed up through all the intervening kingdoms of nature until we reach man himself, who is the only creature that possesses a spiritual nature, a psychic soul, and an immortal destiny.

From the grossest materialism man and human science is rising at last to the truth and conception of a spiritual world of so exalted an order, and so sublime a reality, that it has been said, "to connect the mind of man with the Spirit of G.o.d."

All nature affirms that there is a Supreme intelligence working through electric law within the manifest universe, which is its living electric organism. That all physical law and life are bound together in an all-embracing whole, whose myriad aspects serve to mark the path of evolution, and to spur each individual member on to progress and perfection. That through the whole realm of nature the one electric life pulsates and stirs the smallest atom and the mightiest star. But above all is the eternal power of Deity and the deathless spirit of man, blended in a stronger unity than that of nature, linked in a joyous and an eternal destiny, sovereigns of worlds, rulers of suns and masters of the universe.

Because of the perfect unity and harmony of the universe, the wisdom and regularity of all its movements and functions, and the apparent intelligence of its lower living organisms, the agnostics embrace monism and pantheism. But these are not good reasons. They are better explained by the electrical theory of creation than by any other hypothesis ever offered in human history. They show how and why this vast universe is a perfect, harmonious organism, in accordance with natural law. This has never been attempted before.

Nikola Tesla a.s.serts most truly that "of all the views of nature, the one which a.s.sumes one matter and one force, and a perfect uniformity throughout, is the most scientific and the most liable to be true."

Electrical creation seems to fully comply with these requirements. And Prof. Crookes affirms that, "the seventy elements of our text books are not the pillars of Hercules which we must never hope to pa.s.s." While Langley says there is only one force, and light and heat are merely sensations. And Sir Wm. Grove refers the causation of all forms of force to one omnipresent influence. And all agree there is only one matter, so they all seem to be approaching a universal belief in electrical creation. And every argument made for pantheism and monism is an argument made for a stronger and better theory--the electric theory of creation. And the champion of pantheism as well as the electric theory affirms: "Since we are all bound together in one common enterprise in which progress is hastened through the harmony of its parts, altruism becomes profound wisdom, selfishness a mark of ignorance, and the highest codes of ethics are the most scientific expression of nature's laws."

The superior power of this age consists in its superior ability to deal ingeniously and wisely with the tremendous forces concealed in matter, and held subject to nature's law.

A knowledge and application of these forces and laws have been the means of marvelous progress, untold blessings to humanity, and have lifted life from its narrow bounds to a joyous, ecstatic sense of the glory, beauty and divineness of this world. As the ancients saw this universe it was but a small flat island in a large ocean. The vast expanse above it of s.p.a.ce and stars was a crystal vaulted roof, to keep the waters above from the waters below. When it rained they said "the windows of heaven were opened." This little, flat earth then rested on the shoulders of Atlas, or the back of four elephants, who stood on a huge tortoise. What a vastly different universe the people of modern times behold! This little, flat earth has expanded into a great globe, spinning through s.p.a.ce fifty times faster than a bullet from a rifle; and the blue vault of heaven that to them was the end of the universe and a crystal wall to keep back the waters, has opened out, lifted up, and broadened to an infinity of s.p.a.ce containing countless suns and worlds. Where their narrow view saw only wonders, miracles, and innumerable myth-G.o.ds of superst.i.tion, we see the orderly processes of nature proceeding under uniform laws, propelled by one fundamental force--invisible electricity, and formed from one matter or substance--the invisible atom. And this vast and complex universe is the unveiling of the eternal thought of one Almighty Deity, and the manifestations of His creative wisdom and power. Thus our earth becomes a divine revelation and man a spiritual wonder. Then there is a vast and mystic meaning in sea and land, in valley and mountain, in man and all living creatures; and the day uttereth speech and the night showeth knowledge. And all tell us G.o.d is in His heaven and in His earth, and in man and in all His wonderful works, and is ever present in spirit and electric power.

That He clothes the valleys with the verdure of prairie and forest, the hills and mountains with beauty and grandeur, and peoples the land and the sea with living creatures. He gives fragrance to the flowers, songs to the birds, gladness to the sunshine and life and joy to all living.

In His infinite goodness He gives man vastly larger life and loftier powers than all other earthly beings, so that they may not only wonder and adore; but become co-workers with the Infinite, and understand and execute His eternal purpose, and Omnipotent Will.

At last all thoughtful men are being brought face to face with that creative electric energy controlled by Omniscient Spirit, which is felt in the magnetic sunshine, seen in the falling rain, the dew-drops, the white-robed lily, the blushing rose, and the joy and gladness of life itself. But above all things else there is bestowed on humanity the spiritual power and loving benediction of the Great Spiritual Father, who spread out the heavens as a curtain, lifted up the mountains and started suns and worlds on the eternal pathway of their inscrutable destiny. We of this generation were born into a little narrow world only six thousand years old, soon to be destroyed by fervent heat; a world cursed by its maker, where the vast majority of its inhabitants were doomed to eternal punishment. Where human slavery was practiced and approved, where the divine right of kings, the degradation of the ma.s.ses, wars, dueling, ox teams and slow coaches predominated.

We now live in a world of electrical wonders, marvelous luxuries and personal freedom, that has millions of years behind it and eternity before it. Time enough to solve all problems, dispel all ignorance and discover all truth.

Recent experiments by Prof. Goodspeed of the Pennsylvania University prove that man is a magnet and electric organism which gives out an aurora or light from his body so that cats, mice and other animals may see him in the dark. He has also taken photographs from the electric light or rays from the human hand. This was also done by French scientists six years ago and is mentioned in "Invisible Light."

On May 26th, 1903, Prof. Percy Lowell, of Flagstaff Observatory, Arizona, announced that a brilliant projection has been discovered on the planet Mars, and was seen for thirty-five minutes. Some think it is Mars signalling to us; others that it is a snow-capped mountain, or a luminous cloud; but all agree that it shows Mars to be inhabited.

Prof. J. A. Fleming of the London University, seems to agree with my conception of electricity. He also considers it as a refined matter and the electron as the atom of electricity, in the "Popular Science Monthly" of June, 1903. He a.s.serts that: "The electron isolated presents itself as electricity of the negative kind; and in combination with co-electrons and other electrons it forms the atoms of ponderable matter. At rest the electrons or co-electrons const.i.tute an electric charge, and when in motion it is an electric current.

"A steady flux or drift of electrons in one direction, and co-electrons in an opposite direction, is a continuous electric current, while their mere oscillation about a mean position is an alternating current. The vibration of an electron, if sufficiently rapid, enables it to establish electric waves in the ether; this is the cause or foundation of wireless telegraphy. The electrons or atoms of electricity can, in some cases, make their way, freely, between the atoms of ponderable matter. Where this can take place easily, we call the material a good conductor.

Electrons in their free condition const.i.tute electricity, and the electrons are atoms of electricity."

These electrons and their currents of electricity, I contend, are the creative cosmic force of the universe, evolving all visible form and substance, and producing all light, heat, vital force and so called gravitation.

Radium is one form of electricity or electrons in marvelous combination and are said to have the power, first, of giving out light perpetually without any exciting cause; second, to emit rays that penetrate solids like X-rays; third, the property of acting on sensitized plates; fourth, of causing air to conduct electricity; and fifth, the emission of heat.

Sir Oliver Lodge, in a May, 1893, London periodical, shows the advance of science in recognizing the forces of nature and the dominion of mind and spirit over the material world. He affirms that: "the whole effort of civilization would be futile if we could not guide the powers of nature. The powers are there, else we should be helpless; but life and mind are outside of these powers and can direct them along an organized course. And this same life or mind, as we know it, is accessible to pet.i.tion, to affection, to pity, to a mult.i.tude of non-physical influences; and hence, indirectly the little plot of physical universe which is now our temporary home has become amenable to truly spiritual control." This sustains my contention that the spirit life of man is outside of matter and material powers and can control and direct them.

This is truth, well spoken, and ill.u.s.trates the electric theory, for the powers of nature is the electric energy in nature, and this is guided, and under the control of mind and spirit--the mind or spirit of man and the omnipotent spirit of Deity. And the future will reveal the wonderful controlling power of mind over matter through electric energy.

As the sun may send to each planet a different vibration or current of wireless electricity, and each planet will receive only such current as it attracts and to which it is attuned; so the message of Deity to the souls of men will only reach and affect those souls which are attuned to receive them. This in the vast realms of nature is the law of electric or mutual attraction, and in the invisible realms of spirit the same universal law applies. This great principle of mutual attraction, receptivity and mutual adjustment governs everywhere in the universal realms of nature and truth.

Rev. David J. Burrell, in his sermon on "Wireless Messages of G.o.d," sets forth some strong scientific reasons why the natural man cannot discern spiritual things. Under this universal law of mutual adjustment he says: "If you strike a tuning fork keyed to middle C it will awaken a response in another fork, provided the latter is keyed to the same pitch, but not otherwise." And he applies it to men who respond to spiritual influences and those who are spiritual non-conductors.

This is the basic fact in wireless telegraphy. At Cape Cod there is a transmitting station consisting of four steel towers with a bunch of wires suspended from the top and meeting at a common point like an inverted cone. If the power be applied to the apex of this cone the wires begin to tremble; and the current, oscillating at a rate say of nine hundred thousand vibrations per second, creates a series of corresponding vibrations in the ether, just as a stone cast into a lake sends out concentric circles. This ether wave or message speeds outward with incalculable rapidity in search of its receiver; and it will cross the ocean to find it.

Now, there is such a receiver at Poldhu, in Cornwall, where the wires are precisely attuned to the transmitter at Cape Cod; that is, their vibrations are the same, say nine hundred thousand per second; so that the message sent from Cape Cod meets no response until it finds its sympathetic station at Poldhu, and this attracts and welcomes it.

Marconi's system of wireless telegraphy is not an invention, but a discovery of a natural law or process which has been going on continuously through all the realms of s.p.a.ce since time began.

The sun as the great source and center of energy in our solar system is constantly sending out messages of light and life to his family of planets. It is a scientific fact clearly proven that a ray of light is an electric wireless message from the sun to the earth, and it could not be received unless the earth attracted it, and was attuned to it. For here the same law prevails between sun and earth that no message can be received except by some object which is sympathetically attuned to it.

Prof. Pupin suggests that a beam of light representing a certain number of vibrations per second, intended to convey the color red, is sent forth from the sun. It speeds through s.p.a.ce until it reaches the earth; where intent upon its eager quest it pa.s.ses unresting through all the meadows, since no gra.s.s-blade is adjusted to receive it; no daisy or b.u.t.tercup, no lily or heliotrope being disposed to welcome it; it pa.s.ses over all gardens until it finds a rose; and here it pauses and finds welcome. Why? Because the rose has a natural affinity for it, and like two lovers in mutual affection they meet and embrace each other, and are blended in the harmonious union of nature's electric law of life, growth and beauty. The same law of mutual attraction and wireless telegraphy creates the lofty elm, the towering oak, the blade of gra.s.s and the waving fields of golden grain in the Autumnal harvest.

Dr. Burrell makes an apt and beautiful ill.u.s.tration of these truths of nature in their a.n.a.logy to spiritual laws. He says: "This process which has been discovered to be so prevalent in nature has infinite field and scope of operation in the province of spiritual things. G.o.d as the great transmitter of truth bears to the spiritual world a relation corresponding to that of the sun in the natural world. a.s.suming that there is a G.o.d, and that we are created in his image and after his likeness, it follows as an inevitable conclusion that He will somehow reveal himself to his children and hold converse with them. But here is the application of the princ.i.p.al referred to: _The man who would hear the wireless messages of G.o.d must Himself be attuned or adjusted to the character of G.o.d._"

This is superlative truth that all wise men should consider and not have occasion to lament, like Charles Darwin, at the close of his long life of physical investigation, that he had starved his spiritual nature. For our thoughts depend on our receptive natures and our lives are just what we make them, and our future is according to our character and the inscrutable laws of life and destiny.