MR. CLEMENT WRAGGE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 411, 21 January 1909, Page 3

MR. CLEMENT WRAGGE.

.— —6— — ' "A VOYAGE THROUCH THE UNIVERSE." ■ Mr. Clemont Wragge, the widely-known meteorologist, delivered the first of a series of scientific and astronomical lectures in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall last night before .a. very large audience. Interest in the lecture, which was entitled "A Voyage : lhrough the Universe," was heightened by presentation of- many beautiful views, sketches, and-diagrams. • ; Astronomy, observed-Mr. Wragge in the course of his remarks,, was tho grandest, noblest, and most sublime of all the sciences. In these days of scientific. research, and especially since, the discovery of radium, no scientific man could:be. an Atheist—"Omnia ad Dei glonam" must be the motto. Science-: and true religion .'were one; they could not .bo divorced. If anybody wished to. bring J ms ,, J .^- lto h ? rmon y with the Great Master M.aU things.ho would require to study astronomy. Some people were under, the erroneous impression that the earth was the only world. Surely;not? Wasnotlife continuous, never ending? ho asked. When she said that the imagination: ought to be cultivated that, famous .novelist : Marie - Corelli spoke .wisely,' Science taught that everything was part and parcel' of -everything olso. What was wanted "was the dissemination on a large scale of knowledge, with respect to the universe of the infinitely great • and the uni-. verso of the infinitely small. The-grand eternal Bible of nature was always open to thoso : who cared to look at its pages. Students of .the science were.on the eve of tremendous discoveries; in. fact, they had just, begun to realise -their own ignorance." With the-aid. of. the sensitive photographic plate they were now-beginning to make real, progress in acquiring. a fuller knowledge of the constitution of the universe. .The ■ study- of astronomy made one .think as he had never thought before./ Then, and only then, did one rea-nse-his'insignificance.. .To those who asked: ..'■'ls. this-.life- the end?" his -.reply,.was: "Death-is only the gate, to the real life." Do.: what one would, he could not destroy anything. :. If-one., single electron'could be destroyed, ..the great, scale of the universe would be upset.. As one coiild not destroy anything ;on the physical side,: so one could not destroy-, anything on ..the '."spiritual • side. Energy was at the root of all things. Owing to. the great sunstorms which accelerated-the .electrons vibrations were setup in -the ether and those worlds which were in harmony witli the sun: responded to those vibrations. The time was surely approaching when scientists would, be.; able■ to forecast, with a great- degree of accuracy,-volcanic.'-eruptions, earthquakes,: and coming seasons.,.. The scientific answer to the great question: . "What is truth?",.was: "God is.in overythirigl" The time .would- come when the earth would be even.as the moon. If was some consolation' to know, however,, that there was sufficientbeafand onergy left, in the earth/to: support Me. for many thousands upon thousands'of .years. -Ivithi all : respect to those who super-': vised; the Education Department in-the Dominion ho,would_ point but that astrgnomv. taught in the schools. He stron E lV .aavised parents, to acquire 'a telescope, the use of which would,; he said, give children : a grander:conception.of the marvels of creation than .was to--be obtained in any other wav ' ■(Loud applause.) -.. ;: ■..-•■■ '; On Friday'dwiing Ur. Wragge will'deliver a lecture, entitled;-, "The'-Romance of the' Atmosphere'.'"- •■ ■ ,'',;■■