807 Divine Agency evinced by Planetary Motion. the proofs of what I advance, I will not send the reader to consult other authors, or pore over different volumes; but direct his attention to plain well-known matter of fact. When a ship rides south of her anchor, if the wind blows suddenly and strongly from the north-east, she will necessarily and gradually pass round to the south-west, supposing there be no obstacle to prevent her: and in so doing she must move in a circular arch, the centre of which will be the spot where the anchor rests. When a tree falls in consequence of being nearly cut through at the root, every part of it will form a circular arch in its descent, so that if a mark had been made in the tree, at the height of about twenty feet, that mark would form a circular arch of twenty feet radius; and so for any other part that might be noted at any particular height from the root. From these instances, I argue thusAccording to the second proposition of Mr. J. S., whenever a body moves in a curve, the motion must be caused by the joint action of two forces, the deflective, and the original motive force; the former in the direction of the centre, and the latter in that of the tangent to the curve. But the ship, in passing from south to south-west of her anchor, and the tree in falling to the earth, move in a curve. Therefore, according to the second proposition of Mr. J. S. the motion of the ship, and the motion of the falling tree, must be caused by the joint action of two forces, the deflective, and the original motive force, the former in the direction of the centre, and the latter in that of the tangent to the curve. Now, with respect to the ship, according to the second proposition, the deflective force acting in the direction of the centre, must be that force which extends through the cable and anchor, and thereby keeps the ship within a certain distance from the point where the anchor rests; while the wind must be considered as the original motive force, acting in the direction of the tangent to the curve. And in regard to the falling tree, the deflective force acting in the direction of the centre, must be that force which extends through the tree, and thus reaches from the top to the root; and, as it is the weight of the tree, or its gravitation towards the centre of the earth, that causes its motion downwards, that weight or gravitation must be considered the original motive force acting in the direction of the tangent to the curve. 808 But it is very evident that in these cases, the motive force and the deflective one never act in right angles to one another. The wind blowing from the north-east cannot possibly be at right angles with a line drawn from the ship to the anchor, which bore north from the ship. When the ship rode south of her anchor, the north-east wind must have formed an oblique angle with a line drawn from her to the point where the anchor rested; and the obliquity of that angle must necessarily increase as long as the motion occasioned by the oblique junction of the two forces, continued. Again, the weight of the falling tree, or its gravitation towards the centre of the earth, being its original motive force, can never act in right angles to a line drawn from the top to the root; which must always be the direction of the deflective force. When the circular motion of the falling tree begins, the acute angle between the two forces is very small; but it will continue to increase at every degree of descent, until the tree comes to the ground: when the two forces will, indeed, form a rectangle; but then the motion immediately ceases. Here, then, is a circular motion, while the two forces act obliquely to one another; and they never come into right angles while the motion continues. Thus, plain matter of fact evidently demonstrates, that the rectangle of the two forces is not essential to circular motion; seeing that there is circular motion in these two cases, where the said forces act obliquely, and never form a rectangle, to each other. Many other instances might be produced, to prove that circular motion is often caused by an oblique junction of the two forces. This sufficiently shows the fallacy of Mr. J. S.'s third proposition. Mr. J. S. proceeds to the figure drawn by him to represent the orbit of a planet, where he argues that there cannot be a circular motion in such a part of the orbit, because the two forces act obliquely to one another. But this is arguing from a false proposition; and, consequently, it must produce a false conclusion. It has been already shewn that a circular motion may be caused by the said forces acting ob Should it be objected that the motions here mentioned are of short duration, or should it be urged that an oblique junction of the two forces will generate a rectangular one, I hope to pay proper attention to the investigation of the subject. 809 Divine Agency evinced by Planetary Motion. liquely to one another. This fully demonstrates that there are parts in the orbit where the body may be diverted from an elliptical to a circular motion: which completely refutes all that my opponent has advanced to the contrary. The consequence is, that an equality of the centrifugal and centripetal forces must necessarily divert the planet from an ellip. tical to a circular motion, unless prevented by a superior power.' In the Imperial Magazine of 1829, col. 430, I shewed, by referring to some experiments on the whirling table, that the planets, by changing their positions, must, upon the principles of gravity, utterly derange the whole system. So that, if the Deity should leave them to be solely govered by the laws impressed on them in the beginning, their order must necessarily come to an end; because, the planets would inevitably disturb one another's motions by their mutual attractions, when several of them are in the same quarter of the heavens, as is often the case; and then, as they attract the sun more towards that quarter than when they are in a manner dispersed equally round him, if he was not made to describe a portion of a larger circle round the common centre of gravity, the balance would then be immediately destroyed; and, as it could never restore itself again, the whole system would fall together, and finally unite in a mass at the sun. Respecting this, Mr. J. S. says, "The second argument of Mr. Jenkins is taken from the disturbances of the planets, occasioned by their mutual attraction. That the mutual attraction of matter must have considerable effect upon all the orbits of the planets, is agreed on all sides," &c. It is very easy to see here an endeavour to evade the arguments I have used, without any attempt to meet them. He says, "In some parts of their orbits the motion is retarded, the path less incurvated, and the body drawn more from the sun. 810 But the question is, Can the Lalance, after it is once lost, be ever restored by any assemblage of planets in any particular quarter of the heavens? Is this restoration possible, without the interference of an intelligent agent, or is it not? This matter is cautiously left untouched. He says, "In the inferior planets, these irregularities are nearly opposite; that is, the retardations and accelerations nearly compensate each other in the course of a revolution, and the overplus shews itself in the retreat of the line of the apsides." But the question is, Will the irrecoverable loss of the balance cause the whole system to fall together, and finally form one mass at the sun? Would this be the consequence, or would it not? A perfect silence is observed upon this head. I wish to bring these questions under discussion; but my opponent endeavours to evade them. I want them to be examined upon the principles of gravity; he strives to divert the attention another way. All that he has advanced concerning the orbits of Venus and Mars being turned and looped, and presenting a very curious kind of motion, &c. is perfectly irrelative to the matter in hand, and, consequently proves nothing to the purpose. Mr. J. S. 66 says, According to Mr. Jenkins' idea, the Deity counterbalances the effects of these disturbances; but we find he does not; the irregularities take place, and the effects accumulate," &c. This is an evident mistatement of the case for I never maintained that the Divine agency prevented all irregularities, so called, in the planet's motions; but I maintain, that the regulating hand of Deity prevents that utter confusion and disorder which would inevitably take place in the system, if the Divine agency were once withdrawn. I also maintain, that to deny the Divine agency in governing planetary motion, because certain irregularities are found in that motion, is like denying the Divine agency in governing the world, because certain irregularities are found in the world. The power and prosperity of the wicked, their perverting judgment, and the righteous suffering under the oppressor's yoke, are some of the irregularities which have often been observed and complained of. notwithstanding all this, it is very certain that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and that he putteth down one, and setteth up another. And so extensively and minutely is the agency of Deity exerted But over all creatures, that without him a sparrow cannot fail to the earth. It is moreover very evident, that man is subject to irregularities of a physical nature; and that these irregularities accumulate as age increases, until they finally terminate in the dissolution of the body. Yet the Divine agency is constantly exerted in the preservation and continuance of human life during the period of its existence. For in him (God) we live, and move, and have our being. From which it is plain, that the Divine agency is not exerted for the purpose of totally preventing all irregularities from taking place, but certainly with a design to check their progress, limit their extent, and prevent that immediate ruin which would otherwise ensue. If the Divine agency were withdrawn from the government of the world, justice would be speedily driven from the earth. If the Divine agency were withdrawn from man, he could no longer move or live. If the Divine agency were withdrawn from the heavenly bodies, the elliptical motion of the planets would quickly become circular; and even that would soon cease, in consequence of their falling together, and forming a mass at the sun. Mr. J. S. says, "If observations agree with theory, and these observations are correct, the theory must be so too; but time has stamped correctness upon the observations, and hence it follows, that time will stamp, and has stamped, correctness upon the theory also." I answer, It has has already been shewn, that according to the theory the planets could not continue to move in elliptical orbits; but observations fully demonstrate, that they do continue to move in elliptical orbits; therefore, the observations evidently disagree with the theory. If, therefore, observations disagree with the theory, and these observations are correct, the theory must be incorrect; but time has stamped correctness upon the observations, and hence it follows, that time will stamp, and has stamped, incorrectness upon the theory. Mr. J. S. has started another objection, which ought not to be passed over without notice, because is may possibly raise prejudice in the minds of some persons. He says, "That a planet should require twice in one revolution the Divine aid, (for the centripetal and centrifugal forces are equal twice in a revolution,) would betray such a want of skill, and such deficiency in the original, as we cannot attribute to an omniscient and omnipotent Being." 812 Had any arguments been offered in order to support what is here advanced, I would have examined them with due attention; but as nothing of the kind has been attempted, the whole must be accounted as nothing more than bare assertions. These assertions, however, plainly suggest, that my sentiments tend to eclipse the Creator's glory, by imputing imperfection to his works. Therefore, to repel every sinister insinuation of the kind, I observe, that Divine revelation expressly assures us, that He who made the worlds upholdeth all things by the word of his power. Hence it is evident, that the Divine agency is constantly exerted in holding up, or supporting, all that the Divine agent at first created. And as all the works of Deity are constantly supported by him, it is evident they all need his constant support. From this it must follow, that the planets require the Divine aid, not only twice in each revolution, but even every moment of their existence. Thus it is plain, that the scriptures of truth attribute to the omniscient and omnipotent Creator, the formation of worlds which constantly require the Divine aid. Now, whether this betrays any want of skill, and any deficiency in the original, according to Mr. J. S.'s assertions; or whe ther he has betrayed a want of skill, and a deficiency, in making these assertions without offering any proof, your numerous readers will be at full liberty to judge. WILLIAM JENKIN. Mylor, near Falmouth. ON READING: NO. IX. (Continued from Col. 708.) "A BROTHER offended is harder to be won than a strong city; and their contentions are like the bars of a castle," Prov. xviii. 19. Whether St. Matt. xviii. 7. "Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!" illustrates the quotation from Solomon, or not, seeing a greater than Solomon uttered it, every attention ought to be paid to the latter, as well as to the former. A brother of equal standing meets our views of the first offender, as well as of the first offended: but the latter offender is an elder, and the offended a younger brother; for the last is called a little one in the context, in comparison of him that offends. It is always awful to contemplate the quarrels of brethren: no association of ideas exceeds in horror the unnatural circumstances preceding, and the unnatural act of 813 On Reading: No. IX. 814 fratricide. Had Cain been the murderer | among brethren, at the head of which of a man whose consanguinity was unapparent, however he might have been distinguished as an audacious sinner, the horrible ideas attached to the shedding of a brother's blood would not, as an execration to the earth, have held him up to the abhorrence of all future ages. If Joseph had been the first-born of Jacob's sons, and his younger brethren had conspired together in order to his ruin, half the pathos of this affecting tragedy would have been lost, through the absence of that exclamation in the speech of Reuben, “The child is not; and I, whither shall I go?" But the idea of a tender youth suffering beneath the unnatural and combined force of elder brethren, calls into action all the sympathies of the soul. Volumes upon volumes have been filled, and are filling, with circumstantial details of the quarrels among brethren, and reasonings upon them; not merely brethren according to the flesh, but spiritual brethren -men who worshipped together beneath the same roof, who responsed in concert, Amen, to the same minister, who held the same creed, and who, when met, had delightful and blessed experience that Jesus Christ was in the midst, to bless them together; men who held sweet communion in the cup of blessing, and in the breaking of bread, and in the fellowship of His sufferings who died to redeem their souls, being made conformable unto His death. Age after age has swelled these volumes, and the present generation has already meted out to men its full quota of these mighty munitions of war. This is a living proof that man is the same frail and corrupt mortal throughout all his generations, and a loud call to every man, in every age, who professes faith in Christ Jesus, and associates himself with His church, in the words of inspiration, "Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another." The family of Adam, the first man in the old world, the family of Noah, the patriarch of the new world, the family of Abraham, the father of the faithful, as well as those of Isaac and Jacob, the patriarchs of the chosen seed, were all afflicted by contentions. Brother against brother, being the offenders and offended, awfully broke the peace of these families. Many are the horrifying catastrophes recorded in the sacred volume, induced by contentions stands the family of Gideon-that saviour, under Jehovah, of Israel, whose sons, threescore and ten persons, were slain upon one stone, to satiate the bloody ambition of their brother, Abimelech. Alas! Israel shewed no kindness to the house of this their saviour, but, on the contrary, suffered this very murderer to become their king, as this people in after ages preferred a murderer to the Prince of life. It would require a volume to enumerate the instances on record there, of contention, not only between brothers of the same family, but brethren in the Lord; and all these narratives are so characteristic and instructive, that it would minister to the church of Christ, if they were selected, commented upon, and furnished to the church, as warnings of the effects and retributive punishment on such contentions to succeeding ages. How different are these narratives to the publications of men in general, which record similar events! In the spirit of truth, and in the wisdom of inspiration, these are impartial relations of facts, and deductions from them fraught with instruction, in love, calculated to minister, even to the most pious of mankind, in every subsequent age of time while the others, vindictive and acrimonious, impute, rather than prove, rail, rather than advise, criminate and recriminate, rather than bear and forbear, and in place of love, do despite unto all who are nonconformists to themselves. Alas for man! wherever he works, in his own spirit, all his works are, like himself, depraved; and were it not for that standard of divine truth, firmly seated upon the rock of inspiration, and preserved from age to agethe Bible-truth would cease from the earth. Many are the mortals who are well calculated to fill certain offices, but ill calculated to fill others. Every man is, and ever will be, as long as the present constitution of things continues, more or less partial to himself; this renders him unfit to become a judge in his own cause, for whenever he assumes this office, he is in danger of passing a partial sentence. A minister of the gospel is in peculiar danger from this quarter. Considering, very properly, his call to be of God, his office that of a minister or representative of Jesus Christthe King of kings, and Lord of lords-and the people, whether elders or juniors, to be all his children, there is a certain authority really vested in him. Now the danger is here, that being under a strong temptation, from the power vested in him, to exceed his authority, he should, in place of the meekness of wisdom, suffer authoritative words and actions to escape him; and this, if in meekness and love he does not continually possess his soul in peace, will frequently be the case. An elder, also, having in all things preeminence in the church, is in danger from precisely the same quarter as the minister. Suppose the minister and elder to be authoritative in the same church, and as a little leaven leavens the whole lump, one of these becoming imperious, is likely to produce the same spirit in the other, and eventually in all around them; what is the probable consequence of such a temperature in a church? Not the spirit of forbearance, of unity, of devotion, of love to God and man, but something the reverse of all these, the desire of rule of domination; and these will break forth into acts: then arise the voices of Babel, soon follow its confusions, and quickly in the rear its dispersions. Away! away! becomes the watchword: they divide-into two churches, did you say? Happy would it be for these, if this were always the case. What prove that he acted right? No. Another train of reasonings is requisite on that head; because it may happen, and, alas, often does, that all the parties in such affrays act more or less improperly; and similar deductions from other men's premises might throw the balance of wrong upon his head. But is it a question for a Christian, Who did the greatest wrong? Is it not a crime for a Christian to do wrong at all? And can he be borne out in his wrong, because, amidst a mighty struggle, others achieved more than himself? The very idea of such comparative innocence is revolting: we cannot entertain the ques tion, much less decide upon it--the measure of guilt must be left with Him who knoweth all things, and will faithfully award it to all men. But what, it may be asked, what has happened in our day to call forth volu minous publications of the description denounced in this article? If we ask the Kirk of Scotland, it will point us to the Burghers and the Antiburghers, the Seceders, and others which have arisen therein; if the Church of England, it will name a vast body of dissenters, divided into Independents, Baptists, and Methodists; and if we ask these, they will name the subdivisions of General, Particular, Wesleyan, Whitfieldian, Methodists of the New Connexion, Primitive Methodists, Independent Methodists, Wesleyan Protestant Metho dists, &c. &c. as so many leading bodies in these wars of words. The smaller bodies, who can enumerate? They are like the stars for multitude; the history of individual churches evinces this to every man acquainted with what has transpired around him during only a life of medium length. Take an instance. is, then, this division? Frequently into two contending parties. The main article in their creed often is, in such cases, perplex and vex; they bandy about this doctrine or deed, hurl it at each other, run for a scribe, write, print, publish, criminate, recriminate, push forth pamphlet against pamphlet, volume against volume, recruit for warriors, fill up their ranks, and then manoeuvre and fight like holy furies. Two churches militant may, perhaps, do such acts against the common enemy; but can they be churches of Christ, who act thus with each other? I leave my readers to their own answers, while I humbly warn them against reading their publications. I recollect, after an absence of a few The very spirit of such works is diame-years, visiting a provincial town of some trically opposite to the spirit of the gospel-that spirit breathes love and peace to the whole human race; these breathe slaughter and death to their former brethren; and this spirit is awfully infectious -it disorders the reader ere he is aware. The day will come, sooner or later, when each of these warriors will become a wonder to himself; and he will in effect exclaim, "I knew not what spirit I was of!" Then, having come to themselves, they will mourn; and, happily, may they find peace in Him whom they have outraged, and enjoy His salvation! Supposing a man, by long deductions from premises of his own, capable of proving that certain men whom he opposed acted wrong, do these deductions our a minister note, when, mutual greetings done, an old |