NO ASTRONOMER pretends to believe that a telescope can be made which does not embrace more or less of the uncertainty of astigmatism. No optician lives who does not know that the lens of every human eye has more or less the uncertainty of astigmatism; how, then, can an observation be made, involving the immense distances pretended to obtain by the men who believe in the Copernican system of astronomy? If correct calculations are made of relative locations of stars in view of these uncertainties, what comprise the factors of certainty?
This may be answered, first, by the statement that the stars are within our atmosphere instead of beyond, therefore the factor of refraction does not enter into the problem; second, the base line is concave instead of convex; and the lines upon which the relative location of the star is made, in the determination of parallaxes, are convergent toward the object which is observed within the atmosphere, and at a short distance from the point of observation.
We were asked the question: "If the experimental operations of the geodesists should not prove the Cellular Cosmogony, would that invalidate your claims regarding other parts of your System?" We replied: "Our system of theology, sociology, and government is founded upon the fact of the concavity of the earth. We are as positive regarding the truth of the inside theory now, as we shall be after all the corroborations of the Geodetic work." The importance of the Geodetic operations resides in the fact that we shall have in
hand the results of practical mechanics applied to the earth's contour, so that no man can refute or gainsay them.
A direct line extended at right angles from a perpendicular post strikes the earth. This we have demonstrated absolutely. That the earth is concave, there is not the shadow of a doubt. It destroys the last ray of hope entertained by the scientists who, upon the basis of the Copernican system, either deny God, or what is worse, say they do not know whether there be a God or not.
In extending the air line we have proven, by simple mechanical application, the concave theory. We have found the ratio of curvation to be about eight inches to the mile. This is the first time in the history of the world (so far as known) that a like or corresponding measurement has been taken for the determination of the contour of the earth. We are enabled to assert positively the undeniable fact of the Cellular Cosmogony, for which we have contended many years.
We place positive demonstration against assumption. We know what we are talking about. We know that the so called scientists know that what they are presenting to the world is merely pretense, for not a scientist living pretends to claim that the premise of the Copernican system is anything more than conjecture, an unproven hypothesis.
We have suspended the plumbline. From this we have extended, at right angles, an air line which strikes the earth proportionately to the height of the perpendicular. This experiment can be repeated a thousand
times with the same results. There is not a loop-hole for the poor deluded advocates and devotees of the heathen system of astronomy which holds the world (the Christian world) in the chaos of midnight darkness.
Astronomers know that the first step of the Copernican system is a mere hypothesis. They know that it has not been demonstrated, and that any system resting upon an assumption, or a piece of guess-work, is liable to fall to the ground. Our first step is not an hypothesis. We know our ground. We not only assert that a straight or air line extended at right angles from a perpendicular post will touch the earth in any direction it may run, but we know it because we have made the experiment, and have found the results precisely as we declared they would be.
We expect to find greater obstacles in the way of public recognition than did Columbus in his efforts to carry forward his project of discovery, for greater issues hang in the balance of this adjustment of human belief. It is a death-blow to the modern Christian church, for if the church which pretends to be imbued with the Holy Ghost, or the Spirit of Truth, can permit the world to be so entirely ignorant of the first principles and laws of creation as it now is, it is a holy spirit hardly worth cultivating.