1 DECEMBER 1888, Page 14

ASTRONOMY AND THEOLOGY.

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOE."]

Stn,—As one who (though without scientific training) has taken interest in the "astronomical difficulty" so ably dealt

within the article in the Spectator of November 24th, may I be

allowed to bring forward a few thoughts on the subject which have occurred to me, and which may perhaps bring a little additional help to some minds ? As regards size, is not the difficulty often aggravated by the comparative view of size being dwelt on to the exclusion of the actual ? And is not the difficulty often still further increased by the question or comparative size itself being treated in a too partial way ?

Mr. Harrison (quoted by the writer of the article in the- Spectator), impressed by the thought of the vastness of the

universe, speaks of our earth as shrinking "into an uncon- sidered atom." This is, of course, speaking comparatively and also partially,—i.e., our world with its inhabitants is com- pared with what is greater than itself, and not with what is less. And, by-the-way, is not the connection of "unconsidered "" rather obscure? "Unconsidered" by whom ? May there not be tens of thousands of worlds not to be compared with ours. in size, as there certainly are myriads of living creatures. compared with which man becomes colossal ?

Here two questions seem naturally to suggest themselves :- 1. What is the relation of dignity to size? 2. Is it not clear that a considerable increase in the size of man would, instead of increasing, tend to decrease his dignity?

Let us call to mind what scientific men report of the effects of gravitation and momentum, and then let us picture to our- selves a huge world in the centre of the universe, inhabited by beings in form like men, but a mile in height. Does Mr.- Harrison suppose that an increase of dignity would be gained by such an arrangement, and that such a world would be a more suitable one than our earth for the sojourning of an incarnate God ?

Again, vice versa', may we not well believe that the size of mites and midges would be an unsuitable size for beings com- posed of bodies and souls like ourselves ? There are two ques-

tions I should like to ask those who refuse to assent to the truth of the Incarnation on the ground that this world, with

its petty inhabitants, is of too small a size for such a divine visitation,—viz. : Do they think any size would be sufficient,' And, if so, what size ?

But I know that, after all our reasoning, mystery still remains, and that the thought of God and the greatness of his universe may well make us exclaim, "What is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him ?" And with reference to the condescension displayed in the- Incarnation of the Son of God, I will venture to conclude with the words of St. Catherine of Siena,—" 0 abyss of Charity L who can resist Thee ? for thou seemest to love thy creatures' even to folly, as though thou couldst not do without them !"- P.S.—I do not claim originality for the above thoughts,— most, and perhaps all of them, may have been in substance produced before ; but I am not aware that till now they have been linked in this connection.