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Editorial transcription, lightly normalized from the scan. Line-break hyphenation, spacing, capitalization, and unmistakable OCR errors have been repaired; the claims remain those of The Flaming Sword.
Koreshan Geodetic Service, (No. 2).
Revolution in astronomy implies revolution in all things. The great Swedish Seer said, "Every dispensation proceeds as from an egg." We reiterate, that a scientific religion which must embrace scientific social organization will proceed from an astronomical basis, the foundation of which is the Cellular Cosmogony. All life develops in the cell.
The next critical work for the Koreshan Unity, is the demonstration to the world of the concavity of the surface of the earth. When the world is forced to accept this proposition, all else follows readily.
In connection with the establishment of the fact, in the public mind, of the concavity of the surface of the earth, and next also in importance, is the determination of the amplitude of the arc or the radius of its curvature. This cannot be determined accurately by any process of surface triangulation, because there are too many factors entering into the process to insure accuracy.
The Rectilineator, extending its line from any given height of a prime vertical, approaches the normal curve of the surface at a proportionate ratio, which may be determined at any given point by two exact methods, each acting as the verificator of the other. Place a perpendicular at the requisite height, about six feet, more or less, and place the initial section of the rectilineal bar adjusted at right angles. The points selected should be as nearly level as possible. After the extension of the line three or four miles, even less than this will answer, adjust the geodetic level. This is an instrument having two graduated glass perpendiculars very minutely spaced, with microscopes adjusted to the graduated side of the glass tubes. These two perpendicular graduates are united by a connecting tube twelve or fourteen feet long. (The tube and graduates contain mercury.) The amount of variation of the mercury in the graduates, with the connecting tube arranged parallel with the rectiline of the section bars at any point, will indicate the degree of curvature. The instrument must be perfect; this accomplished, the determination of the radius of curvation is most simple. This instrument may be verified by the use of another instrument adjusted to the section bars with a perpendicular rod, to which is adjusted a very slender plumb-line. Across the bottom of the rod, which has a flat surface, is a minutely divided scale, to which is also adjusted the microscope. The scale has a definite number of divisions to the inch. This will determine the amount of variation from the prime vertical, namely, the first perpendicular. The deviation from the normal will increase either from the prime vertical, as the distance extends, or toward it, according to the direction of curvation.
This method of geodetic mensuration determines both the direction of the curve and the radius of curvature. Any portion of the surface of the earth can be a thousand-fold more accurately surveyed by this method than by any process ever yet instituted. We know that the result will compel the world to acknowledge the Koreshan System of Cosmogony.
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CORRESPONDENCE.
NAPLES, LEE CO., FLA., Jan. 3, 1897:—The sloop weighed anchor January 2, having on board the Staff of the Koreshan Unity. There was a good breeze from the larboard beam, and the destination of the Staff, a distance of twenty-four miles, was reached in hours after leaving the beautiful bay of Estero.
In the evening of the same day, the team from the Terra-Estero (New Jerusalem) brought other members of the Staff and Assistants, also the general paraphernalia of the Geodetic Survey. There are nine of us at present, including reportorial connections, all in good health and spirits. Naples, where the Geodetic operations of the scientific revolution are to begin, is a winter resort, located on the beach of the Gulf of Mexico, about twenty-five miles south of Estero, by the county road from Fort Myers, which lies forty-one miles north on the Caloosahatchee river. Naples is owned by Mr. Hallderman, the proprietor of the Louisville Courier-Journal. At the present writing, the Staff is occupying one of the houses of this gentleman, through the courtesy of the manager of the place. Mr. Hallderman has very kindly consented to the use of the beach in front of the hotel grounds for the rectilineation.
Some very interesting experiments have already been made with the telescope, bringing into view the hull and sails of vessels after they had disappeared from the view of the unaided eye. There is not a reasonable question of the fact that with the use of telescopes, ships can be brought within the range of vision even after they have disappeared from the range of smaller glasses.
Something of the importance of the geodetic work now being inaugurated, may be inferred from the view taken of the subject by the Tropical News of Ft. Myers, Florida.
Prof. Morrow informs us that the work is to be witnessed by a complete reportorial staff, representing the leading dailies in the various large cities, who will be here with cameras, etc., to secure full details and publish them to the world. The Professor has invented what he terms a Rectilineator, by the use of which he expects to secure the most accurate straight line that it is possible to establish. All known tests will be used in this instrument to accomplish this. The surveyors have selected the Gulf coast near Naples to make their tests, upon which the theories of the Koreshans will be established or fall to the ground. When it is understood that this line is to prove that the earth is concave, it will create great interest and be watched by the people of the world; and should it prove to be as important in its results as it is hoped by its projectors, our county will come in for the greatest advertising it has ever had.
The work of the Geodetic Staff of the Koreshan Unity is to lay the foundation for a scientific revolution, the first step being to prove the fallacy of the Copernican hypothesis, and the truth of the Cellular Cosmogony. The proposition is a simple one. A straight line extended from the vertical point of a perpendicular post, will touch the water's surface at points in both directions from the post, at distances proportionate to the height of the post set for the experiment. If the earth were a convex surface, the farther the line extended the greater would be its distance from the water or earth over which it is stretched. The line thus extended will touch the water, thereby proving the concavity.
While the proposition is a simple one, the work of so accurately applying the physical tests as to convince the world of its truth, is the task of the present Staff. Some months will be devoted to this work. In the meantime, the progress of the work will be reported through THE FLAMING SWORD and other papers. The importance of this work is incalculable. Upon it depends not merely a revolution in astronomy; but once the Copernican system is overthrown, a new foundation will be given to the world upon which to predicate a system of science and philosophy that does not rest upon the uncertainty of mere hypothesis.
The assumption upon which all present argument is founded is merely assumption; and a premise guessed at—though the processes of reasoning may be ever so correct after the first false step—can only ultimate in an assumptive conclusion.
The modern "higher criticism," by which the "mistakes of the writers of the Bible" are claimed to have been proven, is founded upon the false assumptions of scientific fallacy. We will force upon the world the necessity of the acceptance of the truths of genuine science. A revolution in astronomy implies a revolution in modern thought. The science of religion will be given, and through this the "science" of government will be revolutionized.
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The Operating Station.
The Scientific and Geodetic Staff Locates and Surveys the Site of Operation on the Gulf Coast at Naples, Fla.
By Prof. U. G. Morrow.
It is one of the fundamental doctrines of the Koreshan System, that there are no accidents in the universe. When the relations of cause and effect are clearly understood and comprehended, the mind does not attribute to the universe those haphazard functions it is usually thought to possess. We cannot arbitrarily produce effects; we cannot prematurely force the accomplishment of desired results; neither can we hinder the operation of immutable law when the energies conspire to accomplish its fulfilment. Herein is afforded the Koreshan a great field of study; viewed from the standpoint of truth, all our experiences and the events with which we have to do, are made to contribute to our education and benefit.
The Geodetic Staff is on the Gulf Coast of Florida not only by force of circumstances, but by the operation of forces which are invisible. It was the original purpose of the Staff upon completion of the new apparatus, the Rectilineator, to make the proposed surveys near Chicago. Finding that it would be impossible to operate in the North during the winter months, the only alternative was to go on an expedition to the South. Without premeditation as to the meaning of the location, the Staff is located at the right place. The vitellus or vital point of an egg is near the equator of the egg; if this is true of one egg it is true of every egg. The universe being a great egg, it possesses a vitellus or vital point which is near its equator. The vitellus of the physical world at the present time is where the energies of the New Jerusalem will aggregate and descend; the particular site is Estero, Fla. In the vicinity of this vital spot, the demonstrations of the Cellular Cosmogony must be made. Naples means "new city;" the new city, the New Jerusalem, will, in time, incorporate all the territory lying within a radius of more than a score of miles from the present site of Estero.
The Staff has had ample opportunity to look over the fields of operation. Charlotte harbor and Estero bay are places where a number of experiments upon the water's surface will be conducted, while the Gulf Coast at Naples is the very best for the proposed survey. The stretch of coast line from Gordon's Pass to Doctor's Pass is six miles; these passes will constitute the terminal points of the chord of arc, the "air line" extended by means of the Geodetic Rectilineator. The intervening arc is the concave surface beneath. The Staff is at the site of operations at Naples; the apparatus and instruments have arrived in good condition. The preliminary survey of the line has been made, and the actual geodetic work has been begun. As the work is tedious and necessarily requires the greatest precision and accuracy on the part of the operators, definite results cannot be expected for several weeks. About five months will be required to complete the work in this vicinity; in the meantime, thousands are awaiting the evidences; and through the press of the world millions of people will be informed of the purpose and character of the demonstrations before they are completed.
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The Flaming Sword · Vol. 11, No. 1 · Jan 1897 · PDF pp. 4-16