Extracted text
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.
Other Worlds than Ours? I have read a few copies of THE FLAMING SWORD and have been very much interested in it; (1) only at first I looked upon it as a stupendous lie in fundamental principle;—a lie conceived by a stupendous intellect. Be that as it may, THE FLAMING SWORD is unique, and is growing more and more interesting. I have changed my mind about it, and if it has positive proof that our little earth is cellular, (-2) it might be that it is itself, as a whole, a vast planet belonging to another planetary system outside of it, in the same manner as it has been conceived by some minds, that the interior of our sun is a small universe of itself, containing an atmosphere and planets, and inhabited by sentient beings. It is certain that it cannot be conceived to be simply a solid globe emitting light and heat. (3) THE FLAMING SWORD asserts that the cellular wall of our little universe is about 100 miles thick. This assertion seems to be unreasonable as regards the thickness, for such a vast shell would not be proportionately of the thickness of a soap bubble.— L. D., Montgomery Ala.
(i) We are pleased with the above letter, —the frankness with which the writer expresses himself. Our request for the "first impressions" of our readers concerning the Koreshan System is bringing out some interesting thoughts. Our readers are taking a personal interest in this department, and we trust they will not object to our joining in occasionally, where difficult points are touched. The Editor may reveal something of his impressions years ago when he first came in contact with the claims of the System and its Founder. The world is coming to recognize the fact that the Koreshan System was not originated by some weak-minded fanatic, but by "a stupendous intellect." This is indeed a worthy tribute the world pays the Founder of the only System of Universology in existence. As a representative of the System, THE FLAMING SWORD is the unique journal of the world. We thank you for your kind words.
(2) We commend the Koreshan Astronomy to your careful study. When it is thoroughly understood, some features of the old system which press themselves forward into your new view of the universe, will be precluded. When the functions of planets—mercurial disci in the seven divisions of the "bowels of the earth,"—are understood, no analogy is furnished for supposing that a globe, either solid or hollow, could be a planet of some other and larger system of worlds.
(3) The thickness of the shell of the earth is to the diameter of the cell as one is to eighty. We arrive at the conclusion that the earth's shell is 100 miles in thickness, through a knowledge of the specific gravity of the substances composing the strata. The laws of specific gravity not only determine the emplacement of the strata, or their position and relation to each other in the scale of static balance, but also the thickness of each plane or stratum. If we take the difference in the depth of the atmosphere and the ocean in comparison with the difference of the specific gravity of air and water, we deduce a ratio from which, when applied to any other stratum whose specific gravity is known, we may determine its approximate thickness. The sum of our estimations is about 100 miles. The shell of the earth is more than 100 miles in thickness in the Zodiacal belt in the earth, which contains the orbits or race-tracks of the material planets in the interstices of the laminae or strata of the shell or firmament of the universe. The shell is thick enough. When each substance is materialized in its static plane it weighs nothing; it is at rest. The universe is not subject to the strains of rapid locomotion and enormous pulls of "gravitation" to which the Copernican system subjects all its worlds.
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The source scans remain the record. This page preserves the periodical’s argument without presenting its conclusion as an independently established result.
The Flaming Sword · Vol. 12, No. 48 · Oct 1898 · PDF p. 10