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A True Story of the Attitude of a University Graduate; the Proofs Not Forthcoming.
THE OBSERVATORIES of the world with their magic lenses are pitted against one little mechanical demonstration of the earth’s contour, which confutes them all. In presenting the practical test of the terrestrial surface which has already been made in good faith and honesty, one is struck by the fact that not even college-bred persons have the courage to trust their own minds. A little diagram which a lad of nine can understand, is put forward to show that the air-line projected far enough must determine the curvature of the surface. What is the answer from the average graduate of a great university? That he did not take up astronomy, and does not feel competent to pronounce upon the experiment.
“But a child of nine can see that it must show the earth’s curvature by the relation of chord, arc, and tangent. Now, does it not appeal to your common sense?”
“Yes, it seems so, but I should want to know the opinion of Prof. Pickering, of Prof. Young, of the astronomers in charge of the great observatories. If they are convinced, I should believe in the concave earth.”
“Then you cannot trust your own mind?”
“Well, I should say that the experiment was incomplete if it only carried the air-line over four and one half miles of arc.”
“But you do not see the drift of the experiment at all. The line mechanically extended touched the water level at the end of that distance. That was the test. That showed the earth’s surface to be concave. The object was to extend the line far enough to determine.” (All this had been carefully explained at the start.)
“Well, I do not feel that I understand astronomy enough to decide.”
“But this practical, mechanical experiment has nothing to do with star-gazing. It stands on its own feet. It is independent of anything in the old astronomy.”
“Was the line extended by a competent surveyor?”
“The mechanical line has nothing to do with a surveyor’s line. That is an optical line. This is a novel and entirely original method of proving the earth’s contour. The surveyor uses a theodolite.”
Then follows a description of the rectilineator. The argument rests for a moment.
“Well, I think the men who have proved the Copernican system must know enough to refute this. I feel sure they do.”
This is the helplessness of the product of modern science, face to face with a demonstration so startling and so novel that it overthrows all the hypotheses of the past; yet so simple that a child can comprehend its bearings. When any book is supplied with a challenge to the multitude and no one appears to answer it, the giant Goliath is either slain or intimidated. Where are the men who have the proofs of the Copernican system? The graduate spoke in good faith. He was sure they had them, but they are either dead or sleeping, for they have not been found since the challenge was put forth.
When any mind so brilliant as that of Johann Wolfgang Goethe denounces the Copernican hypothesis as a “universally disseminated delirium of lunatics,” the common people may be pardoned if they trust their own minds and their common sense. The majority of persons are accustomed to rely upon the authority of the heads of observatories as the greatest men of the day. It is not necessary to disparage these instructors who sweep the heavens with their telescopes; but they cannot give the lie to a demonstration that has told the truth.
The conversation above narrated actually took place, and it shows that the average university graduate believes the proofs are at hand to refute Koreshan Science, but he cannot produce them.
Editorial transcription checked against the cited scans; the historical claims remain those of The Flaming Sword.
The Flaming Sword · Vol. 20, No. 15 · Sep 18, 1906 · PDF p. 5