Part I. On the History of Cosmology. Query 1.—When and by whom was the modern theory of the universe originated? Query 2.—On what observed facts did Copernicus base his theory? Query 3.—What theory was in vogue before the time of Copernicus? Query 4.—What was the form of the universe according to the teaching of Ptolemy? Query 5.—What was the objection to the Ptolemaic theory? Query 6.—What other theories were there besides the Ptolemaic and the Copernican? Query 7.—What was the Tychonic system? Query 8.—Why was the Copernican system finally adopted? Query 9.—What personal conception did Copernicus himself have of the actual form of the universe? Query 10.—What was Kepler's conception?
Query 11.—What is the conception of modern scientific teachers as to the actual form and extent of the universe? Query 12.—What do the Chinese, Egyptians, and other ancient peoples have to say about the origin and nature of the universe? Query 13.—What records of Cosmology do we possess in Christian literature?
Part II. On the Origin and Nature of the Hollow Globe Conception. Query 14.—When and by whom was this idea of a hollow earth originated? Query 15.—If such a conception were possible why is it that scientists have never considered it. Query 16.—What is the teaching of Koreshanity? Query 17.—On what observed facts does "Koresh" base his theory? Query 18.—If the Copernican theory is false, and the Koreshan true, why have not scientists discarded the old and false belief for the new and true one?
Part III. On the Evidence in Support of the Copernican Theory. Query 19.—What tangible evidence do the followers of Copernicus produce in support of the convex theory of the earth? Query 20.—Does not the fact that the earth can be circumnavigated prove that it is a globular body? Query 21.—Since the weight of objects is almost uniform at the same elevation above sea level at all parts of the earth's surface, does this not, likewise, indicate that the earth is practically spherical in form? Query 22.—Does not the fact that the plane of the horizon, or the direction of the plumb line, changes by an angle which is directly proportional to the distance travelled along the surface of the earth, whatever be the starting point, direction of travel, and distance travelled, prove that the earth's surface is spherical? Query 23.—Does not the gradual disappearance over the horizon of vessels going out to sea, prove that the earth's surface is convex? Query 24.—Does not the fact that the sea horizon, as seen from an eminence, is everywhere depressed to the same extent below the level line, show that the surface is approximately spherical? Query 25.—Does not the experiment with three signals on a level line, in which the middle signal was found to be higher than the line of sight between the other two, furnish conclusive evidence of the earth's convexity? Query 26.—What Theoretical proofs are maintained in support of the Copernican system? Query 27.—It would seem that the shadow of the earth, as seen upon the moon at the time of a lunar eclipse, is convincing proof that the earth is a solid sphere. What is the objection to this evidence? Query 28.—Is it not more reasonable to suppose that the apparent diurnal movements of the heavenly bodies is due to the rotation of the earth about an axis, rather than to attribute to these bodies such inconceivably great velocities as would be required for them to make one revolution in 24 hours about a centrally fixed earth? Query 29.—How explain the eastward deviation of bodies falling from a great height if the earth has no rotational movement? Query 30.—How explain the movements of Foucault's gyroscope and swinging pendulum if the earth does not rotate about an axis? Query 31.—Do not the observed facts of deviating projectiles, of Trade Winds, Ocean Currents, Tides, and the deviation of plumb lines towards the equator, all indicate the rotation of the earth? Query 32.—How account for the ellipsoidal form of the earth, being flattened at the poles and bulged at the equator, if it does not rotate about an axis passing through its poles? Query 33.—How is the change of seasons explained if the earth has no annual orbital movement about the sun? Query 34.—Does not the observed fact of the annual parallax of the stars prove conclusively that the earth has an annual orbital movement about the sun? Query 35.—What about the discovery of the aberration of light? Does not this observed fact prove that the earth has an actual bodily movement through space? Query 36.—If the spectroscope shows that the velocity of light from stars has a certain variation through a period of six months, does not this indicate that the earth itself is approaching or receding from these stars at different times of the year? Query 37.—How account for the discrepancy between the predicted and actual times of eclipses of Jupiter's moons, if the earth does not move round the sun in an orbit having a diameter of approximately 186,000,000 miles?
Part IV. On the Evidence in Support of the Hollow Globe Conception. Query 38.—What tangible evidence do you produce in support of the idea that the earth is a hollow globe? Query 39.—What observations have you made of the mirrorlike space which you say is seen beyond and above the apparent horizon? Query 40.—May not this mirror-like space be explained as an optical illusion or mirage? Query 41.—What observations have you made to show that distant objects can be seen with the eye considerably below the elevation required by the convex theory? Query 42.—May not the apparent "elevating" of distant objects be due to atmospheric refraction; for the same reason that the setting sun is seen for several minutes after it has actually passed below the observer's horizon? Query 43.—What experiments have been made to show that plumb lines converge upwards and not downwards? Query 44.—How does the Rectilineator show the concavity of the earth's surface? Query 45.—What experiments have been performed with the Rectilineator? Query 46.—Why have these Tangible proofs of the earth's concavity never been investigated by scientists? Query 47.—What Theoretical proofs are maintained in support of the hollow globe conception? Query 48.—What is the mechanical superiority of a hollow sphere over a solid one? Query 49.—What economical advantages has the hollow globe arrangement over the old system? Query 50.—What is the general experience of aeronauts when ascending above the earth's surface? Query 51.—What evidence is there from solar and terrestrial phenomena to show that the sun and earth must be more closely related than the present theoretical distance of 93 million miles will allow? Query 52.—What evidence may we derive from the sun-spots? Query 53.—What is the electron theory, and what evidence does it furnish in support of a hollow globe idea? Query 54.—How may gravitation be explained? Query 55.—What evidence is furnished by the discovery of radium? Query 56.—Does the observed radio-activity of material substances support the hollow globe idea? Query 57.—What is the scientist's conception of the origin and constitution of matter? Query 58.—Taking all our evidence from modern researches in Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Astronomy, etc., what must be the probable explanation of the universe?
Part V. On Some Questions Involved. Query 59.—If the human family lives on the inner surface of a hollow globe, having the sun at or near its center, what, then, is the cause of day and night? Query 60.—If the earth has an internal diameter of only 8,000 miles, how can it possibly enclose all the heavenly bodies which astronomers tell us are at such enormous distances from us? Query 61.—Our comparatively near luminary, the moon, has been subjected to very careful methods of triangulation and observation, and its distance of practically 240,000 miles from us has been determined with a pretty fair degree of accuracy. How is this difficulty of putting the moon inside a hollow earth, only 8,000 miles in diameter, to be met? Query 62.—Likewise the distance of the sun from the earth, having always been considered the unit of all celestial measurements, has been the subject of very careful investigation. How is it conceivable that astronomers have incorrectly determined this distance of 93 million miles? Query 63.—If the sun and moon are both enclosed in a hollow earth, what is the cause of lunar eclipses? Query 64.—What are the stars? Query 65.—What becomes of all the phenomenal results of spectroscopic observations of stars, double stars, nebulae, etc., if they are comparatively insignificant luminous points of light inside the hollow earth? Query 66.—If the Copernican system is not true, how do you account for the exactness with which astronomers are able to predict eclipses and other celestial events? Query 67.—If the earth is stationary, how account for the many terrestrial phenomena such as tides, ocean currents, Foucault's swinging pendulum, etc.? Query 68.—If the earth is an immense hollow globe only 8,000 miles in diameter, and we are on its inner surface why are we not able with our powerful telescopes to see across it? Query 69.—What is the nature of the earth's shell? Query 70.—What supports the earth? Query 71.—The Bible always speaks of "the heavens and the earth" as being created together in the beginning; they must therefore be co-existent.
In the new conception where are the "heavens" in relation to the "earth"? Query 72.—Are the planets inhabited? Query 73.—Are the heavens and earth eternal? Query 74.—What is outside the earth? Query 75.—What problems remain to be solved by future investigators? ---
← Appendix B — Copernican Proofs | Appendix D — History of Astronomy →
- -- Source: O. F. Barcus, A New World Discovered (1917).