GISBORNE DEBATING SOCIETY

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2034, 20 March 1907, Page 1

GISBORNE DEBATING SOCIETY

The first lecture of the series, entitled “From Chaos to* Cosmos,” was delivered by Mr. J. A. Connell at (he Choral Hull last evening to a fair attendance. Had the weather been more propitious a much larger number would have been present. The Rev. Dawson Thomas (Chairman) in introducing the lecturer, said that the Debating Society had been formed and be hoped it would have a strong membership roll, not only of nominal, but of working members, \ Debating Society, he said, was not a luxury; it was a necessity. Almost everyone was called upon to talk some tin.o or other on political, social, or religious questions, and they must learn to talk properly. The topics were popular, and he hoped the young men would come forward. He had much pleasure in introduc ing Mr. Connell to tlie audience. Mr. Connell, commencing his address, said that the subject was very extensive. an<J one that lie could not possibly got outside of, beginning with "chaos and ending with cosmos, aii immense expanse of time and space. The scientific story was not irreconcilable with the story of Cenos.i, when the latter was properly interpreted. The lecturer carried the minds of his audience back to the ages when this earth was not in existence. Tho nebulous matter then evolving was what Sir William Crookes called protyle, and which was another form of the ether continually surrounding and interpenetrating everything. The force of attraction brought the particles togother and eventually they began to aggregate together and form little masses by themselves, which gradually evolved to more and more differentiated forms'. We started in our thinking with this primordial matter, but what was behind it. and set it in motion we did not know. The impact theory of Professor Bickerton, of Canterbury Colloge, was a generalisation lie had made of the facts, and the conclusion he had arrived at was that the cosmos was eternal as opposed to Lord Kelvin’s theory of the dissipation of energy which had meen accepted by scientists. It was that all energy must come to a point of rest, and this meant ultimate death. Professor Bickorton’s theory was just the reverse of this. It supported the infinity of time and space and +he existence of eternity. A number of interesting experiments ’ wore shown, one of them demonstrating the well-known theory of the co-relation of forces. Air. T. Alston Coleman proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer, and Air. F. Long seconded, and at the same lime suggested that an exposition of the theory of evolulution be given. Before tlie visitors dispersed, vho names of fourteen of those presenr. were enrolled as members of the Society.

Ladies arc eligible for membership, "'lie first debate takes place on .Monday next.