THEATRE ROYAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3610, 10 September 1890, Page 2

THEATRE ROYAL.

" Sow the World Was Hado-"

The fourth and last lecture in this town by Mr W. W. Collins, of Sydney, was given in tha Theatre Royal last evening on the above subject. Owing'to several counter attractions, the attendance was only limited. The lecture, howover, was without doubt the most interesting of the series, and those who were present were treated to an exposition of geology such as the public ofMasterion seldom has an opportunity of listening to. The ohair was occupied by Mr A. W. Reno.ll, who introduced the spoiker in a few well-ohoseil words. At the commencement of his address Mr Collins touched briefly upon tho theological idea of how the world I was called into existence, quoting from the first verse in the Bible and showing • with . what profundity that verse was now read by Biblical apologists, He contended that it was utterly impossible for tho human mind to ccnceiye when the world was made, sufflce - to say that it was made, and' made, acoording to geology, millions of years ago. now niaintuned that the six days referred to in which God made heaven and earth weje indefinite periods of time,' If that was so, why did the Commandments teach that the seventh day should be kept holy, because on that day God-rested? Thero was little doubt but that when the Bible was written men were in a state of complete ignorance as to how the world was made, and so they contented tliemselves by saying that in the beginning it was made. The utter absurdity of imagining that the sun was made to rule by day and tho moon by night) As a matter of fact the sun ruled tho.earth. Thero was sufficient room in the sun to place the earth in the centre and allow, the tqoon to revolve around her at the same distance as at present. He than deliberated upon the effects of the sea upon the earth, maintaining that the latter was subjected to continuous changes, and were it not for the aotion of fire the earth would in the course of time be flattened out. Having shown that the interior o.f the earth was a mass of liquid fires be proceeded to dwell upon the relationship of the earth to other planets. The sun, acoording to geology, was the parent of the earth astheoarth was the parent of the moon. The sun was a great fire cloud, revolving in space, and the. earth was composed of fragments from that fire cloud, which, by the process of gravitation, had assumed a revolving attitude and had] by this attitude, been shaped into a spheroid. Time had oooled down the outor crust of the earth, and it was still under' going the process of cooling. Vegetation had gradually resulted from the action of the gases in.tbe atmosphere oaused by the effects of the sun, and the trees of millions ofyears ago wore now being used aß.coal. AB a matter of fact the gas ueed-tejilie building that night, whioh extracted from the coal, nor less than thecarbopi|&ligbt of the sun. Animal life was.next brought into existence by the saino "process, and. had gradually developed, until at the present time it was perfeoted in the human being of advanced thought and intellect. In ceding, the lecturer held that .the.wonder M.geological discoveries of modern time had been made by thoughtful scientists, who deserved the heartfelt thanks of all for the light they, had, thrown upon th? wofji] A hearty vote of thanks' was, on the notion of the ohiirman, passed t'o the Mni for hie ibis address,

and a desire-was expressed tlmt at Bomo. future; time' tbo. publio of Hasterton should bare the pleasure of again hearing :; : ' Mr'..Collins, ia acknowledging the compliment,', said that it irould give liim "great pleasuro to . again visit

Masterton should ho lie afforded the opportunity,