The next objection, which is in part metaphysical, is founded on the difficulty of ascribing any ultimate reality or potency to forces diminishing through eternal time.  Thus, against the assumption that our universe is the result of material aggregation progressing over eternal time, which involves the primitive infinite separation of the particles, we may ask, what force can have acted between particles sundered by infinite distance?  The gravitational force falling off as the square of the distance, must vanish at infinity if we mean what we say when we ascribe infinite separation to them.  Their condition is then one of neutral stability, a finite movement of the particles neither increasing nor diminishing interaction.  They had then remained eternally in their separated condition, there being no cause to render such condition finite.  The difficulty involved here appears to me of the same nature as the difficulty of ascribing any residual heat to the sun after eternal time has elapsed.  In both cases we are bound to prolong the time, from our very idea of time, till progress is no more, when in the one case we can imagine no mutual approximation of the

292

particles, in the other no further cooling of the body.  However, I will riot dwell further upon this objection, as it does not, I believe, present itself with equal force to every mind.  A reason less open to dispute, as being less subjective, against the aggregation of infinitely remote particles as the origin of our universe, is contained in the physical objection.

In this objection we consider that the appearance presented by our universe negatives the hypothesis of infinitely prolonged aggregation.  We base this negation upon the appearance of simultaneity ~ presented by the heavens, contending that this simultaneity is contrary to what we would expect to find in the case of particles gathered from infinitely remote distances.  Whether these particles were endowed with relative motions or not is unimportant to the consideration.  In what respects do the phenomena of our universe present the appearance of simultaneous phenomena?  We must remember that the suns in space are as fires which brighten only for a moment and are then extinguished.  It is in this sense we must regard the longest burning of the stars.  Whether just lit or just expiring counts little in eternity.  The light and heat of the star is being absorbed by the ether of space as effectually and rapidly as the ocean swallows the ripple from the wings of an expiring insect.  Sir William Herschel says of the galaxy of the milky way:—­ “We do not know the rate of progress of this mysterious chronometer, but it is nevertheless certain that it cannot

293

last for ever, and its past duration cannot be infinite.”  We do not know, indeed, the rate of progress of the chronometer, but if the dial be one divided into eternal durations the consummation of any finite physical change represents such a movement of the hand as is accomplished in a single vibration of the balance wheel.