CELESTIAL COMMUNICATIONS.
Can we communicate with the Martians, the people who inhabit our nearest planetary neighbor? They are only thirty-five millions of miles away at one point of their journey. Men have written volumes to tell how it could be done. All sorts of romances and stories have been woven around the fiery planet. Some astronomers have suggested great light triangles, or the illumination of Lake Superior, or a colossal sun-mirror, as practical signals to the Martians. But now comes Prof. Edgar L. Larkin, of Mount Lowe Observatory, and annihilates to oblivious night all these light suggestions by proving that no light-signal that earth could make could be seen from Mars. When Mars is nearest us, his day is earth’s night, and vice versa. If the great light-signal was in earth’s day, it would be rendered invisible by the greater light of the sun; if in the night, Martians could not see it “looking at the same time toward the sun.” The light-signalling solution of the problem is therefore out of the question. How about electric vibration? As to that Professor Larkin does not encourage us. Speaking of wireless telegraphy, he says:— If the men on Mars make a coherer, and have local sources of electricity, and can learn our language and code of signals, and if men on earth can by a disruptive charge of electricity more powerful than that of a flash of lightning a mile long, generate a circular wave that will move 35,000,000 miles, and can learn the language of the Martians, then it will be time to send telegrams. And then to still further show the impossibility of the huge undertaking, he tells us that— Trowbridge at Harvard, with 20,000 cells of accumulators, has made oscillations seven feet long. The coil made in Philadelphia for wireless telegraphy in Japan gave forty-inch vibrations. Chain rivers, tides, and winds of earth to dynamos, let the entire power be poured in floods of light, and Mars can not see it. Let the energy of these dynamos be sent through step-up coils until man handles the very lightning, then at present, there is no way known of sending the waves to Mars. So much for that. Qui bono? What good would it be if we could thus communicate? It would not prolong life one moment, or make the world one whit better. The stupendous results would flatter man’s vanity, and it might be learned whether the tracings on Mars were Schiaparelli’s canals, or Schaeberle’s mountain chains, or something else entirely different from either. But the world would be no better, and but little wiser. But why wait these results when celestial communication is already possible, practicable, operative? Why desire so much to communicate with the Martians, when the wondrous fact is not practically known to earth’s millions that it is possible to communicate with the Maker and Governor of Mars. Knowing the Martians would immensely increase our self-esteem. Personal communication would render a man world-famous. But what is this compared to the knowledge of God, to the holding of personal communication with the Creator and Governor of the universe? What is communication with a mere creature to converse and friendship with Him who created and upholds all the shining suns and circling spheres? It is not possible at present to know the Martians, our nearest neighbors in planetary space, unless, indeed, the moon be inhabited; but it is possible to know God. It is not only possible to know God, but it is greatly desirable to know Him. Jesus Christ, the only Begotten of the Father, expresses His earnest desire and the wonderful result which would follow such knowledge. “And this is life eternal, that they might know Thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent.” Knowing God and Christ is eternal life. It is communication with God. It is harmony with Him. It is the reception and retention by faith of His Spirit. And the privilege is greater, the honor is higher, the results are more joy-abiding, than the knowledge and possession of all the wisdom and riches and power of the world. “Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth Me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” But knowing God is the privilege of every one; the humblest soul on the face of the earth is equally entitled to the privilege with the most exalted of the world. He may come into the audience chamber of God by the only proved operative wireless telegraphy in the universe. But receiver and transmitter must be in perfect harmony, keyed to the vibrant harmony of God’s living law. And thus connected with Him with whom is the fountain of life, the great Dynamo of the universe, the humblest soul can talk with God. Distance is no part of the problem to Infinite Power; day or night do not affect the problem. The soul is connected by life bonds, by living nerves, with the great Mind of the universe. O, this is celestial communication open to every soul. We may never be able in mortal life to talk with the Martians, but we may talk with God and listen to the celestial music of His messages.