After a brief explanation to the doctor of the purpose of 58 the meeting, and a short résumé of their previous deductions, Father Waite continued the exposition of his subject.
“The physical universe,” he said, “is to human beings a reality. And yet, according to Spencer’s definition of reality, we must admit that the universe as we see it is quite unreal. For the real is that which endures.”
“And you mean to say that the universe will not endure?” queried Haynerd abruptly.
“I do,” replied Father Waite. “The phenomena of the universe, even as we see it, are in a state of ceaseless change. Birth, growth, maturity, decay, and death seems to be the law for all things material. There is perpetual genesis, and perpetual exodus.”
“But,” again urged Haynerd, “matter itself remains, is indestructible.”
“Not so,” said Father Waite. “Our friend, Doctor Morton, will corroborate my statement, I am sure.”
The doctor nodded. “It is quite true,” he said in reply. “And as revolutionary as true. The discovery, in the past few years, of the tremendously important fact that matter disintegrates and actually disappears, has revolutionized all physical science and rendered the world’s text books obsolete.”
“And matter actually disappears?” echoed Miss Wall incredulously.
“Absolutely!” interposed Hitt. “The radium atom, we find, lasts some seventeen hundred years, or a trifle longer. What becomes of it when it is destroyed? We can only say that it disappears from human consciousness.”
“And so you reason that the whole material universe will ultimately disappear from the human consciousness?”