First try to the best of your ability to present in your mind the outlines of this terrestrial globe, this planet on which we live, with its mountains and its valleys; oceans, seas, and rivers; the two extreme poles, north and south; the center of the earth's surface and the equator, etc. Next try to satisfy your mind that this planet has no immediate connection with any other planet--that it belongs to a system of planets that revolve round the sun, with a space or distance between them of many millions of miles. And That this planet is entire and complete in itself. Whatever substances are about, upon, or within the earth, belong to this planet and no other. That not a particle of any substance can leave this earth, whether visible or invisible. That all formations, no matter of what character or nature, are made from substances belonging to this earth. That the size and weight of this globe has never changed. It is the same now as it was millions of years ago, or will be at any time in the future. That the quantity of water upon the surface of this earth, whether ocean, sea, lake, or river, has neither increased nor diminished. That the solid mineral portion of the earth has neither increased nor diminished either in size or weight. That the fluid, the watery portion, is susceptible to change of position and conditions on the surface of this earth, whether above the earth's surface or upon it. That all clouds, rain, vapor, mist, moisture, dew, snow, hail, must be and is taken from the waters on the surface of the earth, and when clouds, that have been taken from the waters of the earth, fall to the surface of the earth in the form of rain, vapor, mist, moisture, dew, snow, or hail, they simply return what has been temporarily taken or loaned from the waters of the earth. That in the case of all deluges, freshets, overflows, that have ever taken place, the waters that enter into their formation have been taken from the waters of the earth. The waters have simply changed position from one locality to another. That all ice formations are nothing more than solidified water. Water crystallizes by the absence of sunlight, and melts in the presence of the sun's heat. That snow is nothing more than congealed water, and returns to water when heated. That the quantity of water remains the same. Whether it rains forty days and nights, or a whole year, it is neither increased nor diminished. That the deepest portion of the earth's surface is filled with water. Being fluid, it naturally fills up the hollows until it has found its level. If there is more water than it can hold, it will find its way into the next hollow. And the higher portions of the earth's surface will not and cannot be covered by water. Such is the condition of the earth's surface that the deepest places on this terrestrial globe are filled with water; thus oceans, lakes, pools, and rivers are formed.