Most Astronomers consider it an incandescent body (glowing whiteness of intense heat), encircled with two atmospheres. That next its surface is supposed to be nonluminous, while the outer one which floats upon it is _luminous_--and forms a "_photosphere_," this is what we see in looking at the Sun's bright disk. This photosphere radiates the heat and light which vivify the planets of the solar system, and imparts the stimulæ of life and animation. It is said that flame-like masses--some computed to be one hundred and fifty thousand miles in length--are piled upon, and overlap each other, and sweep onward in constant agitation like mountain billows of living fire. Its brightness far transcends and pales that of all other luminaries, and would that of millions of stars as bright as Sirius, or even hundreds of thousands of full moons. We accept this view, as to the outer photosphere, and believe this "_incandescent_," yet not a solid body, but rather a _photospheric ethereal_ element occupying its appointed space, and that it has nothing to do whatever, with the vast _inner globe_ which is entirely shielded from it by the intervening void, denominated by Astronomers as a surrounding nonluminous atmosphere. Sir John Herschel tells us that his investigations led him to the belief that this shields the globe within, and thus renders it susceptible of maintaining life, or some form of animated existence. Hence, we deem the evidences afforded by astronomy, strong, if not fully conclusive that our hypothesis is correct. But when we add to this the evidences found in the Bible--God's own revelations to man--we think there can scarcely remain a doubt in the mind of any who follow us in this investigation. * * * * * We now propose to consider more definitely the nature of that volume of flame, or intense heat, which we denominate the _Sun_. Of its temperature it is difficult to form an estimate the least comprehensive. We know our furnace heat will fuse cast-iron at a little less than 3,000 degrees. Oxy-hydrogen flame--one of the hottest known--is estimated at about 14,000 degrees Fahrenheit, while the temperature ascribed to the Sun is about 12,000,000. There is nothing our senses can realize, or our minds conceive, that will enable us even to approximate the intensity of this heat. * * * * *