14 INTRODUCTION
have the effrontery to tell us that they see in the
heavensno trace of a God. But in making sucha
statement, theybut confesstheir own blindness and
dumbness. Theyarelikeonewhocannotread,point-
ingatthelettersoftheprintedpage,andsayingthere
isnotraceofknowledgeorintelligencethere.
TodisbelieveinGod,amanmustbelieveinathou-
sandanomalieswhichhecannotreconcilewithreason
;andhemustacceptcontradictionsandimprobabilities
without number. He must assume that effects are
greaterthantheircauses;thatthegreatesteffectsare
withoutanycause atall;in fact,thatsomething,and
amightysomethingatthat,camefromnothing.
That hemaynotsee evidencesofGod, theatheist
mustclosehiseyestothelightwhichshinesuponhim
everywhere, from sun and stars, and reflected from
satelliteandplanet,andthatalsogleamsfromtheeyes
of countless intelligent creatures in theworld about
him.
ThathemaynothearthemessageofGodinnature,
hemustclosehisearstothevoicesthatsoundincrea-
tion's harmonies, from the hum of insects and the
songs ofthebirds, up tothatsilent thunder ofun-
countedworldsandsunsandsystemswhichpourinto
theearofthesoulthemightymusicofthespheres.
Theirreligiousscientistisacontradiction. Theun-
devoutastronomerhasbecomespirituallyderanged. A
studyof naturewill soften andsubdue man's heart,
ifhedoesnotstubbornlyhardenit. Astronomy will
givetothemanwhorightlystudiesthewondersofthe
heavensamodestyandhumilityregardinghisownat-