Astronomy and the Bible;

152 ASTRONOMYANDTHEBIBLE

investigations. Moon,andplanet, andsun,and sys-
tem,areleftbehind. Hisresearches arenowwithin
a sphere to whose confines theeagle glance of the
Chaldeannever reached. Periods,anddistances,and
masses, and motions, are all familiarto him. But
wheredoesthehumanmindnowstand? Greatasare
its achievements,profoundlyasithaspenetratedthe
mysteries ofcreation, whathasbeendoneis butan
infinitesimalportionof whatremainstobe done."

—

"PlanetaryandStellarWorlds,"Mitchel.

Overtwenty-fivehundredyearsbeforeHerscheldis-
coveredthemotionofthesun, Godplacedonrecord
theastoundingfact:"Inthem[theheavens] hathHe
setadwellingplaceforthesun,whichisasabride-
groomcomingoutofhischamber,andrejoicethasa
strongmantorunacourse. Hisgoingforthisfrom
the extremityof theheavens, and his comingabout
untotheterminationofit." Ps. 19:4-6,literaltrans-
lation.
Thispassagehasgivenedge tomanya sneer, be-
causeit was supposed to teach thatthe sun moves
aroundtheearth. ButtheBibleassertsthattheearth
moves around the sun. This scripture teaches the
highertruththatthesunitselfobeysthelawenforced
upontheplanets,andfliesinanorbitofitsown,from
oneendofheaveninArgototheotherinHercules.
Onlyonehundredyearsagodidastronomersdiscover
thisgreatfact. Thesunhadnomotion,andtheBible
wasanignorantoldbook. Butafterherculeanlabors,
astronomersfindthattheoldBookwasright,andthat
theirsciencewasbehind. Thesundoesmove.