42 ASTRONOMYANDTHEBIBLE
thewaters whichwereunderthefirmament fromthe
waters whichwereabovethefirmament." Gen. i:7.
Thus,ina fewwords,theBible recordsthecreation
ofthat whichscientificmencallthe atmosphere. It
gives a very simple description of a very complex
thing, yetitopens the veryheart ofthe wonderful
fact.
This scripture, as well as the whole narrative of
creation,isintendedfortheinstructionofallmankind,
andnotofthelearnedreaderonly. Also,itisintended
forallmankindin everyageofthe world'shistory,
nomatterwhatrelativeknowledgeofsciencethatage
maypossess.
ForabookliketheBible,addressedtothesoulsof
all mankind whatever their educational attainments,
no othercourseis possibleorpermissible. Thelan-
guagemustbesosimple,mustsotouchtherootidea
ofthings, thatanyman,orevena child, cangather
someknowledgeofits meaning. Atthe sametime,
thewordingmustbesoclearandpurethatnoscien-
tific attainments, however great, shall ever be able
torevealdefectinit ortosupersedeit.
Such,weshallfind,isthisstatementconcerningthe
creationoftheatmosphere.
There have been times when men believed and
taught that the earthwas flat. They thought then
thattheheavens were acrystal dome restingon all
sidesuponthefirmsupportoftheearth.
And somemen inourdaysseekto showthat the
w^ord"firmament"oftheScriptures meansthissame
thing. One writer, greatly impressed with his own