102 ASTRONOMYANDTHEBIBLE
thesoil would remain frozento the depthof many
feet,andtheonlyeffectofthesummer'sheatwould
betomeltafewinchesatthesurface.
"It would be, perhaps, possible to cultivate some
hardyannualsinsuchaclimate,butthiswouldbeall.
Treesandshrubscouldnotbravetheseverityofthe
winter. Thus,then,itappearsthattheveryexistence
oflifeinthesetemperateregionsoftheearthdepends
onanapparentexceptiontoagenerallawofnature,
soslightandlimitedinitsextentthatitcanonlybe
detectedbythemostrefinedscientificobservation."
—JosiahP. Cooke,Ervingprofessor ofchemistry and
mineralogyinHarvard University.
These illustrations are sufficient to show us how
thingsterrestrialareadaptedto, andrespondto, the
sunanditsheat. Itistruethattheheatofcombus-
tion, the energyof life, the thunder ofthe express
train,arebutsunpowerworkinginsomeotherform.
This isall wonderful. Butthatthethings ofearth
areadaptedtothisenergyandareabletoemploythis
sunpowerisnosmallpartofthewonder.
Andinthestudyofthisadaptationofsuntoearth,
andearthtosun,withalltheirmultiformphenomena,
thereisscienceenoughforanyman,thoughhelived
foruntoldages. Buttheearthisonlyoneplanetout
ofeight, we know;and each planet carries its own
wealthofmysteriesandwonders. Andthesunisonly
oneoutofmillionsin theuniverse. Whata wealth,
then,ofadaptationsofsuns andplanets,andplanets
andsuns! Whatinterweavingofpowerandinfluence,
ofimpression andofresponse! How marvelousthe