Astronomy and the Bible;

CHAPTER V

ThePowerofGravitation

THE

workofSirIsaacNewtoninascertaining
thatthereisintheuniverseamysteriousforce
actingbetweenallparticles of matter,regard-
lessof howremote, and hiswork inmeasuringthe
pullofthispowerbetweengivenbodies,issomething
nomanshouldbelittle. Whatheaccomplishedspeaks
foritselfinthegiganticresultsthathavefollowed.
Yetthis wasbuta developmentofthings already
grasped by theinquiringmind ofman. Foryears,
menhadusedpumps;buthadtheybeentoldthatthe
mechanismofthepump,thoroughlyunderstood,would
explain the force operating between the heavenly
bodies,theannouncementwouldhavebeenmetwith
absolute incredulity. Yetsolvingtheproblemofthe
pump led to the discovery of the fact thatair has
weight; and from this,men cameto the conclusion
that all things have weight. But this is universal
gravitation,onlyputin otherwords.
"Outofpumpsgrew thediscussionaboutnature's
abhorrenceofavacuum;and thenitwasdiscovered

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