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E. WALTEK MAUNDER^ F.R.A.S., ON 



night, when it is dark ? You must have a very powerful light 

 in your observatory to take a photograph at night." 



It is obvious what is the line of argument in the mind of 

 such an inquirer. He knows that if he wishes for a photograph 

 of himself, he must either go to the photographer by day when 

 the light is bright, or if he goes at night, the photographer will 

 be obliged to use an artificial light to illuminate him, and he 

 supposes that the heavenly bodies need to be illuminated in just 

 the same way. 



It is not so. We photograph the sun by the light whicli 

 proceeds from him, the moon by the light which proceeds from 

 her (though that light is not inherent in her), and the stars by 

 the liglit whicli proceeds i'rom them : there is no need to try 

 to add to their radiance by any light thrown upon them from 

 an earthly source ; indeed the one thing which the astronomical 

 photograplier is specially anxious to guard against is the entrance 

 of any kind of terrestrial illumination. Tlie heavenly luminary 

 needs no earth-light to assist it : this can only " fog the plate," 

 and dim or hide the impression that it is desired to secure. 



So God is the only source of light concerning Himself. We 

 know of Him that which He has told us ; we can learn nothing 

 more : He is our only possible source of knowledge in this field : 

 it is only in His light that we can see light. 



And if He gives us light concerning Himself, no matter by 

 what method, then that light is Eevelation. " No man has seen 

 God at any time " ; He is not perceptible to our senses ; so that 

 Observation, the source of our knowledge of material thino-s is 

 not possible here. And speculation is worthless. It is quite 

 true that not a few men believe that speculation is a source of 

 knowledge with respect to external nature, and scientific men 

 often receive accounts of "discoveries" which the ignorant have 

 evolved out of their inner consciousness. The progress of 

 science has been marked by the ruthless extermination of such 

 " discoveries " ; it has destroyed many ; it will destroy more ; it 

 knows no toleration for anything of the kind. It is upon facts 

 that have been definitely recognized, not upon unsubstantiated 

 speculations, that the structure of science has been founded. 



And what is true of science, is true also of theology. As we 

 know nothing of nature from guesses, so we know nothing of 

 (Jod from guesses. Our knowledge of Him must rest upon 

 established facts ; that is to say it must come from Him alone. 

 Our knowledge of Him must have been His gift to us, or we 

 have no knowledge of Him at all. 



Here then is the importance of the first chapter of Genesis. 



