351 
is constructed (see p. 342). Two may, however, be men- 
tioned as presenting points of some interest. 
(a) It is asserted in Genesis that the whole earth was 
originally covered with water, and that out of this water the 
dry land made its appearance. To say that Science has abso- 
lutely endorsed this statement would perhaps be too bold an 
assertion ; but, so far as she is in a position to give judgment 
on the point, the evidence of geology certainly tends very 
strongly in that direction. The vast majority of existing 
rocks have unquestionably been formed under the sea, which 
has consequently, at one time or another, covered nearly, if 
not all, the surface of the earth. That the whole was originally 
under water is a proposition, then, at all events very accordant 
with the analogies and spirit of geological science. 
( b ) It is asserted in Genesis that there exists an expanse 33 
above the earth, which divides the waters below from the 
waters above. This statement has been much criticised : first, 
on the ground that the expanse is described as something 
solid, which the air or sky is not ; secondly, on the ground that 
there are no such waters above it as are alleged. For the first 
point, it suffices to say that it is admitted by all competent 
scholars that the Hebrew rTiTJ does not signify anything 
massive, but, on the contrary, something which is stretched or 
beaten out. While, for the quality of strength, which is in 
some places ascribed to it, and mistaken by sceptics for 
solidity, this the atmosphere certainly has, or it could not 
bear up the clouds, and resist the course of projectiles, &c., as 
it does. The second point is one which must detain us for 
a moment, as the answer in this case is purely scientific, and 
not bv any means so familiarly known as it ought to be. It 
is asserted that the presence of clouds in the upper regions, 
separated, as they undoubtedly are, from the terrestrial waters 
by the intervening air, is insufficient to justify the language of 
Genesis, which requires a quantity of water, generally diffused 
over the upper part of the expanse. For the sake of argu- 
ment merely, we will grant that the clouds are not sufficient, 
and proceed to demonstrate the existence of other waters 
also, universally diffused in the manner described. 
It is a fundamental principle in optics that light can only 
travel in straight lines. The light which reaches our eyes, 
then, when we look upwards at the sky, has travelled to us 
straight from the sky at which we look.* Now, whichever 
part of the sky we look at, whether near the sun or far away 
* The minute refraction arising from passage through the atmosphere, is 
omitted as too trivial to affect the argument. 
