Course 1, Chapter 5: Knowledge of God — God considered in his works. Second day of the Creation

1. What did God do on the second day?

The second day God made the firmament, and separated the waters which surrounded the earth; one portion of them he elevated above the firmament, and called them the waters above; the other portion he left beneath the firmament, and called them the waters below.

2. What is the firmament?

The firmament or heavens is all that space which extends from the earth to the fixed stars.

3. What is the extent of the heavens?

To judge of the extent of the heavens it will suffice to know: 1 st. That the sun which appears to

occupy so small a space in them, is more than a million times greater than the earth, which is about twenty-five thousand miles in circumference. 2d. That it is ninety millions of miles distant from the earth. 3d. That the fixed stars are so many suns and are thousands in number. It is thus the heavens shovr forth the glory of God.

4. What must we conclude from this?

From this we must conclude: 1st. That we are of little moment, if we consider only the space we occupy in the world, but that we are of very great moment if we reflect that the firmament and all its wonders have been created for us. 2d. That we ought to entertain the greatest respect and love for God, who being so great and so powerful has deigned to become an infant for us, and to give himself to us in the Holy Communion.

5. What do you remark of the color of the heavens?

The color of the heavens is azure, which pleases the eye the most. This color sometimes changes, in the morning and evening, for instance, in order to soothe our sight and prepare it, either for the brilliant rays of the sun, or for the coming darkness of the night.

6. What occupies the space which separates the earth from the heavens?

The space which separates the earth- from the heavens is occupied by air. Air surrounds the whole earth and presses upon our bodies with very great force; each man bears on his head a volume of air which weighs at least twenty-one thousand pounds; we are not crushed by it because the air within us produces an equilibrium; if this equilibrium were to cease we should perish immediately.

7. What does this show us?

This shows how completely our life is at every moment in the hands of God, and how we should feat to offend him.

8. Why is air invisible?

48 CATECHISM OF PERSEVERANCE.

A. The air which is so closely connected with us ia invisible, because, if it were visible, objects could not be distinctly seen.

9. What is the use of air?

1st. The air is a messenger which brings us the various odors, and enables us to discern the good or bad qualities of food; it brings us sounds and enables us to know what passes at a distance, and also the thoughts of others. 2d. The air is a kind of pump that raises up from the sea the water necessary to render the earth fruitful, and afterwards distributes it wherever the Creator ordains. 3d. Finally, the air enables us to live by respiration. It is a great blessing for which many neglect to thank God.