Sir Isaac Newton had a friend who, like himself, was a great scientist, but he was an atheist, while Newton was a devout believer. They often locked horns over the question of the earth's beginnings, though their mutual interest in science drew them much together.
Newton had a skillful mechanic make him a replica of our solar system in miniature. In the center was a large gilded ball representing the sun, and revolving around this were smaller balls fixed on the ends of arms of varying lengths, representing Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, in their proper order.
These balls were so geared together by cogs and belts as to move in perfect harmony by turning a crank.
One day, as Newton sat reading in his study, with this mechanism on a large table near him, his atheistic friend stepped in. He was scientist enough to recognize at a glance what was before him.
Stepping up to it he slowly turned the crank, and with undisguised admiration watched the heavenly bodies all move at their relative speed in their orbits. Moving away a few feet, he exclaimed, "My! What an exquisite thing this is! Who made it?"
Without looking up from his book Newton answered, "Nobody!" Quickly turning to Newton the atheist said: "Evidently you did not understand my question. I asked you who made this thing?"
Looking up now, Newton solemnly assured him that nobody made it—that the collection, or aggregation of matter so much admired had just happened to assume the form it was in.
But the astonished atheist replied with some heat: "You must think I'm a fool! Of course somebody made it. He is a genius, and I'd like to know who he is."
Putting his book aside, Newton arose. Laying a hand on his friend's shoulder, he said: "This thing is but a puny imitation of a much grander system whose laws you know.
"I can't convince you that this mere toy is without a designer and maker, yet you profess to believe that the great original from which this replica is taken has come into being without either designer or maker. Now tell me by what sort of reasoning do you reach such an inconsistent conclusion?"