Sir Isaac Newton had a friend who, like himself, was a great scientist; but he was an infidel. Newton was a devout believer, and the two men often locked horns over this question, though their mutual interest in science drew them much together.
Newton had a skilled mechanic make him a replica of our solar system in miniature. In the center was a large gilded ball representing the sun. Revolving around this central ball were smaller balls fixed on the ends of arms of varying length. They represented Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, in their proper order. These balls were so geared together by cogs and bolts as to move in perfect harmony by turning a crank.
One day as Newton sat reading in his study with his mechanism on a large table near him, his infidel 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. With undisguised admiration he watched the heavenly bodies all move at their relative speeds in their orbits. Standing off 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 infidel said: "Evidently you did not understand my question. I asked who made this thing?"
Looking up now, Newton solemnly assured him that nobody made it, but that the aggregation of matter so much admired had just happened to assume the form it was in. At this the astonished infidel replied with some heat; "You must think I'm a fool! Of course somebody made it, and he is a genius. I'd like to know who he is."
Laying his book aside, Newton arose. Placing 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 am not able to convince you that this mere toy is without a designer and maker; yet you profess to believe that the great original from which the design is taken has come into being without either designer or maker! Now tell me: by what sort of reasoning do you reach such an incongruous conclusion?"
The infidel was at once convinced and became a firm believer that "Jehovah, He is the God." 1 Kings 18:39.
"In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." Gen. 1:1.
"And God made two great lights;... He made the stars also." Gen. 1:16.
"The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land." Psa. 95:5.
"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that He is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands... but now commandeth all men every where to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead." Acts 17:24-31.