The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1933-11-25
NEWSPAPERS OPINIONS
EXPLORATION UPWARD

| Again balloon with two lnquiring pilots has
pushed up into the blue to heights where polar
temperatures are perpetual and atmosphere APP
proaches the thinness of vacuity. Lleut-Coniihur'
IT, G. W. Settle and Maj Chester l.. FOrdner have
landed in New Jersey after an ascent of approN'-
mately So, 900 feet somewhat higher than the flight
of Prof Auguste Picard in 1882, but few thou
sand feet short of the mark recently set by Rus
sian expedition into the stratosphere.
Immediately the question rises, what have men
learned by these efforts to see how far away from
earth they can get? And to what purpose are
their Investigations?
Had such flight been possible from the Near
East saw 5000 years ago. and had it not been for
hidden as sacrilegious, the waiting mutltudes
would have crowded about to learn if the intrepid
explorers had seen the first perhaps the second
or third of the seven heavens which the theology
and cosmic theory of their day depicted as rising
level upon level from the earth and offering ceeS
tial abode to the departed.
But today the reports of the returning aerial
navigators are concerned with cosmic rays, bare
metric observations and other data of physical SCI
ence much of which is beyond the ken of the lay
man. Even whether the ascent is of major impor-
lance to commercial aviation is problematical, for
done with planes rather than balloons The sig
nifcance of the expedition is as much astronomical
as aeronautical.
In fact while the balloon that rose from Akron
was soaring Monday eleven miles above the
earth, a group of noted astronomers, including the
Belgian Able Georges LeMaitre and Prof. Harlow
Shaptey were seated in a room at Massachusetts
Institute of Technology mentally projecting them
elves by aid of telescope, and spectroscope
into the galaxies and nebulae millions of light
years away. And while they specialized on the
possibilities of a physical universe expanding III
some places and contracting in others they found
no realms that could be identified with the celes
tial geography of the ancient mystics.
1t is fortunate for the equanimity of the world
that the more advanced of mankind for some time
have ceased to conceive of heaven a locality IN
space or to depend on the physical existence of
pair of peary gates Tor assurance of Immortality
Otherwise the exploits of aeronauts and astronC-
mers might be disturbing
Even Solomon saw the possibility of material
abode for Deity, for he said, "Behold, the heaven
and heaven of heavens cannot contain thee" And
to this Jesus said "The kingdom of God cometn
not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo
here! or, 10 there! for, behold, the kingdom of God
is within you"
Through centuries humanity has gradually
to appreciate the significance of this statement and
by so much to taste of spiritual harmony while yet
on earth. SHAKESPEARE flights and telescope peer
ings are useful in their way, but they come no
closer to finding out God or discovering path to
heaven than did the tower of Babel Yet to look
upward is still symbol of holy aspiration, of hon
est desire for nobility of character and for under
standing of Truth; and for this sort of questing.
too, there is great need.-The Christian Science
Monitor