Rick and I attended a fascinating lecture at the BYU Planetarium last Thursday night with one of the clubs I attend. It was so interesting to learn more about our solar system and the huge vastness of space. I'll admit I don't know that much about the solar systems and star patterns, but I loved learning more about both. Here is a fascinating web site to learn more and see some great photos. Also check out the NASA web site. Very good stuff. I've always loved the hymn, "If You Could Hie to Kolob" and the visual images that it conjours up. Here are the words to the hymn:
If You Could Hie to Kolob, hymn number 284 - by William W. Phelps
1. If you could hie to Kolob In the twinkling of an eye,And then continue onward With that same speed to fly,Do you think that you could ever, Through all eternity,Find out the generation Where Gods began to be?
2. Or see the grand beginning, Where space did not extend?Or view the last creation, Where Gods and matter end?Me thinks the Spirit whispers, “No man has found ‘pure space,’Nor seen the outside curtains, Where nothing has a place.”
3. The works of God continue, And worlds and lives abound;Improvement and progression Have one eternal round.There is no end to matter; There is no end to space;There is no end to spirit; There is no end to race.
4. There is no end to virtue; There is no end to might;There is no end to wisdom; There is no end to light.There is no end to union; There is no end to youth;There is no end to priesthood; There is no end to truth.
5. There is no end to glory; There is no end to love;There is no end to being; There is no death above.There is no end to glory; There is no end to love;There is no end to being; There is no death above.
1. If you could hie to Kolob In the twinkling of an eye,And then continue onward With that same speed to fly,Do you think that you could ever, Through all eternity,Find out the generation Where Gods began to be?
2. Or see the grand beginning, Where space did not extend?Or view the last creation, Where Gods and matter end?Me thinks the Spirit whispers, “No man has found ‘pure space,’Nor seen the outside curtains, Where nothing has a place.”
3. The works of God continue, And worlds and lives abound;Improvement and progression Have one eternal round.There is no end to matter; There is no end to space;There is no end to spirit; There is no end to race.
4. There is no end to virtue; There is no end to might;There is no end to wisdom; There is no end to light.There is no end to union; There is no end to youth;There is no end to priesthood; There is no end to truth.
5. There is no end to glory; There is no end to love;There is no end to being; There is no death above.There is no end to glory; There is no end to love;There is no end to being; There is no death above.
I think the music matches the lyrics well. In particular, I like the way the line “The works of God continue” resonates.
The theme is interesting. We don’t talk much about Kolob but the MTC missionaries LOVE to sing this hymn and they sing it with gusto. This hymn is of course only peripherally about Kolob. What it is really about is the endlessness of creation, and that is an endlessly fascinating theme.
2 comments:
This is just one more reason that I wish I was you. !
gleate
Good post, Vonnie. If you could hie to Kolob, that would be pretty cool. But why hie if you could fly?
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