In From Earth to the Moon in the chapter on Apollo 15, NASA mission leaders were meeting to discuss the landing site for Apollo 15. Two sides were deadlocked. The space engineers wanted the Marias Hills and the geologists wanted Hadley Rill in the Apennine mountains. This had been a debate for months. The Marias hills landing site was safe. The Appennine Mountains location was a more dangerous, but geologically significant. This meeting lasted for hours, but at last, exasperated, they asked David Scott, the commander of Apollo 15, where he would desire to land. He had remained silent for much of the debate so he hesitated before he spoke. He gave some geological reasons and addressed the safety issues; however, at the end he said:
The Appennine Mountains has something else. They have grandeur. I think there is something to be said for exploring beautiful places. It is good for the spirit.
This speech convinced NASA to land at Hadley Ridge. I agree beautiful places should be explored; however, I think there is something to be said for exploring the most beautiful person. Pursue with reckless abandon the topic that has more grandeur than all created things: God Himself. Shall we not explore Him? Shall we not know Him better? The way is dangerous and difficult. We have pathfinders who blazed the trail before us, but we must be careful to not fall into pitfalls that caused the most incautious to fall. This class will not even make it to the foothills, but shall attempt to identify the larger peaks.
