How dark is dark? I did not realize how dark darkness can be until recently. We were conducting a teaching-preaching mission in Prestonburg, Kentucky. A member of the congregation was president of a local coal mining company which sold its coal to North Carolina's Duke Power Company for the production of electric power. He invited us to inspect his mine. After donning mining clothes and equipment, we were taken one mile into a mountain where we observed the mining operation. There were no lights except the lights on our hard hats. The president suggested that we turn off our lights to see how dark it was. We did and the darkness was overwhelming. It was darker than when you closed your eyes. It did not matter whether your eyes were open or closed. The darkness was darker than dark.

We got…