Those waves are the same now as they were on the day of creation." "Not the day of creation.

You mean during the aeons of time creation was evolving," corrected Shirley.
"I meant that of course," assented Jefferson.

"When one says 'day' that is only a form of speech." "Why not be accurate ?" persisted Shirley.

"It was the use of that little word 'day' which has given the theologians so many sleepless nights." There was a roguish twinkle in her eye.

She well knew that he thought as she did on metaphysical questions, but she could not resist teasing him.
Like Jefferson, she was not a member of any church, although her nature was deeply religious.