The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-13

motive power Of brain force Is instruction, and the
results attained are greater or less inherent ca
pacties are educated by devoted application to
favorite speciates Won Humbodts youth was
remarkable verhcation OF this assertion. He was
taught nv his ATTITUDE for special studies His fame,
his iustrious name rest on the self-dedicaton TO
Inherent capacities Those "new methods of edu-
cation which, about 1916, first excited interest In
Germany, brought to llumboldts aid instructors
memory no! the mind.n To Campo, Kunth, Helm,
Bumenbach and Fostert the student Humboldt owed
the training and education OF his Inmate tenden-
ciesn for natural science
Had Humboldt been sent to some modern Unit
versty, which exists only by reason OF the name,
where respeCtabity seeks prOfessOrships and inca
pacty fills the chairs, science and philosophy on TINS
centennial Anniversary Of his BIRTH would not dig
nify, by their unprofaned tributes monuments and
hOnors 70 his name and memory. Humboldt was
taught to know. lie was instructed to discover to
find out Therefore his life was constant worship
of the highest divine "WHY?" Investigation was the
effort Of his intellect the aim OF his labOrs Flower
star, earthquake, volcano, mine, and mountain; the
earth, sea- and air. and the heavens he investigated
examined to learn why God had made laws for them
to obey, and what those laws are.
From his first essay in $780, Chronological Obser-
vatiOn some Basaltic formation Of the Rhine, to
his siXtyone free scientific public lectures in Berin
his voyages and travels until his great work
"Kosmos,n from first to last, induction was the
prompter Of his mental labor; His ntellectwas ever
asking from all his efforts why?
To-day, in almost all languages, llumboldts name
is receiving honor. on this continent he was the
Columbus Of science. Truths which here nature
Withheld until he came as the discoverer to search
them out impel America TO join her offerings OF
Now that century has passed since his birth, the
world aCcOrds to Humboldt first place among
students and thinkers, We therefore gladly partic
pate in the ceremonies which proclaim the universal
verdict OF the mind Of the world Freemasonry
thus here approvingy aids In her temple are taught
virtue, science and arts We worship God, who
endowed us with faculties to understand and value
them.
Humboldt gave light to the scientific mind of the
world He worked in the Temple of Nature as we
work in the Masonic Temple, dedicated to mysteries
never-faling light on his monument, the corner
stone OF which is here laid, that the future may
know the inscription the present writes upon tt:-
The works of genius are treasures the ages pre-
serve for mankind"
The following benediction by the r. w. Grand
Chaplain, was then devered:-
"May the blessings of God Almighty, who'made
the heaven and the earth, and all the worlds, and
they who dwell therein, be with MS all, and remain
with us now and for ever. Amen"
German Grafton by Dr. KeIlner.
DR.. G. Kellner, of the Philadelphia Denokrdt, then
delivered an Grafton in German. The following is a
translation OF the oration:-
Alexander HumbOldt-name of everlasting fame
-.agtatng to-day the whole world-which bows be-
fore 1t everywhere at this moment
Alexander Humboldt is the watchword of the
hour.
Wonderful sight!
The lofty genius Of great man uniting at this mo-
ment the cultivated minds of all nations, without
difference of politics, language, and race to the
same public worship of his memory and the worship
of the only true universal scence-the science of
that which really exists-the science OF natural
history.
There a time when the human intellect in its
infancy was SO completely occupied with the solu-
manded neither insight, time, nor strength enough
stand its perpetual, firmly established laws in their
intimate and inseparable connection.
The people OF those times imagined the universe
or the Macrocosm to be constructed in the very
manner as human nature called Microcosm. With
feelings Of dependent impotency did mortal mankind
bow before nature, the Omnipotent mother, and
before the superhuman power of creation and de-
struction to whom mans phantasy addicted human
error and human passions personifed them as gods,
and made them rule the universe
But the ancient Grecans and Romans already felt
of ha
powers and fundamental law of the universe.
Fatum-destiny-the called this mysterious, in
comprehensive and inleXibe law which decided
their fate, and before which the immortal gods
themselves trembed and dared not to pronounce its
name
The doctrines and mysteries of these secret
powers were not revealed TO the mass of the people,
also the true nature of these powers remained
mystery, yelled statue of Isis the mother Nature,
on whose temple at Sais as the Oldest Grecian his
toran Qierodotus) records, the inscription was
written 81 am the Universe, the Past, the Present,
and the Future-nO mortal has ever lifted my veil"
But the veil was lifted, and the old myth that the
bold one who would see the goddess unveiled would
perish, lost its significance. Many great phloso-
piers of ancient times, especially Aristotle, lifted
the veil without fear and hesitation to explore the
universe or the cosmos, as the Greeks called it, in
its unity But the greatest OF these explorers made
their appearance in modern times, and foremost in
their ranks stands the great man whose jubilee we
celebrate to-day, Alexander Won Humboldt the high
priest OF science. Tomorrow IS the centennial an
niyersary of the birthday of this hero of civilization.
At that time Germany had scarce recovered from
Europe the so-called intelligent classes nuctuated
between atheism and superstition, between venera-
tiOn OF Noltaire and fear OF the necromancy OF a
HaehostTo. The people langulshed under
the yoke Of o,td small desPots, who recOg-
cesses and The abuse Of the poor man. Or in the
larger countries the people suffered from the oppres-
sion OF a so-caled enlightened paternal despotsm
without any will OF its own, or even the idea of u
right to will of its own, or to any education and in
telectual culture. The day OF freedom had not yet
dawned from Americas shores to oyerpoWer with
the splendor OF It's rays the night of European serv
tude and TO dispel the darkness OF ignorance.
The natural sciences had at that time made re-
markabe progress, and eminent men began to make
researches in their different branches The middle
classes became Interested, while the mass of the
people still lived in profound ignorance The higher
classes also acquired taste for their study, but too
often only to further superstition and personal in
telests, through alchemy, through the preparation
OF an elixir OF life, or the philosophers stone. A.
Won Humboldt himself belonged by his birth to these
higher classes, but his extraordinary intellect soon
applied itself TO the systematic sciences
Alter careful education at home, he mad tne good
fortune TO study natural history under tne nfSt
sctntlhc men OF the times; nor qua ne negleGG @ 10
study mathematics, technology, political economy,
history geography ancient and modern languages,
win German thoroughness and nntlrlng dlngence
Ills extensive education became the OASIS lOr ms
desire ana high qualification to understand and
escrlbe MS nature in her unity anu cOhesoh. MOTE
nah nan century passed away before nis WE WISHES s
were realized before the Old man dared 10 carry out
ms gigantic project for which ne had worked ana
cOlecled so industrousy since MS yOuth ana Whlch
ne aG made ne higher ann e Ul nus reacS @
that book of books that bible OF natural Sciences
before the Cosmos could be publlshed Ihat half
century which Humboldt passed III restess study Tor
the preparation of his Cosmos was full OF momen-
tuus incidents. The first frehcn reNoiuton uls-
tnloed all Europe. Napoleon rose e. ana a. vanished
IKE body meteor. crowns were lOst, anu thrones
lell; war ana insuTectOn followed each other IN
quick succession. In the midst OF al this con
Den ns distress ana nIocoedeG on "5 ts oDIef
path in the service of TRUTH to appear AT last before