, 1874-07-11
THE BURLINGTON, MICH, AMATEUR OF
ASTRONOMY.

BURLINGTON, Mich, Ju1s s, 1874.
70 tho Editor Of Tie Chicago Tribune:
Sin: A recent 'a1ticlo In your paper is quoted
by the Now York Times I'm its scmi-weelly
edition of June 30). as mensioning through 3d.
called Grand Rapids (atich.) correspondent Of
your paper [The letter was from Battle Crcel.--
ED.l Michigan astronomer" as the caption
of the article In tho Times has it, aud mention
ing him by name. who is only IN amateur Of
astronomy, with q priyafe observatory OH his
prromsoA, in Burlington. Alich but mentioning
him III connection with absurd aud untruthfuf
tetatls, which must have slipped accidentally
into IuE TRIBUNE, and which must request to
be allowad apacB to repef.
Most Of the details are no ludicrouBly absurd
that feel no temptation to not:ce them but
two or three points are 30 derogatory that an
explicit denial Of their truth is called for. The
interviewer, or hla and your Grand Rapids cor
respondent (whether one and the same person,
or who., know mott. attributed graveiy
attributes ' also " to ms Tho oSsraotor sas
(wltlout using tho designation In terms) OF m
astrologer; and affects to believe thai my dovo-
tion to science caused tho repong Of near
relatives visit who bud Travelled for the sole pur-
pose Of seeing his over-scientiho relative, Accord
ing to the reporters tale which has not particle
Of foundation ia fact, like many Of hss other
items 1t is not worth while to feel ofrenBo at
the statement Of the lddcroualY- -unAcontifio re-
marks tbs reporter attributes to mo, for their
eexpresslon is their own. resusa.ion, .ss for
instance, tho assertion Of uninterrupted sun
observations for thirty-fve yoars 1t noon, when
would be isnposs.b!el
Passing without further notice string OF un-
scientific aad impossible absaytities III the cor
rrospondcnt'e article, seek to add an explann-
tion OF tle stupid blunder Of tho tale relatiyo to
, plurality Of Coda, attributed as my belief.
This blunder vas founded on n narrative Of a
moeting, With aiily, rowing lecturer, who en-.
In hr$n nItt
With hls snattering of astronomy aud few
fragments Of other branches Of natural science.
Tbs lecturer WIS spirituatist, and, after leo
ture OF hla. upon being rcproved by me for his
power TO furnish matter for creation, tho lecturer
refused to accept God whom ho could not COM
prehead aud, on being assured hia God must
be small one il comprelenled by bin, he re-
he was answered that, within all, hours
conversation, would, attribute to him
claimed Tue esernal exiasenoo Of matter
1oifhout = Creator !-c!asmea tho eternal e1iet.
otornal eoft.exieteuce Of Fate. oto. Each Of.
these I attributed to him as being for him, or In
hts og!nion, God, and furnished With elevon
such Gots, not dreaming Of claiming ono OF
thom for my own belief; aud the splsisnallst
lecturer did not deny ono Of tham My frionda
In Michigan have often heard this narrative as a.
jocose Que, but distaut Las tern friends aud
relatives have not.
Allow mo to add that have novor had any
sympathy with polythqism, Atheism. Splritnat-
ism. ..uor any othcr form Of 1niidolity. Do
boendea from Epsscopa!ian ancestors Oh the
paternal, and from Presbyterian ancestors on
the maternal side,-an Episcopalian myholf from
my youth mp to The War Of the nobclhou,-I
have never lost my faith in peity nor lost af-
feosion Tor many, and indeed all, surviving near
blooG-ralauvas; nor lost contempt and ahhos-
renco for villful falHohood. whether porpesratod
by tongue Or pom. HIP. ],