National Republican., 1883-04-19

relation and conservation of forces. With |
Prof Guyot, he inauguratod the systematic !
observation and study of tho law of storms
that has given us our present signal service
observations. He applied magnetic power in
the invention Of the first electromagnetic
machine. He made most important investi-
cations upon the phosphorogenic emanation
from the sun. He made many discoveries
in heat radiation. He made important OBJ.
servations ON tho cohesion Of liquids and
discovered metallic capillarity. His prac-
tical work in the light house board, with the
great and importatut discoveries he made toF
the benefit OF tina department, are too num-
erous TO mention in newspaper article.
His long life extended to so years. Born
in 1892 dying in 1873, he passed more than
the threescore and ten and all of them years
heavy with the discoveries of grand truths.
He was n man Of warm affections, of most
sincere, generous, and noble nature. His
sympathies with all earnest seekers after
truth, aud especially with the young, were
ever quick and ready. He loved truth for its
own sake and had an utter detestation OF
shams and charlatanism and all devices for
cheap popularity, whether in science or in.
other things. He was, moreover man OF
calm, wellconsidered, and decided Christian
faith No seeming conflict between the
truths of science and those of religion ever
disturbed his well-assured faith in both, for
he had mind large enough and honest
enough to grasp the relation between them:
No one knew better than he whose life had
been spent in seeking to penetrate the secrets
of tho natural world what were the powers
and what were also the limitations of the
human intellect but, believing as he did
that truth in all its forms proceeded from its
one Great Author he doubted not that when
faith is exchanged for sight it will be found
in all its varied manifestations to be at
perfect unity with ITSELF The reasoning
which satisfied him there was God and a
scheme of divine mediation for man was OF
direct and simple logic, as direct and simple
as it was thorough and convincing. He did
not seek the absurd and unreasonable plan
as do most modern skeptics, of trying to show
an ethical truth in the terms OF mathematics
His broad and enlightened mind better
knew the capacities of logic, and hence he
did not treat his God as triangle, one of
whose sides must always be less than the
sum of the others. The God who created the
idea of that triangle he knew had created
other things and other forms of reasoning
than that one which is solely applicable to
physical magnitudes. And demonstrating to
himself the truth of the Christian faith, the
grand old scientist, who had gazed unawed
into the stony face of the sphynx nature and
wrung from her unwilling grasp some Of her
mightiest secrets, went to his death as one
tSNes
him and lies down to pleasant dreams"
The Henry statue which will bo unveiled
to-day is the result of commission given by
congress in 1880 to Mr.. w. w. Story. The
intention was at first to have no ceremonies
upon its unveiling, but Mr.. w. j. Rhees, the
chief clerk of the institute, who was an inti-
mate and valued friend Of Prof Henry, often
called, in fact, "Henry's index" from his
prodigious memory and sympathy with the
pursuits of the great scientist, agitated the
matter until il was determined to accord the
statue of this eminent civilian some, at least,
of the pomp and honors conferred upon mill
tary men. But for Mr.. Rhees's ardent and
energetic action the statue of the Smithsonian
organizer would have been put up without
any formal display.
To-DAY's PROGRAMME.
The full programme OF the exercises at the
unveiling Of the statue to-day has already
been published in THE REPUBLICAN. The
invited guests will meet in the lecture room
of the National museum and proceed to the
platform which has been erected near the
statue, headed by tho Marine band, which
will render the selection, "Transit Of Venus"
by Sousa, during tho march.
Upon the platform the Marine band will
render the Hallelujah chorus from Handel's
Messiah" which has been arranged by Mr..
Sousa. Prayer will then be offered by Rev.
A. A. Hodge, D. ID. An address will be made
by Chief Justice Waite, who will unveil the
statue. The Philharmonic Society, consisting
of $50 voices, accompanied by the Marine
band, will sing the chorus the Heavens
are Telling" from Haydns oratorio of the
Creation" The grafton will then be delivered
by President Noah Porter, of Yale college.
Selection by the Marine band, entitled "The
Triumphal March," by Meyerbeer. The
Philharmonic society will be assisted by mem
bers from the Washington Operatic associa-
ton, the Rossini and q. G. Choral societies,
the Washington Sengerbund, and Germania
Mennerchor. Prof. +. widows, Frank Will
mittee on music. The ceremonies will be
under the charge of Gen. o. M. Poe, U. S. A.
Gen. Poe has appointed Daniel Leech j. d.
McChesney, and Gen. S. Hobbs assistant mar
shals.