The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-01-26
Publ &c TELESCOPE A
VALUABLE EDUCATOR.
By Garrett ?. Seryiss.

NEW YORK ought to have a great
IN public telescope with which the
: people could see for themselves the
wonders of the starry heavens
Frequently / receive letters from men
and women inquiring where they can
90 TO set a telescope look at the moon
the stars and the planets, and L am
compelled TO tell them that the a.
rectors Of the few obserVatories IN OF
near this metropolis are probably TOO
much occupied with routine work 10
surrender their instruments, even 1oT
an hour, 70 the use of curious speeta-
tors, no matter how earnest the desire
Of the latter may be.
These letters show the need that eN-
lists for a powerful telescope devoted
not TO original discovery, but entlrely
10 the qualification Of the public MIND
Such a telescope, properly managed
would be a very beneficent instrument
of education.
It would tend to correct and coun-
teTact the too exclusive commercial
trend that is given to education At the
present time The worship of Nam
mon has become so fierce that II Is
only by turning the eyes of men to
the heavens and letting them see 1or
themselves for how pitiful mess OF
pottage they are exchanging their
birthright, that the mad race 10 De
rich and nothing but rich can De
stayed.
Give the man who is dazzled and
crazed by the sight Of some piutoerat
enjoying a yearly income of millions
Of dollars a chance to study the riches
Of Orion. where suns and worlds are
strewn thicker than diamonds ar a
royal coronation, and he viii recover
the mental equilibrium. He viii then
understand that this earth is not ev-
erything.
The Bible, riddled by critics, may
| have lost it's power TO soothe his trou-
! bled soul. but not so the infinite heaV-
ems. They contain the true handWIlI-
/ ing of God. There is the actual reVe-
/ lation of the Eternal.
1--WE wonder at the infinite number OF
| the stars, and well we may said Max
| Muller. "One look at that silent, eter-
/ nal procession is worth all the mira
cles of all religions put together.
+ When daylight gives place TO star
| light" writes Goodwin Smith, we are
! transported from the earth TO the uni
verse. and the thoughts which contem-
plation of the universe bcgets. What
/ is man that thou art mindful Of him Z?
/ is the question that then arises III our
minds"
A telescope for all the people would
| crystalline the idea that underlles the
! utterances Of the thinkers I have just
/ quoted. It would be for those who in
| diligently used it what the Bible was
] for those who prayerfUlly read it IN the
| days of faith. And it would be far
more.
Nature is beyond criticism. She does
( not exhibit the laundering handwork
| of man. makes no scientific mistakes,
/ teaches no errors and formulates no
narrow dOgn1as.
| A great public observatory where
/ everybody could see row boundless, and
! how splendid beyoad The power OF IAN
| guage to describe, is the vast palace
! of the universe. wherein the earth is
but the tiniest bit of mosaic hidden IN
its starr. pavement, might become as
glorious a monument to the spirit Of
| twentieth century civilization as the
ParthenOn was to that of the age OF
! Pericles.
! 1 sincerely hope that some multi-nlii-
/ Iionaire who understands that fortune
was not smiling exclusively al him
when she showered her favors upon the
spot where he CHANGED TO stand VII
think of the benefits to humanity thai
a free telescope, of the first magnitude
/ would be capable Of bestowing-
It would be the most unique Of al
schools. Technical colleges are good
and they are needed, for We must live
by bread. But they breed terrible
fondness for the earth and earthly
| things. And. since the most unselhsE
of all teachers has reminded US thai
| true life is nourished not alone by
bread. we need TO have at least one
great school not devoted to showing
the beauty of the dollar. Let thai
school be New YOrk's public obserVa-
|