146 MEMORIAL OF JOSEPH HENRY. 



speculations and an attempt to grapple with the problem of the 

 universe, the simplest conception which explains and connects the 

 phenomena is that of the existence of one spiritual Being, infinite 

 in wisdom, in power, and all divine perfections ; who exists 

 always and everywhere; who has created us with intellectual 

 faculties sufficient in some degree to comprehend His operations as 

 they are developed in nature by what is called ' science/ - - - 

 " In accordance with this scientific view, on what evidence does 

 the existence of a Creator rest? First, it is one of the truths best 

 established by experience in my own mind that I have a thinking, 

 willing principle within me, capable of intellectual activity and of 

 moral feeling. Second, it is equally clear to me that you have a 

 similar spiritual principle within yourself, since, when I ask you 

 an intelligent question, you give me an intellectual answer. Third, 

 when I examine operations of nature, I find everywhere through 

 them evidences of intellectual arrangements, of contrivances to 

 reach definite ends precisely as I find in the operations of man ; and 

 hence I infer that these two classes of operations are results of 

 similar intelligence. Again, in my own mind I find ideas of right 

 and wrong, of good and evil. These ideas then exist in the 

 universe, and therefore form a basis of our ideas of a moral 

 universe. Furthermore, the conceptions of good which are found 

 among our ideas associated with evil, can be attributed only to a 

 being of infinite perfections like that which we denominate 'God/ 

 On the other hand, we are conscious of having such evil thoughts 

 and tendencies that we can not associate ourselves with a Divine 

 being, who is the director and the governor of all, or even call upon 

 Him for mercy without the intercession of one who may affiliate 

 himself with us." * 



Into the kingdom of nature he entered as a little child, and she 

 laid bare her secrets before him; she opened the leaves of her 

 wonderful book, and he read therein, and told us some of her most 

 marvelous secrets, which others had but dimly guessed. 



So also into the kingdom of heaven he entered as a little child, 

 and in the same simplicity and sincerity of faith with which he had 

 accepted the truths of nature, he received the word of God. 



*This letter of Professor HENRY will be found entire on pages 23-25 of this volume. 



