international harmony and peace, simply because science will make war too dangerous and too costly.
The influence of the sciences in bringing men of different nationalities into harmony is great. This is done largely by the common languages that are formed in each science. In mathematics the language is so well formed and generally adopted that mathematicians all over the world have no trouble in understanding one another. It may be difficult to read Russian, but every one can read the formulas of Tchebitchef and Lobaschewsky. In astronomy the common language is nearly as well established, so that there is little difficulty in understanding the astronomy of different nations. A similar process is going on in chemistry, botany and in the other sciences. When men are striving for the discovery of truth in its various manifestations, they learn that is is by correcting the mistakes of preceding investigators that progress is made, and they have charity for criticism. Hence persecution for difference of opinion becomes an absurdity. The labors of scientific men are forming a great body of doctrine that can be appealed to with confidence in all countries. Such labors bring people together, and tend to break down national barriers and restrictions. The scientific creed is constantly growing and expanding, and we have no fears, but rejoice at its growth. We need no consistory of bishops, nor synod of ministers, to tell us what to believe. Everything is open to investigation and criticism.
In our country we have one of the greatest theaters for national life that the world has ever seen. Stretching three thousand miles from ocean to ocean, and covering the rich valleys of the great rivers, we have a land of immense resources. Here is a vast field for scientific work of various kinds. No doubt the men of the future will be competent to solve the problems that will arise. Let us hope that our national character will be just and humane, and that we may depart from the old custom of robbing and devouring weak peoples. Any one who saw the confusion and waste in this city in 1862 might well have despaired of the Republic; and he who saw the armies of Grant and Sherman pass through the city in 1865 felt that he need fear no foreign foe: neither French emperor, nor English nobleman nor the sneers of Carlyle. To destroy a democracy by external force the blows must be quick and hard, because its power of recuperation is great. The danger will come from internal forces produced by false political and social theories, since we offer such a great field for the action of charlatans. Our schools and colleges send forth every year many educated people, and it is sometimes disheartening to see how little influence these people have in public life. Those who are trained in the humanities and churches ought to be humane in dealing with other people, ready to meet great emergencies and powerful to control bad
