American Quotations by William J. Federer 2024

Sir John Frederick William Herschel (March 7, 1792-May 11, 1871) was an English astronomer, the son of the great astronomer Sir William Herschel. He took his father’s telescope to South Africa where he discovered and catalogued over 500 new stars and nebulae seen from the southern hemisphere. When the HMS Beagle landed at Cape Town, South Africa, on June 3, 1836, the young Charles Darwin visited Sir John Frederick Herschel. Sir John Frederick Herschel was quoted by Marcel de Serres in 'On the Physical Facts in the Bible Compared with the Discoveries of the Modern Sciences' (The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal,...

Henry Opukahai'a (1792-February 17, 1818) was the first Hawaiian convert to Christianity. Orphaned at age 10, he was raised by his uncle to be a pagan priest (kahuna) of the Hawaiian religion. He grew disillusioned with the rituals and chants, and in 1808, left with his Hawaiian friend, Thomas Hopu, on an American whaling ship bound for New York. The ship was under the command of Captain Brintnel, who then brought them to New Haven, Connecticut. There he was befriended by students and professors of Yale College and soon became a Christian. He studied Greek and Hebrew and translated sections...

Bill of Rights (December 15, 1791) First Ten Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, were ratified. Originally twelve amendments were proposed by the State Legislatures to Congress on September 25, 1789, but two amendments having to do with Congressional representation and Congressional pay, were not adopted. The Bill of Rights stated: <Begun and held at the City of New-York, on Wednesday March 4, 1789, the Convention of a Number of the States, having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of it's powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should...

Michael Faraday (September 22, 1791-August 25, 1867) was an English chemist and naturalist. In 1833, he was honored as professor of chemistry at the prestigious Royal Institute. He pioneered the liquefaction of gases and discovered benzene, which is used in aniline dyes, perfumes, and high explosives. Michael Faraday's scientific contributions include the discovery of electrolysis, electromagnetic induction, the concept of magnetic lines of force, and the invention of the first electrical generator in 1831. Michael Faraday avowed: <It is permitted to the Christian to think of death; he is even represented as praying that God would teach him to number...

Samuel Finley Breese Morse (April 27, 1791-April 2, 1872) was an American inventor and artist. He invented the Morse Code, developed the telegraph, and built the first camera in America. He was the son of Jedediah Morse, the educator and textbook writer known as "The Father of American Geography." Samuel F.B. Morse was also one of the greatest portrait artists of all time. He was the founder and president for 20 years of the National Academy of Design, and, in 1831, received the distinction of being appointed to the first chair of fine arts in America, the Professor of Sculpture...