October 08th, 2024

 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another . . ~Romans 12:10

American lecturer Ralph Waldo Emerson said, "There is no limit to what can be accomplished if it doesn’t matter who gets the credit." Few people are aware of the crucial role that Edmond Halley played in bringing Isaac Newton's work to the world's attention. Many people are familiar with the story of Isaac Newton's iconic moment with a falling apple, where he introduced the law of universal gravitation and transformed the field of astronomy. Halley was the individual "behind the scenes" who encouraged Newton to develop his original theories; he corrected Newton's mathematical errors and devised geometric shapes to validate his findings. He convinced a hesitant Newton to write his seminal work, The Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy, and managed its publication and funding, despite Newton’s wealth. Historians regard Halley's support of Newton as an exceptionally selfless act in the scientific community. Although Newton quickly gained recognition for his achievements, Halley received little credit. He did, however, apply Newton's principles to predict the orbit and return of a comet that would later be named after him. Yet, since Halley’s Comet surfaces only every seventy-six years, his name remains relatively unknown to many. Nonetheless, Halley was unconcerned about receiving recognition as long as scientific progress was being made. He epitomized the essence of living by the biblical admonition: Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another. (Romans 12:10). When presented with an opportunity to prioritize the welfare of others over oneself, we ought to seize it and make the most of it.