The Inspiration 7 



family shrine, where my children and grandchildren 

 might come after me. In the defeat of my own hopes I 

 became passionately attached to this hope for others — 

 for our country and the world. To make such a hope 

 possible of realization, I came to see that there must be 

 a New Earth, or rather a new conception of the earth 

 in its relation to the home. 



As our work unfolded over a period of more than a 

 quarter of a century, I thought I saw the dawning of 

 the New Earth in the very humblest way in a pioneer 

 settlement where we went to live and work with the 

 people who shared our hopes. Everything was very 

 crude, my own home with the rest, yet, I could see in the 

 little homes all about me that street of my childhood's 

 fancy in the old New England town ; and I could look 

 beyond the crude beginnings to the time when the same 

 quality of dignity, growing out of the same laws, would 

 become the possession of the many. 



The New Earth, as I think of it, begins with the 

 recognition that it is God's gracious provision for man, 

 and as such too sacred for any purpose except to serve 

 the needs of humanity. That conception rules out 

 speculation. To put a price on land beyond fair com- 

 pensation is unjust and really nothing less than an at- 

 tempt to repeal a great law of God, and defeat His 

 ends. This, too, from so low a motive as selfishness — a 

 selfishness to be paid for by woman's toil and tears 

 and by innocent children deprived of their heritage. 



When we comprehend the ideals of the New Earth in 

 all their purity and beauty we shall strive to make the 

 most of it in every way, and the measure of our success 

 will be the amount of human happiness thereby created. 



