116 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



royal barbarian, •' I have the power to put you to death." " Do it," repUed the 

 intrepid general, "you only do for me what my religion prevents my doing my- 

 self." Such courage, such disdain of death, awed the African potentate and com- 

 pelled him to submit to the man whose faith lifted him above fear. To men of 

 this sort the world owes its deliverance from superstition, ignorance and slavery. 

 They have given to it liberty, equality, fraternity. 



Nay more, in this vast emancipation of thought r,nd practice, not alone those 

 who have been endowed with genius, will and benevolence in a copious degree 

 have had a part, but all those who have been drawn into an acceptance and obed- 

 ience of the sublime teachings of these men, have given something to the grand 

 result. Unless the multitude came out to hear him, little good would the prophet 

 do preaching in the wilderness. The gracious voice that sounded from the moun- 

 tain side or rocking boat would have died on the air had not lowly toilers of the 

 sea caught up its hallowed words and carried them around the world. A great 

 truth, a sublime teaching, an uplifted thought does not at once reach a dulled ear 

 or penetrate a shadowed heart. But as it is played upon by the various engines of 

 the mind it comes into clearer light and purity, until at last the dullest intellect 

 recognizes its worth, even to the lowest levels of life. 



Few are called to guide the world; all can follow those whose prophetic eyes 

 have seen beyond the clouds of the morning the crimson bars behind which lies 

 the glory which shall shine one day, " redeem the world to virtue and flood it with 

 light." The fidelities never grow old. Change touches the theories of scince — state- 

 ments of philosophy and creed gather mildew and rust, but no moth burrows in the 

 shining robe of gratitude, and in deepest reverence and love we lay garlands on 

 the altars of sincerity, candor and truth. But while a perennial fragrance lingers 

 around these qualities, the unfolding years interweave them with new forms and 

 new hopes. 



Out of the depths of history there comes, now as ever, one voice clearer than 

 all others. Every new truth which contains in itself, ever so dimly, a touch of 

 human happiness or elevation, is "of the nature of a message from on high," 

 and will at last be hailed as the "glad tidings of joy " to all who bear burdens or 

 patiently hope amid mists and darkness for the dawning of another day. We 

 should be slow to reject new views or claims, lest perchance we thereby fail to 

 " entertain angels unawares," for who can tell whether it is not as Tennyson 

 sings : 



" And may be wildest dreams 

 Are the needful prelude of the truth." 



