The Hour Before the Dawn. 127 



moves forward to; it is the dream of all the long-suffer- 

 ing ages of man ; it will be initiated on earth within three 

 centuries, perhaps within two, so rapid is the growth of 

 knowledge, so accelerated the march of discovery. But 

 we who have to initiate the great effort will not look 

 upon the dawn of the achievement, nor be among the first 

 of the sons of men who rise superior to death. 



We can but feel, therefore, that we live at humanity's 

 darkest hour — the hour before the dawn. We live too, 

 late to be buoyed and comforted by the illusions of 

 religion, too soon to reach the goal and snatch our lives 

 from the grasp of death. 



Have we the strength to work on, quite the same, and 

 bravely round the curve for the sake of those more fortu- 

 nate who shall come after us ? Have we the devotion to 

 face the inevitable, turn in our best work and die, uncom- 

 plainingly? Shall we demonstrate the spirit, intent and 

 real meaning of the doctrines of Jesus Christ, or see these 

 grand doctrines lapse to a vacuous ritual ? 



A thousand centuries of life's hard struggle on the 

 earth cry out to speak through us, and bid us win the 

 promise of evolution. We are born to this post of honor 

 and duty. Untold labor and pain have confided it to us. 



Are we worthy? Or shall we quit the task, malinger, 

 turn sensuous, skulk back to cover of illusion and cease 

 to be progressive ? 



If stronger beings on other spheres of space are 



