Daybreak; A Romance of an Old World

by James Cowan

  CHAPTER XXXVII.

  UNTIL THE DAY BREAK.

  The events related in the foregoing chapter were interesting to us all,in one way and another, but the doctor and I felt that the real purposeof our visit to Mars, if anything so unpremeditated could be said tohave a purpose, was to learn all we could of the planet, and especiallyof its people. And as we did not know how soon our visit might bebrought to a close, we lost no time in urging Thorwald to continue hisinstruction whenever he could find it convenient. Thorwald's answer tothis was, that he hoped nothing would occur to hasten our departure, butthat it was his convenience to heed at any time our wishes, and he wouldresume his talk as soon as we pleased. So it was not long before we wereseated, and Thorwald began again as follows:

  "It is now my privilege to speak to you, my friends, of that part ofour history which differs from anything you have experienced, and Ianticipate much pleasure in doing so. I must say again that we havefound the parallel remarkably close between your career and ours up tothe time when you left the earth."

  "We have indeed," remarked the doctor, "and that makes us all themore anxious to learn what came to you next and how you escaped thethreatening storms."

  "There were certainly many clouds upon our horizon at that day," resumedThorwald. "The people were full of unrest. The worst part wanted toreplace organized society with anarchy, but this extreme party neversucceeded in their purpose. The world had progressed too far for that.There were too many churches and schools and printing presses. Theanarchists should have begun their efforts in a ruder age.

  "There was more danger from the jealousies and mischievous tendenciesamong the great industrial class, because their number was so large. Buteven here the same influences which saved us from the nihilist had theireffect. As time went on, men came to think more, and the result of thiswas that both conscience and reason began to govern men's actions.

  "The workmen had looked about them and had seen many corporationsincreasing in wealth and power, and individuals rolling up enormousfortunes, and they had felt that they were not getting a fair share ofthe money their labor was earning. But then a little thought enabledthem to realize that these evidences of great prosperity came from thesuccessful few, while a large proportion of all business ventures werefailures; and in these the employees received more of the profits thanthe owners did. Then the wage-earners had the benefit of much ofthe money accumulated in large fortunes, by having the free use oflibraries, trade schools, reading rooms, and an increasing number ofphilanthropic institutions, which were equipped and endowed by the rich.Such a use of wealth became an ordinary thing, so that it was not amatter of wonder and wide notice when a man spent a liberal share of hisfortune in educational or other humanitarian work.

  "All this had a great effect on the mass of the people, graduallyraising the average of character, and placing before the mind a higherincentive for right living. Ignorance had always been to the race atwin enemy with sin, and the growth of intelligence meant the generalelevation of mankind.

  "Another chief item in the reformation of men in that age of improvementwas the general abandonment of the drinking habit. You will understand,of course, that the mainspring of all these reforms was the gospel ofChrist, under which man's spiritual nature was gradually developing.But, at the same time, there was always a secondary cause, and throughhuman instrumentality such blessings came to us. What do you supposebrought about the overthrow of intemperance?"

  "I suspect," answered the doctor, with a glance at our hostess, "it wasthe growing influence of woman, who, by that time, according to Zenith'saccount, ought to be taking quite a leading position."

  "Doctor," said Thorwald, "you take in the situation completely. Ifthere was one thing woman had always been sure she could do, it was thebreaking up of the liquor traffic. In the old days, when she had beentreated as man's inferior, she had declared that, if she had the power,she would stamp out the manufacture and sale of intoxicating drinks, andmake it impossible for men to get them at any price. And when power cameto her I am glad to say she proved that her boast had not been in vain.Not that she fulfilled her threat in any such dramatic way as she hadhad in mind, but the end was accomplished just as surely by the forceof her high character, working itself out in many ways. It was chiefly acrusade of education. The children of one generation after another weretaught the value of right habits and purity of body, and in time thechange was wrought, a victory for woman more precious to the race thanany army of mailed warriors had ever won.

  "With temperance came better manners, more self-respect, a kinderspirit, a more tender care for others, and, along with these things,better hearts and better homes."

  As Thorwald had invited us to interrupt him as often as we pleased, Itook advantage of a pause here by saying:

  "I see, Thorwald, you are making the people all too good to leave anyfear in the mind of a social convulsion, but I would like to ask howpolitics were smoothed out. During that period of industrial war, whichyou described to us, you said the workingmen and ignorant classesfound they were in the majority and were beginning to use their powerunjustly. We are threatened in a similar way on the earth at this time,and I am anxious to know how the cloud in your sky was dispersed."

  "I will endeavor to make it plain to you," replied Thorwald, "but youmust remember I am trying to condense the history of a great manyyears into as few words as possible. It was found that there had beena mistake in making the right of suffrage universal without universaleducation, and that the ignorant and vicious were so numerous as to makethe average unsafe to rely upon in a crisis. It was a difficult matterto remedy this state of things. Some attempts were made from time totime to confine the privilege of citizenship to the intelligent part ofthe community, but many of the best people thought this was taking thewrong course, and that the only safe cure was in educating all classesup to a full appreciation of their higher duties. There was a growingfaith, the world over, in the virtue of the people at large, andwherever they had been given full power to govern themselves, or hadtaken it from their former rulers, they were exceedingly jealous of anyabridgment of this power.

  "Here, again, we see the effects of the beneficent influence of woman.The more her dominion increased the more was intelligence diffused, andalthough she yielded to the subtle temptation of power and reigned alonefor a while, yet the world had, on the whole, great cause to be thankfulfor her signal advancement. With education made compulsory, and withsociety brought gradually under the sway of woman's finer nature andmore lofty ideals, communities were molded to a higher form of life, andsaved from the evils which threatened them in their former state.

  "Let me tell you briefly how war was banished from our world, thatmonster whose hideous presence would be so utterly out of place herenow. At the beginning of the age I am describing, the foremost nationskept powerful armies and navies, all ready for their deadly work. Warswere frequent and bloody. The best of the young men in nearly every landwere forced to bear arms and fight for their country at the command oftheir rulers, while the conscience of mankind was dulled and stunted bythe spectacle or constant menace of war.

  "The lives of millions of men were actually in the hands of a fewirresponsible autocrats, who were possessed with exaggerated or falsenotions of national honor. Now came a time when the world stood hushed,as it were, on the eve of a mighty conflict. Every nation had increasedits army and strengthened its defenses to the utmost limit. Every daythreatened to see the match lighted--a hasty word, a fancied insult, anytrivial thing, which would bring on the struggle and put the world inmourning. And what was it all for? No one could tell. It seemed to benothing but the selfish ambition of the rulers and their innate lovefor supremacy. As for the real actors, those who were to do the actualfighting, they had no love for their work. However it may have been inthe past, the world was older now and better, and war was abhorred withall its accompaniments both by the army and by the people at large.

  "It was a time of great inventions, l
ooking not only to the saving oflife but to its destruction. Even while the nations were standing, armsin hand, waiting for the signal to begin the conflict, their weaponswere rendered useless and the strength of their fortresses reduced tonothing by the working of one man's brain. Yes, by a single invention,inspired by God for the good of his creation, inhuman war received itsdeath-blow and the world obtained a mighty impulse toward its finalgoal."

  The doctor became somewhat excited by these words and asked witheagerness:

  "What wonderful invention was that?"

  "The perfection of the air ship," Thorwald replied, "by which anyrequired weight could be taken into the air, and carried with ease andcertainty by currents of air or force of gravity.

  "You no doubt see what such an invention implies. It means that powerfulexplosives could be dropped from the sky in quantities sufficient toannihilate an army or utterly destroy a city. Experiments were made,and engineers learned, with surprising rapidity, to cast the bombs withgreat accuracy from any desired height.

  "At once every government hastened to build air ships and manufactureexplosives. There seemed to be no limit in sight to the production ofeither, and soon power enough was stored in this way to extinguishhalf the life of the world, when rightly applied. The entire system ofwarfare was revolutionized; but, while all were preparing for offensiveoperations, there appeared to be no adequate plan of defense under thenew system. It therefore became apparent that, should the threateningcloud burst, it would be difficult to imagine the extent of thedestruction it would bring. This feeling, which filled all hearts withdread, delayed the catastrophe, for no one was ready to assume such animmense responsibility. So matters stood for a long time, the fearof the dire consequences preventing an outbreak, while the sentimentagainst war was rapidly growing. In nations of the highest civilization,where the Christian character of the people was reflected in thegovernment, some serious disputes had been settled by arbitration, andevery time this humane method was adopted a precedent was created whichmade war appear more and more useless and barbarous. The world was nowbecoming so much changed that such a good example was contagious, andthe result was that the aerial warships and the deadly dynamite did nothave to be used.

  "Among the legends of the time is the improbable one that, when theseair fleets were at their highest point of efficiency, and the worldwas literally lying at their mercy, one hot-headed young monarch, whoseselfish pride had stolen away his senses, gave the command to firethe train which would ram destruction upon his foes, when, wonder ofwonders, not a man would obey his order. Angered beyond measure bysuch an unwonted experience, he seized with his own hand the electricapparatus arranged to give the fatal spark, but with such violenceand indiscretion that, instead of sending the current on its appointedmission, it turned from its course and destroyed the angry youthhimself.

  "This is undoubtedly a myth, but the rest that I have told you iswell-authenticated history.

  "The abolition of war seems sudden, but it never would have taken placeas it did had not the people been prepared for it by a radical change intheir character. For many years the spirit of peace had been quietly atwork on the heart of mankind, until it came to be realized that warfareand strife, whether between individuals or nations, were bound to dieaway under the growing appreciation for the higher law.

  "It was one of the supreme days in the history of Mars, when grim warpassed and became but a memory. The effect was instantaneous. At oncethe people of the different nations were drawn together to their mutualadvantage. Commerce became world-wide, one language was adopted, and thearts of peace flourished as never before. Men began to feel that theywere one family, national distinctions were made little of, and theworld drifted gradually toward universal brotherhood.

  "I must now draw your attention to the work of the church and show youhow it was carrying out its great commission. First, to prepare forthe highest usefulness, it quite early freed itself from the sectarianspirit. As the magnitude of its mission became more apparent the pointsof difference between the denominations grew constantly smaller, and, intime, all Christians found themselves united on the fundamental truthsof the gospel, and working together to bring the world to the light.With this union fully accomplished, Christianity became more than everthe dominant force in the world, and the church the chief center of allwork looking to the elevation of the race.

  "The progress of the world was along the line of the brotherhood ofman, and that doctrine was the church's own Christianity taught the truesocialism, which, however, could not be realized till the heart had lostits selfishness, and each one had learned to care for the interests ofhis neighbor. Although such a condition was not in sight at that day,there was a mighty awakening which set the current of men's thoughts anddesires strongly in the right direction."

  "Do you call yourselves socialists now?" asked the doctor.

  "No," answered Thorwald, "but you can call us so, if you please. It isa good word, but our condition is much more perfect, since the coming ofthe kingdom of God in every heart, than any dream of socialism, in theolden time, ever contemplated.

  "I was speaking of the increasing power of religion. Where the churchhad been weak and dependent on a few half-earnest, timid believers,it was now strong and active, and supported by all the self-respectingportion of society. Instead of being forced to beg for its meagersubsistence, it now received in abundance the money that was poured outvoluntarily. Men did not wait for death, but gave their fortunes awayduring their lives, and enjoyed the blessing which followed. The churchwent down to the people, and in so doing lifted them up to itself.It showed them how to make much of life, gave them instruction andrecreation and social enjoyment, fed the hungry, clothed the naked, andvisited those in trouble. It strengthened family and neighborhood ties,encouraged peace and good-fellowship, and taught men to love each otheras a preparation for loving God.

  "A local church of that day was not a feeble body of men and women, withan overworked and underpaid man at their head, who was expected to doall the varied work required, except what he could get done by a smallnumber of his members, themselves worn out with the labor and businessof life. No, I will acquaint you with a then modern church. It was aninstitution rich in resources and men, male and female, reaching outinto the community in every direction, helping the people in everyimaginable way to live as well as preparing them to die, a beauty and ajoy to all. It appealed to every side of man's nature, first supplyingphysical wants, not by indiscriminate largess of money, but by teachingsobriety, industry, and thrift as virtues necessary to a roundedcharacter. Such teaching was not confined to pulpit precepts, but therewas no lack of good souls who took delight in going into the homes ofthe people and showing them by example the best ways of living, and howto make even the homeliest duties a loving and beautiful service.To provide further for the needs of the body, there were gymnasiums,bath-houses, swimming schools, playgrounds, riding schools, and thelike.

  "More numerous still were the means offered to meet the intellectualand social desires--club-houses, lecture halls, conservatories,museums, picture galleries, libraries, reading rooms, observatories,kindergartens, manual training and trade schools, besides games andsports, spectacular and dramatic exhibitions of a high order, andmany other things, designed to compete with attractions of a debasingcharacter.

  "Then, rising high over all, both in outward form and inward grace,was the church edifice itself, set apart and strictly preserved for itssacred purpose. In the noble lines of its architecture, in the beautyof its artistic adornment, and in the character of its service,intellectual and musical, it represented the highest culture of the age.The structure included under its roof accommodations for the variousdepartments of religious work, and its doors were always open, invitingevery passer-by to enter and seek for spiritual refreshment.

  "Imagine, if you can, an institution employing all these agencies, everyone of them fully equipped and manned, and with streams of money flowingin to their support; no barren a
ppeals from the pulpit for funds to payexpenses, and no auctioneer's hammer profaning the sacred aisles.

  "This was the church of the period. Can you wonder that God's richblessing was on such work and that his kingdom made rapid progress?There was an ever-increasing number of God's ministers, men and women,imbued with Christ's own spirit, working in all these various activitiesto elevate and save their kind.

  "In the life of the people there was nothing in all the world that sosurrounded them as the church. They could not escape from its influence.It touched them from one side or from another, calling upon them, byevery manner of appeal, to lead less sordid lives, and seek the highestgood. Whereas in the olden time they seemed to be set in the midst ofevil influences, which imperceptibly molded their characters and toooften wrecked their lives, their condition was so changed that theirenvironment was now a help and not a hindrance, and so the gospel foundeasy entrance to their hearts and lives.

  "This much the church had done by giving its money and itself, withnew-born zeal, to the work of the Master. And from this time you may besure its victories were rapid and notable.

  "While this great change in society had been going on among nominalChristian people, hand in hand had gone the work of the gospel inheathen lands. The faster the money was poured out for the churchat home, the more plentifully it was offered for the foreign field.Sometimes it was feared there would be more money than men and women forthe work. Then the laborers would come forward in such numbers that themoney would be exhausted, which, however, gave no concern, for it wassure to come again as soon as needed. Where one missionary, in theformer days, had had the courage to take up the work, now thousandssprang forward and with eager hearts went into the field.

  "Going to the heathen in the same spirit of brotherly love andhelpfulness which had been so successful at home, the church was almostoverwhelmed with the happy results. One people after another threw awaytheir idols, and became followers of the gentle Savior, whose disciplesshowed so much of his spirit. In every part of the world the gospelwas gaining fast over superstition and ignorance. In Christian lands noother news was so sought after by all as the reports of the progress ofthe cross, at home and abroad. Enthusiasm is a small word with which todescribe the burst of genuine interest in this great cause. Nor was ita transient show of feeling, but so steady and constant that there wasnever any doubt of its enduring till the final victory was won.

  "Where now were the dangers that threatened society? What had becomeof the labor troubles, the schemes of the anarchists, the menace of theunemployed, the risk of a plutocracy, and all the evils that darkenedthe sky of that former day? How far away, how trivial these thingsseemed, now that they had passed, and men were learning to dwelltogether in peace."