I love the paragraph about how far we have come! "a long way from a fallen tree
to the suspension bridge" "from the club to the Legislature" --INDEED!
Brum and Blash actually cannot comprehend any of this! They think we were made from dust (and a rib--SNICKER!)--and that we were always speaking English and walking around in a garden discussing quantum mechanics and irrigation systems and the vulcanization of rubber with Yahweh the Great!
It is a long road from the savage to the scientist -- from a
den to a mansion -- from leaves to clothes -- from a flickering
rush to the arc-light -- from a hammer of stone to the modern mill
-- a long distance from the pipe of Pan to the violin -- to the
orchestra -- from, a floating log to the steamship -- from a sickle
to a reaper -- from a flail to a threshing machine -- from a
crooked stick to a plow -- from a spinning wheel to a spinning
A THANKSGIVING SERMON.
jenny -- from a hand loom to a Jacquard -- a Jacquard that weaves
fair forms and wondrous flowers beyond Arachne's utmost dream --
from a few hieroglyphics on the skins of beasts -- on bricks of
clay -- to a printing press, to a library -- a long distance from
the messenger, traveling on foot, to the electric spark -- from
knives and tools of stone to those of steel -- a long distance from
sand to telescopes -- from echo to the phonograph, the phonograph
that buries in indented lines and dots the sounds of living speech,
and then gives back to life the very words and voices of the dead
-- a long way from the trumpet to the telephone, the telephone that
transports speech as swift as thought and drops the words, perfect
as minted coins, in listening ears, a long way from a fallen tree
to the suspension bridge -- from the dried sinews of beasts to the
cables of steel -- from the oar to the propeller -- from the sling
to the rifle -- from the catapult to the cannon -- a long distance
from revenge to law -- from the club to the Legislature -- from
slavery to freedom -- from appearance to fact -- from fear to
reason.
And yet the distance has been traveled by the human race.
Countless obstructions have been overcome -- numberless enemies
have been conquered -- thousands and thousands of victories have
been won for the right, and millions have lived, labored and died
for their fellow-men. For the blessings we enjoy -- for the
happiness that is ours, we ought to be grateful. Our hearts should
blossom with thankfulness. |
