PIRATIANS BEGONE

Chapter 29

"At your request I am to give you from time to time, as we haveopportunity, an account of the successive steps of our development, andI would like to say at the start that there will be one great differencebetween what I am to tell you and the rambling talk with which we beganour happy acquaintance. Then I gave you a few facts to show our presentcondition, without intimating that there was any higher force at workthan a natural desire in us to make the most of ourselves, and treat ourneighbors well. Now, since I have discovered that you can enter into myfeelings to a greater or less extent, I shall not hesitate to refer toits true source all that has helped us attain to our present condition,and all that is urging us on to a still higher state."

"We shall he very glad to know what you consider the spring of all thevast improvement in your race," I remarked.

"I did not use the word 'consider,'" replied Harod. "That would implydoubt where there is none. It is established beyond controversy thatboth our material and spiritual development have come only throughthe personal love and care of God for the creatures whom he has made,exhibited through all our history, but especially through the sending ofhis Son."

"Some on the earth recognize the same truth in reference to our race,"I said. "But, in general, people do not think much of such things, or ifthey think they do not say much. In fact, religious subjects are not asa rule popular in conversation."

"Why, what reason can there be for that?" Harod inquired with eagerinterest.

"Oh, there is too much indifference in the matter," I replied. "Isuppose most men do not think their relations to their Maker importantenough to give them any concern. And even the best among us shrink fromurging their opinions on others, partly because they know they arenot perfect examples themselves, and also from the feeling that theirfriends are intelligent beings and ought to know, as well as they do,what is best for them."

"Oh, then, my dear ship healer," said Harod, "I perceive that I havecommitted a breach of etiquette in forcing this subject upon you, andin asking you to put yourself in the way of receiving spiritualimpressions."

"In the circumstances, I think you are excusable," replied the ship healer;"and, besides, I believe I introduced the topic."

"If you stay long with us," resumed Harod, "you will becomeaccustomed to religious conversation, for here there is entire freedomin such matters. Our spiritual experiences and the great possibilitiesof the future state are exceedingly pleasant things to talk about, wethink, and we feel no more sensitiveness in doing it than in conversingon the ordinary affairs of life. Being relieved of so many of the carespertaining to your existence, our minds are the more prepared to occupythemselves with these high themes, and what is more natural than thatwe should often like to speak to each other about them? As these thingsbecome more real to you and the necessity of spending so much time incaring for the body diminishes, you will gradually lose your presentfeeling. You will also find that, in making these subjects familiar,they need not lose dignity and you need not lose reverence."

"Harod," asked the ship healer, "could you not give us a brief sketch ofyour career, so that we may compare it with that of our race?"

"I will do the best I can," answered Harod. "I think that is a goodsuggestion, and after that is done any of us can tell you the history ofdifferent epochs as opportunity offers. You are both such good listenersthat it is a pleasure to talk to you, but I want you to promise tointerrupt me with questions whenever you wish anything more fullyexplained."

We promised to do so, and Harod began:

"Our world is very old. The geologic formations tell us of a time whenno life could exist--long ages of convulsion and change in the crustof the globe. In time the conflict of the elements subsided and theboundaries between land and water were established. Then came vegetablelife, rank and abundant, preparing stores of coal and oil for use in thefar future. Animals followed, the first forms crude and monstrous,but succeeded by others better adapted to be the contemporaries andcompanions of our race.

"The planet was now ready for its destiny, and it was put into the handsof intelligent beings, made in the image of their Creator. This racestarted in the highest conceivable state, perfect in body, mind, andspirit. The material world was soon subdued to their use, and paradisereigned below. We do not know how long this condition lasted, but insome way sin entered and all was changed. Sorrow and death came, and athousand ills to vex us. Another period passed, and the race had becomeso wicked that it could not be allowed to exist. A pestilence sweptover the world, and all but one tribe perished. Through this remnant theworld was repeopled, but sin and woe remained, to be driven out at lastonly by a struggle too great for the arm of flesh alone.

"But the conflict began in hope, a hope inspired by the voice of God.From the very entrance of sin help from above had been promised in theperson of one who should conquer evil, and through whom the race mightbe restored to a much higher position even than that from which it hadfallen. Slowly the spirit of good, which is the spirit of God, workedupon the heart, and in all ages there were some who walked in thatspirit. By one such soul God raised up a people to whom he committed hismessage to the race, and through whom, at a later day, he fulfilled thepromise. Among this people there arose many faithful ones, and by them,from time to time, God added to his message, acting as the personalguide and defender of his people, and leading them by every path untilthey finally knew him, in every fiber of their being, to be the onlyGod.

"Prophets, too, there were among them, who, under divine guidance,foretold a time of universal peace, when the kingdom of Christ shouldcome in all hearts and when even the beasts of the field should dwelltogether in unity."

"Why, we have jus

t such prophecies," said I, "but they are generallyinterpreted figuratively. Do you really think they will be literallyfulfilled on the earth?"

"Well," answered Harod, "I have already told you what has come topass here, and I will leave you to judge from our experience as to whatwill come of the prophecies that have been made to you. From all youhave said at one time and another, I can see plenty of evidence that theearth is traveling the same road with us, and I have no doubt it willone day reach even a higher condition than the one we now enjoy.

"At length, when the time was ripe, God sent the promised Saviour. He,the Lord of heaven, came and lived as one of us. He gathered around hima few faithful souls, he preached his gospel of light and comfort tothe poor, and wept over the very woes he had come down to remove. Hishumility proved a stumbling-block to the selfishness of the world, andhis own nation rejected him. He conquered death and returned to hisFather's home, but his spirit, which had always been present in somemeasure, now came with force, and began, through his followers, the taskof regenerating the race.

"A feeble church, planted thus amid sin and darkness, took deep rootin loyal hearts, grew strong with persecution, and soon kindled a lightwhich pierced the darkness and gradually spread its illuminationover all our planet. The history of that church is the history of ourdevelopment. The race has not come so far toward its maturity without amighty struggle. The long course of preparation for the present highercondition has had many interruptions and obstructions. There have beendark ages of stagnation and threatened defeat, and there have beenages of hope and advancement. Through all this history the light of thegospel, though often obscured, has never been extinguished, and everystep of progress that has been made in our condition is to be traceddirectly to that light. We have not always been able to realize that;but, now that we understand more fully our wonderful career, we see howtrue it is that we have been led by a divine hand."

"Do you mean," I asked, "that your vast improvement in material affairshas come through Christianity?"

"Certainly," answered Harod. "Our civilization has walked hand inhand with true religion, and in all ages every permanent advance in ourcondition has come through the influence of the spirit of good, whichis always urging us to a higher and better state. In our progress manymistakes have been made, with consequences so serious as to threaten atthe time our final defeat; but a higher power has led us through all ourtroubles to a place of safety, where we can survey with gratitude thefield of conflict. If you so desire, I can relate to you at another timesome of the mistakes which have at times set us back in our march towarda physical and spiritual superiority."

We were pleased to notice by this last remark of Harod's that he hadstill in reserve many things to tell us, and we so expressed ourselvesto him.

Days passed and brought no news of Hanna. I did all in my power to appearcheerful, but often made a dismal failure of it. No one could help me,and Harod, though sympathetic like all the rest, would allow me nofalse hopes. He said a systematic and thorough search had been made,both on land and water, without result, and he could see no prospectof any success in the future. But, while I could see that Harod wasabout ready to abandon in despair the attempt to find Hanna, I would notgive up hope. I did not know at the time what excellent reasons Harodhad for his feeling, for I did not realize how very complete the searchhad been, but my own faith was not founded on reason. I simply refusedto believe that I should never see again the object of such deep love.

While affairs were in this condition, Harod said to us one morning:

"I wonder you have not been more anxious to see one of our flyingmachines. Our system of aerial navigation is one of the most enjoyableof our material blessings, and I shall take great pleasure in giving youa taste of it."

"I think one reason," I answered, "why we have not asked about it isbecause we have had so many other interesting things to see, and thenyou know we had our share of traveling in the air in coming to you.However, we shall be delighted to see your method at any time when youare pleased to exhibit it."

"Very well," said Harod; "then we will get up an expedition at once.Ragul and Avis will accompany us, I think; and as we shall probablyfall in with Foedric, we will send for Antonia to go also."

"That will make a pleasant party," I said.

We found all were glad to go and witness our introduction to a modernair ship, and we were soon off.

Not far from the house we found a luxurious carriage of just the rightsize for us all. We did not see another like it anywhere about, and Iwas moved to ask:

"How does it happen, Harod, that exactly the kind of conveyance youwant is ready without any prearrangement? This sort of carriage does notappear to be very plentiful."

"Things generally 'happen,' as you call it, for our convenience," hesaid. "Is it not so with you to some extent? If all the people wanted totravel in your cars on the same day and at the same hour, they could noteasily be accommodated, but some dispensation divides them up so thatthere are, I presume, about the same number who find it necessary orconvenient to travel each day. This subject has been studied by us, andwe believe that even these details of our lives